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GM Authority

2025 GMC Acadia Gets 8-Passenger Seating Capacity

The 2025 GMC Acadia will offer 8-passenger seating capacity for the entry-level Elevation trim level, GM Authority has learned from sources familiar with the matter, in contrast to the 2024 model year, which offered seating for 7 people only.

GM Authority exclusively revealed that the 2025 GMC Acadia might be getting an 8-passenger capacity back in June, alongside its larger dimensions and 80 percent boost to cargo space behind the third row.

Side view of the 2025 GMC Acadia generation.

The ability to carry eight passengers rather than the previous seven means that Elevation trim of the 2025 GMC Acadia will get a second-row bench seat instead of the flat-folding captain’s chairs installed in the 2024 GMC Acadia. The third row is also a bench seat, set up with a 60/40 split.

Notably, the Acadia hasn’t offered an 8-passenger seating configuration since the first generation, which includes the 2007 through 2017 model years. Meanwhile, a new Elevation Premium Package (RPO code GHI) will be available on the Elevation. The package includes the following content (with RPO codes in parenthesis where appropriate):

  • 2nd-row flat-folding captain’s chairs with Smart Slide and 3rd row manual-folding 60-40 split-bench seat (ABE)
  • CoreTec seating in After Dark (color code H7K) or Gideon Gray (color code H7L)
  • 6-way power passenger seat adjuster (A7J)
  • Front passenger seat 2-way power lumbar adjustment (AT9)
  • Auto-dimming interior rearview mirror (DD8)
  • 20-inch Bright Silver aluminum wheels (Q76)
  • P255/55R20 all-season tires (Q3N)
  • Universal Home Remote with garage door opener (UG1)

Rear three quarters view of the 2025 GMC Acadia generation.

The Elevation Premium Package effectively returns the 2025 GMC Acadia Elevation trim to the 7-passenger seating capacity of the 2024 model year. Most of the Elevation Premium Package’s contents were standard on the 2024 Acadia Elevation. What this means is that the 2025 model year Elevation will offer fewer features and a seemingly lower base price, in addition to these:

  • 18-inch aluminum wheels (5PC)
  • 255/65R18 all-season tires (QO5)
  • Cloth seats in After Dark (H6W) or Gideon Gray (H6X)

As a reminder, the 2024 Acadia is motivated by the turbocharged 2.5L I4 LK0 gasoline engine developing 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. The GM eight-speed automatic transmission provides cog swaps, and the drivetrain is available in both FWD or AWD configurations.

Front view of the 2025 GMC Acadia generation.

The GMC Acadia is underpinned by the long-wheelbase variant of the GM C1 platform, now including features like the GM Global B electrical architecture. Production of the 2025 model will take place at the GM Lansing Delta Township plant in Michigan and is currently scheduled for October 14th, 2024.

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Comments

  1. Chris

    Do all you want to the 2025 Acadia, GM, but you still won’t sell that many because of the stupid and pathetic four cylinder engine that you’re still only offering. What about offering an optional V6 engine? Will that ever happen again?!

    Reply
    1. Noah

      The stupid and pathetic four cylinder that makes more HP and torque, and can tow more. Okay.

      Reply
      1. Chris

        Test drive one! OKAY!! I test drove two of them and despite the touted claims of more horsepower and torque, the engine struggled to move this larger and heavier model. Enough said!!! End of discussion!!!

        Reply
        1. TMI

          See, that is where people like your self that wear rose colored glasses come in with flat out misinformation that can mislead others. No reviews have stated it struggled to “move”, rather it felt just as powerful when wrung out as the V6 (which makes sense since HP is up a little in a heavier vehicle) while around town driving was better. The only thing they all called out was the sound, that was it. It moved the vehicle just fine and felt like the power was there and as advertised. Not sure why you have to be so blind to how many cylinders are in a vehicle that is clouds your judgement, but the 2.5 is reviewing well but could use an improvement on the sound it makes when pushed, but power is plenty as the numbers show…

          Reply
          1. Jeff sasse

            Hello TMI, you’re the guy that’s probably wearing those rose colored sunglasses are you an engineer for general motors? Don’t tell me about the V6 and the supercharged four-cylinder anytime you force an engine to work. You don’t get the longevity out of it. The V6 will out perform that task anytime. Did you sell automobiles and trucks for a living people used to come in build a truck under power it and have to replace the engine within one or two years because I couldn’t take the workload so what do you think about that so don’t make comments you don’t know anything about

            Reply
            1. jtxg

              I suppose for you to make a more competent argument, you should call it a turbo-charged engine, not super charged. There is a difference.

              Reply
              1. Jeff Sasse

                I know I realized that after I sent it, but I was trying to prove a point that anytime you’re force an engine to work they run warmer. They use more oil and they don’t seem to last.

