2014 GMC Acadia
Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2014 models.

- Class
- Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
- Body styles
- 4dr SUV AWD Sle/Slt/Denali, 4dr SUV FWD Sle/Slt
- Engines
- 3.6L 6-cyl
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
- MPG (best)
- 19 combined · 17 city / 24 hwy
- Length
- 201.2 in
- Curb weight
- 4,696–4,892 lb
- NHTSA rating
- ★★★★★
- Recalls
- 6 campaigns
Pros & cons
What's good
- AWD / 4WD available
- 5-star NHTSA safety ratingTop overall score in federal crash tests.
Watch out for
- Many owner complaints428 complaints filed with NHTSA versus about 125 for similar models — most often about the air bags.
Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 16 similar 2014 models — not a review. How we calculate this →
Overview
The 2014 GMC Acadia is a standard SUV offered with a 3.6L 6-cyl engine and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.
It measures about 201 inches long and 79 inches wide on a 119-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,892 lb (4dr SUV AWD Sle/Slt/Denali).
EPA rates its most efficient version at 19 MPG combined (17 city / 24 highway), 2% better than the 2014 standard SUV average of 18.6 MPG, for an estimated $3,550 a year in fuel.
In NHTSA crash testing it earned the top 5-star overall rating.
It has 6 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 428 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the air bags.
What changed for 2014
- Now crash-tested by NHTSA: 5 stars overall
Compared with 2013; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2013 Acadia →
Dimensions & weight
| Body | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Track F / R | Curb weight | Weight F/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4dr SUV AWD Sle/Slt/Denali | 201.2 in | 78.7 in | 72.8 in | 118.9 in | 67.3 / 66.9 in | 4,892 lb | 55/45 |
| 4dr SUV FWD Sle/Slt | 201.2 in | 78.7 in | 72.8 in | 118.9 in | 67.3 / 66.9 in | 4,696 lb | 55/45 |
Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.
Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →Engines, MPG & running costs
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | vs. class | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia FWD | 3.6L 6-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 17 / 24 / 19 | +2% | $3,550 | 465 |
| Acadia AWD | 3.6L 6-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | All-Wheel Drive | 16 / 23 / 18 | +1% | $3,700 | 484 |
EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2014 EPA class average. How we calculate this →
Safety ratings & technology
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Driver / passenger | Side | Side pole | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 GMC Acadia SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 5★ / 5★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 15.5% |
| 2014 GMC Acadia SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 5★ / 5★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 16.9% |
Similar 2014 standard SUVs
| Model | Best MPG / range | NHTSA overall | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 GMC Acadia (this car) | 19 MPG | ★★★★★ | 6 |
| 2014 Toyota Land Cruiser | 15 MPG | Not rated | 4 |
| 2014 Ford Explorer | 23 MPG | ★★★★★ | 6 |
| 2014 Toyota Highlander | 28 MPG | ★★★★★ | 4 |
| 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe | 17 MPG | ★★★★★ | 4 |
| 2014 GMC Yukon | 17 MPG | ★★★★★ | 3 |
| 2014 Ford Expedition | 16 MPG | ★★★★★ | 0 |
Recalls (6)
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module · May 10, 2023
NHTSA campaign 23V334000 · 995,085 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- Fix
- Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. GM began mailing final owner letters February 23, 2024 and will continue mailing through December 2025. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232404980.
Air Bags › Critical Fasteners · Apr 8, 2021
NHTSA campaign 21V246000 · 108 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.
- Risk
- Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.
Electrical System · Oct 1, 2014
NHTSA campaign 14V614000 · 106,307 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.
- Risk
- If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GMÂs number for this recall is 14515.
Seat Belts · May 20, 2014
NHTSA campaign 14V266000 · 1,339,355 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured June 6, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 9, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through March 18, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue and separate over time.
- Risk
- If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.
- Fix
- General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair and replace the lap pretensioner, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. An interim notice will be mailed to owners in July 2014. A second notice will be mailed to owners once parts become available. The recall for the 2009-2010 model years began on July 11, 2014. The interim letter for the 2011-2014 model years were distributed on July 11, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14187.
Electrical System › Software · Apr 30, 2014
NHTSA campaign 14V223000 · 51,640 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured March 26, 2013, through August 15, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the engine control module (ECM) software may cause the fuel gauge to read inaccurately.
- Risk
- An inaccurate fuel gauge may result in the vehicle unexpectedly running out of fuel and stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECM to correct the fuel gauge reading, free of charge. The recall began on June 27, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14007.
Power Train › Automatic Transmission · Feb 21, 2014
NHTSA campaign 14V092000 · 355 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, LaCrosse, Verano, and Enclave, and Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Cruze, and Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable adjuster may disengage from the transmission shift lever. As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect." They also fail to conform to FMVSS number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
- Risk
- If a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the driver may be able to shift the lever to the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
- Fix
- General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace any affected transmission shift cable adjusters, free of charge. The recall began on April 10, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Buick owners at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC owners at 1-800-462-8782. General Motors' number associated with this recall is 14048.
Not every 2014 GMC Acadia is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.
Owner-reported problems
Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.
Used 2014 GMC Acadia buyer's checklist
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 6 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
- Air Bags — 240 owner reports. Confirm the airbag warning light turns off after start-up and any airbag recall was completed.
- Electrical System — 84 owner reports. Test every window, lock, light, screen and USB port; check the battery age.
- Engine — 39 owner reports. Cold-start the engine, listen for knocking, and watch for warning lights or hesitation on acceleration.
- Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 75,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
- Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.
Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2014 GMC Acadia. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.
Other Acadia years
Compare all years →| Year | MPG (best) | Length | Overall | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Acadia | 22 | – | Not rated | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 Acadia | 22 | 203.9 in | Not rated | 1 | 10 |
| 2025 Acadia | 23 | 203.9 in | ★★★★★ | 0 | 69 |
| 2024 Acadia | 23 | 203.9 in | ★★★★★ | 0 | 61 |
| 2023 Acadia | 25 | 193.3 in | ★★★★★ | 4 | 49 |
| 2022 Acadia | 25 | 193.3 in | ★★★★★ | 3 | 52 |
| 2021 Acadia | 25 | 193.3 in | ★★★★★ | 2 | 155 |
| 2020 Acadia | 24 | 193.3 in | ★★★★★ | 6 | 106 |
| 2019 Acadia | 23 | 193.7 in | ★★★★★ | 2 | 388 |
| 2018 Acadia | 23 | 193.7 in | ★★★★★ | 2 | 398 |
| 2017 Acadia | 23 | 193.7 in | ★★★★★ | 4 | 706 |
| 2016 Acadia | 18 | 201.2 in | ★★★★★ | 4 | 236 |
Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or GMC. How we calculate this →