2007 GMC Acadia: First Test

THE LAMBDAS ARE COMING

The Acadia was our first opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Lambda-based vehicle, but others are coming. Saturn's version, the Outlook, is scheduled to go on sale at the same time as the GMC. These two models share roofline and doors, and the suspension tuning is said to be similar, if not identical. Saturn styling cues, seen prominently on the front end, make it the easiest way to differentiate it from the GMC model. Engine and transmission are shared among the two, but power output is slightly different: All Acadias and top Outlook XRs come standard with a dual exhaust good for 275 horsepower. The base Outlook XE gets a single exhaust and 270 horses. Interior materials and color schemes are different, and cloth seats are standard fare in the Outlook. The Saturn cabin has the same level of versatility as the Acadia, as it also uses the Smart Slide second row. Value's going to be a strong element to the Outlook-expect pricing to start significantly lower than the Acadia. The third official Lambda crossover is the Buick Enclave, which goes on sale mid-2007. It'll be the most luxurious of the trio, with a high priority set on interior comfort. Where the Outlook and Acadia are more angular, Buick's model is sculpted and more stylized. Presented for the first time at the L.A. auto show and looking very much like the concept, the Enclave will be the most differentiated of the Lambda line. It's a huge step up from the Rendezvous, with HID lights that turn with the front wheels, three rows of leather captain's chairs, and enough sound-deadening materials to make the interior what GM calls "library quiet." The concept demonstrated upscale features like a DVD system that allows passengers to watch four different movies at the same time, a skylight that runs the length of the cabin, and a three-row center console-we hope all these features make it into production. As you might expect, the Buick will use a softer suspension. At launch, it'll come with the 3.6-liter V-6 with variable valve timing, but a small-block OHV V-8 is likely to be in the Enclave's future. Chevrolet hasn't announced its Lambda yet, but it's the next logical step. A Chevy version wouldn't arrive until 2008 at the earliest and would overlap with the outgoing TrailBlazer.