GM Crossovers to Get Improved Mileage, More Power

At the Chicago Auto Show today, GM officials said to expect the automaker's three-row crossovers to receive similar engineering improvements as the just-introduced Chevrolet Traverse. That means slight gains in power and gas mileage for the Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia.

The improvements come thanks to GM's direct-injection V-6, a potent engine we've driven in the new Cadillac CTS. In the Traverse, the engine makes an estimated 286 hp, slightly more than in the other crossovers. Vehicle line executive Anna Kretz said she expects it to migrate to the Outlook, Enclave and Acadia, though she didn't specify a timetable. We imagine it will happen for the 2009 or 2010 model year.

Gas mileage should also improve, though GM has yet to release exact figures.

"Any time you do a direction injection [engine], you're going to improve your efficiency," Kretz said, adding that she expects the mileage gain to be "certainly one that is noticeable."

With front-wheel drive, the Outlook, Enclave and Acadia get 16/24 mpg city/highway. In the CTS, gas mileage is slightly lower for the direct-injection V-6 versus its port-injected equivalent, but that engine makes 304 hp. If the Traverse's variant can raise highway mileage to 25 or 26 mpg while providing a bump in passing power, it should be a win-win for all.

Cars.com Three-Row Crossover Faceoff

It’s one of the fastest-growing segments in the market: Three-row crossovers have come along to take the place of traditional truck-based SUVs in the heart of suburbia. Cars.com put three of the newcomers head-to-head-to-head to determine which tops this new field. The GMC Acadia, Hyundai Veracruz and Mazda CX-9 all proved to be excellent people-movers, but only one could win the Faceoff. See which one we picked, and let us know what Faceoffs you’d like to see in the future.

Cars.comparison: Three-Row Crossovers

Suburban Dad: 2007 GMC Acadia

It seemed familiar — like I’d been there before. From the outside, it looked like a great big American-made SUV. There were the large tires, the aggressive front end, the long lines down the side, the liftgate in the back.

Once inside the Acadia, though, the memories came rushing back. The captain’s chairs in the second row. The third row that collapses almost flat to the floor. The space between the captain’s chairs to allow access to the third row. Could it be?

(Music from “Psycho” kicks in…)

Yes! I was in a minivan! Even my daughter picked up on it. “This is exactly like our car, Dad,” she noted. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

And that’s what really ticks me off. I live in the suburbs, surrounded by all these suburbanites who have turned their collective back on the minivan. “They’re not cool enough,” they sniff. “They’re not manly enough.”

2007 Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia Recalled Due to Faulty Airbag Sensors

GM has recalled its all-new crossovers, the GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook, because of potentially faulty airbag sensors. The recall affects all 13,032 of the vehicles on the road. The problem stems from a faulty sensor that controls the front airbags’ deployment. It will also prevent the vehicle from alerting owners of a malfunction.

GM says the problem is a software issue and can be remedied with a service — no parts need to be replaced — at the dealer at no cost to owners. The company discovered the problem during internal testing and no incidents have been reported.

Letters went out Thursday to Outlook owners, and letters for Acadia owners will go out Feb. 28. Owners can call GMC at 1-866-966-9463 or Saturn at 1-800-972-8876 for more information.

That Was Fast: Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia Back on Sale

After yesterday’s dust-up about a sale stoppage of two of GM’s most anticipated models it looks like things are almost back to normal. Dealers should receive a formal service bulletin today detailing the fix to the vehicles’ motor mounts and once adjusted they’ll be able to go on sale.

Around 550 Outlooks and Acadias have been sent to dealers and a few have been sold, but none have been delivered to the any customers so the issue won’t be considered a recall. While we don’t like to see any issues with new vehicles, GM was proactive about fixing the issue and kept the media up to date.   

Related:
Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia Problem Revealed
GM Halts Sales of Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia

Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia Problem Revealed

Cars.com’s Joe Wiesenfelder has the details on the problem that has temporarily stopped the sale of GM’s new Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia from being sold to the public. The issue seems to be a motor mount that can collect water and freeze during cold weather. This would lead to vibration and roughness during driving.

There is a relatively simple fix — drilling drainage holes so the water never collects — that can be done at the dealership. The extreme move of stopping sales was to ensure a successful launch of both vehicles. There is still no word on when both models will go on sale.

Related: GM Halts Sales of Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia

GM Halts Sales of Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia

In a significant move, GM has told dealers to temporarily stop selling the Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia, two all-new crossovers that are immensely important to the automaker. According to a GM release:

“Based on recent learnings from our pre-production test fleet, GM has requested that dealers make two (non-safety) enhancements to all 2007 GMC Acadia and 2007 Saturn Outlook vehicles in their inventory to ensure customer satisfaction."

The company says it has not sold either of the models to retail customers yet, and it wouldn’t provide specifics about what the two fixes are. Cars.com’s Joe Wiesenfelder reviewed the new Outlook last week and found issues with the transmission and acceleration of his test vehicle. Again, we don’t know if those were the issues targeted by this stop order. 

There’s no word on when the vehicles will go on sale or if the fix can be easily completed by the dealers. Without more information, we’re hesitant to guess at the impact this will have on initial quality, but it sure won’t look good on the evening news. We’ll post an update as soon as we receive more specifics.

[Breaking! GM Issues "Stop Sale" To Dealers On Saturn Outlook And GMC Acadia, Jalopnik]

Related:  Taking on the Saturn Outlook

Full GMC Acadia Pricing and Options Are Here

Cars.com has just finished posting the full pricing and option information for the all-new 2007 GMC Acadia full-size crossover. The Acadia continues to be a hotly discussed vehicle — at least for a family hauler — and we figured blog readers might want to see how they could equip the crossover any way they want before it goes on sale later this year.

Cars.com allows you to build and configure any new car, so take the Acadia for a spin. We were able to deck out a top-of-the-line SLT-2 model with all-wheel drive, navigation, rear DVD system and a two-panel sunroof, and came up with an MSRP of $44,040. Are we the only ones who do that when building cars on automotive sites? Also, it doesn't appear the Acadia comes in black.

All-New GMC Acadia Pricing Announced

We’ve been telling anyone who will listen that we think GM’s new trio of crossovers — the Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave — will be big hits for the company. We also included the caveat that the price would have to be right. Today, GM announced pricing for the 2007 GMC Acadia starting at $29,990 for front-wheel-drive models. The under-$30,000 tag line will obviously be on every ad when the Acadia goes on sale at the end of 2006. The all-wheel-drive Acadia will start at $31,990; both prices include a $735 destination charge. Standard features include side airbags for all three rows of seating, stability control with rollover mitigation, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes and 18-inch wheels.

Full pricing for options, appearance packages and all the other goodies that raise sticker prices has yet to be announced. The sticker price a few thousand dollars over competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica seems about right. Of course, we’d prefer it even less, but the Saturn Outlook should have a lower price point when it comes to market.

Related:
GM's Crossover Conundrum
2007 GMC Acadia Revealed