Compare the2023 GMC AcadiaVS 2023 BMW X5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the GMC Acadia are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Acadia are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Acadia has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The X5 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Acadia and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 GMC Acadia is safer than the BMW X5:

	Acadia	X5
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	21%	34%
Neck Stress	191 lbs.	308 lbs.
Neck Compression	29 lbs.	112 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	129/383 lbs.	636/584 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	319	342
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.8 inches
Neck Stress	203 lbs.	220 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	210/60 lbs.	527/418 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 GMC Acadia is safer than the BMW X5:

	Acadia	X5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	243 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	760 lbs.	796 lbs.

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

Warranty

GMC’s powertrain warranty covers the Acadia 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 5 times as many GMC dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Acadia’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that GMC vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks GMC above average in initial quality. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated lower.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Acadia gets better mileage than the X5:

			MPG
Acadia
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy
X5
	RWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	21 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	21 city/25 hwy
		4.4 turbo V8	16 city/22 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Acadia’s fuel efficiency. The X5 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Both the Acadia and the X5 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Acadias have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch for start/stop is only offered on the X5 M50i.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the GMC Acadia uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The X5 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Acadia has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the GMC Acadia higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the BMW X5 (3). This means the Acadia produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X5 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the GMC Acadia, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the X5.

Brakes and Stopping

The Acadia stops shorter than the X5:

	Acadia	X5
60 to 0 MPH	126 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The GMC Acadia’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The BMW X5 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Acadia has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The X5 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Acadia SLT AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the X5 xDrive40i pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Acadia SLT AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the X5 xDrive40i (26.9 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 27.3 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Acadia’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the X5’s (38.7 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

Chassis

The GMC Acadia may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 750 pounds less than the BMW X5.

The Acadia uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Acadia has 1.2 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more rear headroom, 2.3 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the X5.

The front step up height for the Acadia is 1.5 inches lower than the X5 (18” vs. 19.5”). The Acadia’s rear step up height is 1 inches lower than the X5’s (19” vs. 20”).

Cargo Capacity

The Acadia’s cargo area provides more volume than the X5.

	Acadia	X5
Third Seat Folded	41.7 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	33.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	79 cubic feet	72.3 cubic feet

The Acadia’s cargo area is larger than the X5’s in almost every dimension:

	Acadia	X5
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	18.5”/48”/83”	n.a./40.7”/70”
Max Width	50”	49”
Min Width	42.5”	44”
Height	33”	31.5”

The Acadia’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Ergonomics

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Acadia’s available exterior PIN entry system. The X5 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Acadia has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X5 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Acadia offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Acadia owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Acadia will cost $2345 to $5350 less than the X5 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Acadia is less expensive to operate than the X5 because typical repairs cost much less on the Acadia than the X5, including $297 less for a water pump, $1526 less for a muffler, $38 less for front brake pads, $325 less for a starter, $238 less for fuel injection, $123 less for a fuel pump, $393 less for front struts, $676 less for a timing belt/chain and $982 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the GMC Acadia will be $25608 to $34209 less than for the BMW X5.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the GMC Acadia and the BMW X5, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The GMC Acadia outsold the BMW X5 by 27% during the 2021 model year.

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