Used 2012 GMC Acadia Denali SUV Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2012 GMC Acadia Denali SUV.
Most helpful consumer reviews
I Love My Acadia Denali. Maintain yours!
GM Dave, Schertz, TX, 02/20/2020
2012 GMC Acadia Denali 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
I bought my 2012 GMC Acadia Denali at the end of 2012 brand new at a year-end close-out price and a military discount on top of that. Through the years (it is now Feb 2020), I've replaced the tires, the windshield, and repaired some minor body damage & a broken Left Hand rear side mirror (caused solely by me paying attention to the camera view and NOT the mirrors). Now, for the … engine, transmission, AC, and everything under the hood, it has been FLAWLESS, I mean literally, ZERO repairs. BUT, I am a stickler for maintenance. I learned a lot in High School Shop and in the military. All scheduled maintenance / oil changes are is done ON TIME or AHEAD OF TIME by me, the dealer, or a trusted shop that uses B&G products.
I did however, have to get replaced a rear-seat AC / radio control console because it had a short which cause the Right Rear Speakers to got on-and-off. The whole repair, because of looking for it and trial & error, cost $211.00 at my local Cavender Cadillac dealer in the SA area. It did take them almost two weeks, but the SUV is as good as new and runs like new still after 8 years. I replaced the original battery at 6 years at my local auto parts store and it has a 5 year warranty.
My wife has a 2014 Buick Encore. It has had two engine repairs (faulty head gasket and a PCV), one full Infotainement / radio replacement, a replaced water pump, and on it's 3rd battery. (Wife's fault on that one). All of this was done under warranty - except 3rd battery. Now, lets hope all goes well for the next 6 years. Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance...
I have many more lengthy vacation road trips planned for my family. I trust my GMC (maybe a little more than my Buick.
Oh, I only buy my vehicles NEW. I never buy used because I do NOT know who maintained it, their driving habits, did they let their teen drive it (let's face it, I was a teen once and drove one way for my parents and entirely differently when I was with friends.) My neighbors have offered me good money for my cars because they see me do the tire rotations, oil changes, frequently wash & wax, etc. checking the tire pressures even on the spare on the underside, armor all, and YES, I even keep the engine virtually spotless just like the inside. YES, this car still looks like I drove off the lot - inside and out!! :-)
2012 Acadia Catastrophic Engine Failure at 70,000
parnellacadia, Kenmore, WA, 11/06/2018
2012 GMC Acadia Denali 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
Apparently there have been a number of GMC engine that don't last more than 70,000 miles. This one was purchased new in 2012, and only had 70,000 miles, but was past the 100,000 mile/3 year warranty. A spring broke inside the engine, sending a rod through the cylinder, and required a brand new engine at the tune of $10,000 from an outside mechanic. I could never afford to have this … kind of repair at a GMC dealer. When I call the dealer who sold the car, he said I should have taken it to his deal, and therefore he would take no responsibility, even though I have pictures of the engine showing up clean as a whistle, filled with broken parts. My mechanic had never seen anything like it in all the years he has worked with engines, even race car engines. It indeed was a catastrophic event, especially as I had to come up with $10,000 to purchase a new engine. I then contacted GMC corporate Customer Service, and talked to a call center in the Philippines, and then finally was able to get a call back from someone who called herself "as far as you can get with GMC." She is an executive liaison with GMC. She offered me $1,500 and I replied that wasn't even close to being enough. She then said I have 14 days to decide if I wanted that offer or not. After paying $10,000 for a new engine, I cannot afford to hire an attorney to play hard ball with GMC. So I would NOT recommend this car to anyone, because even though GMC is following the letter of the law, they are not following the law of decency, ethics, and moral law. I feel totally let down by this company, and will NEVER go back!
A/C problems - and we live in Texas!
KAM, Dripping Springs, TX, 11/15/2016
2012 GMC Acadia Denali 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
We have 40K miles on this car and have needed A/C repair three times. Thank goodness we purchased the extended warranty. Oh and don't bother trying to update the navigation system - dealership had to order it from the mother ship and then wiped out all our saved locations during the 2-hour upload and now it malfunctions frequently. :(
Buyers Remorse
jerrim, Cypress, TX, 02/29/2012
2012 GMC Acadia Denali 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 6A)
When it was time to trade in our minivan, I began looking at crossovers.
It appeared that the Acadia could not be beat for features, styling, and gas mileage.
It did not take long for me to have buyers remorse.
It has not come close to meeting the advertised mpg. I do the majority of my driving in the city and only get between 12-14 mpg!
I have never gotten above 17.5 mpg on a highway … roadtrip.
This car has much less cargo space than my minivan and no storage room in the front other than the passenger seat for a purse, book, etc.
The nav system has been unreliable. It looks pretty but does not meet the needs of our family.
It has less than 10,000 miles and I'm ready to trade it in.
Edmunds Summary Review of the 2012 GMC Acadia Denali SUV
Pros & Cons
- Pro:Compliant ride
- Pro:seating for up to eight passengers
- Pro:adult-friendly third-row seat
- Pro:massive cargo area
- Pro:top safety scores.
- Con:Large size hampers maneuverability
- Con:some minor interior annoyances
- Con:compromised rear visibility.
Full Edmunds Review: 2012 GMC Acadia SUV
Edmunds Insurance Estimator
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2012 GMC Acadia in Ohio is:
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