Revised GMC Acadia Receives IIHS Top Safety Pick Award

The 2025 GMC Acadia just got its safety rating upgraded by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or IIHS, receiving a 2025 Top Safety Pick award in late April 2025 – a distinction it did not previously have.

While the GMC Acadia didn’t earn the highest safety accolade from the IIHS, the Top Safety Pick+ (Top Safety Pick Plus), it now has an Acceptable rating in the moderate overlap front test, improving its safety status overall.

IIHS is careful to note that only 2025 GMC Acadia vehicles built after January 2025 are Top Safety Pick rated. 2025 model year units built prior to that date don’t get the new rating. The reason for this is the introduction of improved headlights starting in January, improving moderate overlap performance. Earlier headlights offer only “marginal” effect.

Overall, the 2025 GMC Acadia is now given an “Acceptable” safety performance rating in the “updated moderate overlap front” and “front crash prevention: pedestrian” categories. It is rated as “Good” in the small front overlap, updated side, headlights, and seat belt reminders portions of the IIHS  test.

Several other General Motors vehicles performed fairly well in the IIHS tests. The all-new, third-gen 2025 Buick Enclave got a “Good” crash test rating but was not a Top Safety Pick because of its marginal headlights. However, the Enclave received a Top Safety Pick+ rating after GM revised its headlights, in the same vein as the Acadia. The 2025 Chevy Traverse managed to snag a 2025 Top Safety Pick Award for all-round good protection and crash avoidance.

As a reminder, only one powerplant is cradled under the 2025 Acadia’s hood – namely the turbocharged 2.5L I4 LK0 gasoline engine developing 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. The GM eight-speed automatic transmission is paired with this engine. Meanwhile, as with most modern GM compact and mid-size crossovers, drivetrain choices include FWD and AWD.

Beneath the sheet metal, the Acadia is underpinned by the long-wheelbase variant of the GM C1 platform that includes an upgrade with the GM Global B electrical architecture. Production of the 2025 model is carried out exclusively at the GM Lansing Delta Township plant in Michigan.