The 2026 GMC Acadia vs. the Competition

The Ford Explorer is one of the oldest continuously produced SUVs ever. The Explorer is available in rear- or all-wheel drive. There are four trim levels: Active, ST-Line, Platinum, and ST. There are two engines: a turbocharged four-cylinder and a turbocharged V6.  

• The Explorer’s base 2.3-liter engine loses the power and torque battle to the Acadia, with 28 fewer horsepower and 16 fewer lb-ft of torque. Ford’s engine needs premium octane fuel to make its quoted 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. The Acadia, however, only needs regular 87 octane.   
• While an advanced hands-free driver-assistance technology, Ford’s BlueCruise has around 130,000 miles of highways mapped across America and Canada. The Acadia with SuperCruise has more than 750,000 miles of highways mapped through the U.S. and Canada.    
• With the third row in place, the Ford has 16.3 cubic feet of space, while the Acadia has 23.0 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row. Also, the Acadia has more than 10 extra cubic feet when the third row of seats is folded, with 56.6 cubic feet compared to the Explorer’s 46.0 cubic feet. Ultimately, when all seats are folded, the Explorer has a maximum cargo capacity of 85.8 cubic feet. The Acadia has a total of 97.6 cubic feet when the second and third rows are folded, which is almost 12.0 cubic feet more. That difference fits up to six suitcases and bags.  
• Even though the Explorer has three rows of seats, it can seat up to seven people, whereas the Acadia can seat up to eight. In addition, the Explorer has a smaller third-row seat, with 40.9 inches of hip room and 54.6 inches of shoulder room. The GMC Acadia features 48.6 and 57.7 inches of hip and shoulder room for third-row passengers, respectively.   
• All passengers will be very happy with the legroom of the Acadia, which offers an extra 1.3 to 1.5 inches of room over the Explorer.

The Toyota Grand Highlander is the brand’s go-to three-row SUV. It is also a response to the growing list of three-row crossover SUVs that have the ride and feel of cars and the utility of SUVs. The Grand Highlander offers customers a mix of both gasoline and hybrid engines.

• Toyota’s Grand Highlander isn’t so grand when it comes to cargo capacity. Its 20.6 cubic feet of space behind the third row of seats is 2.4 cubic feet less than the GMC Acadia’s.     
• The Grand Highlander features a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, which is 63 fewer horsepower and 16 fewer lb-ft of torque than the 2.5-liter turbocharged engine in the Acadia.    
• Because of its relatively small 17.83-gallon fuel tank, the Grand Highlander with all-wheel drive can only achieve 463 miles of pure highway range, which is considerably fewer than the 520 all-highway miles that the Acadia AWD can travel.    
• All 2026 GMC Acadia models come standard with a 15-inch infotainment touchscreen. The Toyota Grand Highlander, however, comes standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen display. There are no larger screens available.    
• While the Grand Highlander makes you think of something grand in size, passengers will have much less room in the Toyota than in the GMC. For example, the Acadia has a 2.6-inch advantage on headroom up front, along with 2.6 more inches of legroom.

Introduced last year, the second-generation Palisade arrived with a bolder design inside and out. The premium look incorporates features from across the Hyundai lineup, along with a distinctive style, giving it a standout appearance. A V6 and a new turbocharged hybrid driveline now power the new Palisade, along with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive.

• The Palisade V6 with all-wheel drive has about 456 miles of highway range compared to the Acadia AWD’s 520 miles.    
• GMC gave the Acadia 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine, for customers to use when towing, moving through traffic, getting on the highway, and the like. The Palisade, however, has 41 fewer horsepower and 66 fewer lb-ft of torque from its standard V6 engine. This means that the Palisade could have a tougher time pulling a trailer or boat in various conditions and has less power when merging onto the highway.    
• GMC believes the third row isn’t just meant for small kids, which is why it gave the Acadia 48.6 inches of hip room when sitting in the third row. Compare this to just 45.3 in the Hyundai, and you can see why buyers would prefer the GMC.    
• Shoulder room is very important as it helps passengers feel less cramped on a trip. The 58.6, 56.7, and 45.3 inches of hip room pale in comparison to the GMC Acadia, with its 59.2, 58.4, and 48.6 inches.    
• Hyundai offers a Calligraphy trim at the top of its Palisade lineup. It offers many amenities for the money. However, the name Denali is the last word in mid-size three-row SUV luxury. New this year is the Denali Ultimate, which offers more luxury amenities, including standard Super Cruise hands-free driver-assist technology. Can the Palisade’s Highway Driving Assist 2 do the job as well as Super Cruise? Only if it can match the more than 750,000 miles of highways mapped through the U.S. and Canada.

Honda’s three-row SUV was revised for 2026, featuring a bolder grille and some tweaks underneath the skin. It is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 with 285 horsepower and is available in front- or all-wheel drive. There are several trim levels available, including the rugged TrailSport model.

• The Pilot has a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. And while that is an improvement over the model it replaces, it is not enough to match the GMC Acadia with its 2.5-liter turbocharged engine that delivers 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque, which helps a lot when you are towing, merging onto the highway, or just driving around town.    
• When comparing fuel mileage, the Pilot delivers 407 miles of range on a mix of city and highway driving, which is not a lot, given that the Acadia, with its 23 mpg on the combined cycle, allows drivers to travel nearly 450 miles. No one wants to stop more often to fill up.    
• The GMC Acadia comes standard with a 15.0-inch infotainment touchscreen display, which is larger than the 12.3-inch display on the Pilot.    
• The 2026 GMC Acadia offers quite a bit more legroom for front seat passengers, with 44.3 inches, which is 3.5 inches more than the Honda. The extra space will be appreciated on longer drives, especially since the front passenger can recline their seat farther without the rear passenger losing much legroom.    
• Third-row occupants in the Acadia will be far more comfortable, especially if they are older and taller, as they will have an extra four inches of hip room compared to the Pilot.