Compare the2023 BMW X3VS 2023 GMC Acadia

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The BMW X3 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Acadia doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The X3 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Acadia doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The X3 has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Acadia doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The X3 offers optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Acadia doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The X3’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Acadia doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the X3 and the Acadia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the BMW X3 is safer than the GMC Acadia:

	X3	Acadia
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	102	285
Neck Injury Risk	21%	21%
Leg Forces (l/r)	116/280 lbs.	129/383 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	176	319
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	38%	43%
Neck Stress	139 lbs.	203 lbs.
Neck Compression	72 lbs.	99 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the BMW X3 is safer than the GMC Acadia:

	X3	Acadia
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	64	125
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	153 lbs.	156 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	133	276
Spine Acceleration	45 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	794 lbs.	799 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
HIC	281	381
Hip Force	624 lbs.	760 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the X3 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 96 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Acadia last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

The X3 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Acadia’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The X3’s corrosion warranty is 6 years and unlimited miles longer than the Acadia’s (12/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X3 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. GMC only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Acadia.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the X3 first among compact premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Acadia was rated third in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, GMC is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 4 places higher in reliability than GMC.

Engine

The X3 s/xDrive30i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 20 more horsepower (248 vs. 228) than the Acadia’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The X3 M40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 72 more horsepower (382 vs. 310) and 98 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 271) than the Acadia’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the X3 gets better mileage than the Acadia:

			MPG
X3
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	21 city/26 hwy
Acadia
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/27 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

Regardless of its engine, regenerative brakes improve the X3’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. GMC only offers a regenerative brake system on the Acadia 2.0 Turbo.

Transmission

The X3 M40i’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Acadia doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the X3’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Acadia:

	X3	X3 M40i	Acadia
Front Rotors	13 inches	13.7 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13.5 inches	12.4 inches

The X3 stops much shorter than the Acadia:

	X3	Acadia
70 to 0 MPH	158 feet	173 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	112 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the X3 has larger standard tires than the Acadia (245/50R19 vs. 235/65R18).

The X3’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Acadia SLE/SLT’s standard 65 series tires. The X3’s optional 245/40R21 front and 275/35R21 rear tires have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile than the Acadia’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X3 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Acadia AT4. The X3’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Acadia.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the X3 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Acadia doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The X3’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (49% to 51%) than the Acadia’s (56.5% to 43.5%). This gives the X3 more stable handling and braking.

The X3 M40i xDrive handles at .88 G’s, while the Acadia Denali AWD pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The X3 M40i xDrive executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Acadia SLT AWD (25.9 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 26.9 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the X3 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Acadia (8 vs. 7.2 inches), allowing the X3 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The X3 is 7.5 inches shorter than the Acadia, making the X3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

The X3 has a much larger cargo volume than the Acadia with its rear seat up (28.7 vs. 12.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the X3 easier. The X3’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.5 inches, while the Acadia’s liftover is 32 inches.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the X3. The Acadia doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The X3’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Acadia’s (4400 vs. 1000 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the X3 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Acadia. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than GMC. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 13% lower rating, GMC is ranked 15th.

Ergonomics

The X3’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Acadia’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

If the windows are left open on the X3 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote or with the driver’s door power window switch. The driver of the Acadia can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The X3 has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Acadia doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The X3’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Acadia’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The X3’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Acadia’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the X3 offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Acadia doesn’t offer cornering lights. The X3 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The X3’s optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Acadia doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the X3 owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the X3 with a number “5” insurance rate while the Acadia is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the X3 is less expensive to operate than the Acadia because typical repairs cost less on the X3 than the Acadia, including $33 less for front brake pads and $84 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW X3 and the GMC Acadia, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BMW X3 outsold the GMC Acadia by 477 units during the 2021 model year.

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