                Reply
        2. jtxg

          The 3.6L is an ancient pig anyway compared to modern engines…but hey if pickup is what you want, go get an EV, they’re all pretty quick

          Reply
          1. John Z

            They have been building 90° V8 engines for over 120 years. Are they ancient pigs also.

            Anytime I’ve had the displeasure to drive a vehicle with a 4 cylinder engine, when I had to put my foot into it, it rattled and felt like it was going to come apart. In my humble opinion four-cylinder engines are nothing but rattle boxes.

            Reply
    2. Bowhtr1

      They just need a high output version of the 2.5l to get people wanting it. The hp and torque with this one is nothing special.

      Reply
      1. Jeff Sasse

        No, it needs a high-performance V6

        Reply
        1. Bowhtr1

          Turbo v6 would be great. V6 engine don’t sound very good either.

          Reply
        2. JtXG

          If you want high performance go get a Durango they can’t give those things away. Or bring your wallet to the table and buy an Escalade V.

          My second car was a 2004 Buick Rainier V8. In its day it was a beast. But it only had 295 hp, and that was the 5.3L. In fact the more desirable feature in my opinion was that it was RWD. I certainly don’t think the 3.6 was all that. I do think the 2.7 in the turbo max Silverado would have made more sense than the 2.5. But I’ll still take this over electric any day. To each their own. The Traverse/Acadia/Enclave are in very low days supply so people are buying them. It seems the transmission is of much bigger concern than the engine at this point.

          Reply
  2. jeffrey sasse

    BIG DEAL NOW IT NEEDS AN ENGINE TO PUSH AROUND ALL THE EXTRA WEIGHT AND MAYBE TOW A TRAILER 4 CYL . GIVE ME A BRAKE.

    Reply
    1. TMI

      Let me guess, that 3.6 was plenty of engine before? But this much more powerful engine (around 20+HP and 60+FtLbs) is not enough? Give us all a BREAK (that is how you spell that) and tell us something factual please…

      Reply
  3. Tom

    I am waiting for a 5 passenger Acadia with no third row and a good cargo management system in its place. It should be available on all models but certainly the AT4 should be standard like that. Who ever took 7 people off road?

    Reply
    1. John Z

      My 2019 GMC Acadia SLT-1 All-Terrain came standard with two rows of seats and the cargo management area. You could also delete the cargo management area and get a few different arrangements for the second and third row seating at no additional price.
      The All-Terrain package also included 20 inch wheels with low profile tires. I could never figure out how they thought it was appropriate to include upgraded sport wheels to an off-road package.

      Reply
    2. jtxg

      can you not just order it with a second row bench and fold the third row down?

      Reply
  4. Tom

    The important things to know about the engine and transmission are:

    1. Can the transmission be shifted into neutral when the battery is dead?

    2. Does the engine have cylinder deactivation or whatever they are calling it now?

    These things affect the usability and reliability of the engine. I will wait to buy until this engine has at least 3 years of testing in the market place by users.

    Reply
  5. frank

    A slug with any full load of passengers. Spend almost 60K and then find out.

    Reply
  6. Chris

    And to think, having that stupid and pathetic four cylinder engine in an AT-4 and Z71! What an absolute joke and an embarrassment to the engineering management team that signed off on this horrendous decision!! These people have no pulse on what it takes to build outstanding vehicles!!!

    Reply
  7. Jgerwig

    I just test drove the 2024 Acadia today and even in the Elevation trim level it is very nice inside and out. However, I decided against it because of the engine. It wasn’t so much that it didn’t go, it certainly did; but the noise from the engine was horrible. It sounded like it was going to explode when I punched the accelerator going up an on ramp; and it was loud in the cabin too. Honestly, I think the 2.0T in my 2020 Terrain sounds less whiney. It’s a shame, because overall it’s a very nice vehicle.

    Reply
  8. Candice

    We test drive one and the four-cylinder is horrible. It’s a gutless Wonder. I just can’t do it, the inside was great. Everything looks good on it but it just has absolutely no power.

    Reply
    1. Chris

      @Candice

      I test drove two 2024 Acadia models and experienced the very same thing with that stupid and pathetic four cylinder engine. I too agree that the styling is very attractive and appealing, and I would have purchased one had a V6 engine option been offered.

      I’m sure that GM is fully aware of prospective buyers rebuke of the four cylinder engine, but at this point can’t do anything about it. They messed up with this engine and know it, but won’t ever admit it was a big mistake and a significant failure; many in management don’t want to lose their jobs over this.

      Reply
  9. Tom

    Does anyone know:

    1. Can the transmission be shifted into neutral when the battery is dead?

    2. Does the engine have cylinder deactivation or whatever they are calling it now?

    Just imagine if it has cylinder deactivation and a turbo. There is a is a formula for unreliability and trouble.

    Reply

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