Compare the2025 GMC AcadiaVS 2025 Dodge Durango

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Durango 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 Durango doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

With its standard Front Pedestrian Braking, the GMC Acadia is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Dodge Durango, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Acadia	Durango
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH	-20 MPH	No Slowing
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Brights	-17 MPH	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	-22 MPH	No Slowing
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	-22 MPH	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	-16 MPH	No Slowing
37 MPH Brights	-16 MPH	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Brights	1.9 sec	No Warning
37 MPH Low beams	-16 MPH	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.4 sec	No Warning

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the GMC Acadia achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Dodge Durango has not been tested.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Acadia AT4’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Durango doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Acadia’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Durango.

The Acadia has a standard HD Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Durango only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The GMC Acadia’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Dodge Durango does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the Acadia and Durango have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Acadia has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Durango’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

The Acadia’s optional 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 Durango doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Acadia and the Durango have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.

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 Dodge Durango:

	Acadia	Durango
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	20.1%	34%
Neck Stress	178 lbs.	236 lbs.
Neck Compression	2 lbs.	11 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	32/13 lbs.	339/364 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	234	295
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.8 inches
Neck Compression	48 lbs.	86 lbs.

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

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the GMC Acadia is safer than the Durango:

	Acadia	Durango
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Restraints	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Head injury index	85	119
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	3 cm	9 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	18 cm	26 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Femur Force R/L	.2/0 kN	5.3/2.5 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	6%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Tibia index R/L	.39/.25	1.53/.59
Tibia forces R/L	.8/.1 kN	1.9/1.4 kN

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 Dodge Durango:

	Acadia	Durango
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.6 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	73 lbs.	111 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	14 inches

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

The GMC Acadia achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Durango is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Warranty

The Acadia’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Durango’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Acadia has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Durango.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Acadia has a 220-amp alternator. The Durango’s standard 160-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that GMC vehicles are better in initial quality than Dodge vehicles. With 100 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks GMC higher than Dodge.

Engine

The Acadia’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 33 more horsepower (328 vs. 295) and 66 lbs.-ft. more torque (326 vs. 260) than the Durango’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Consumer Reports the GMC Acadia is faster than the Dodge Durango V6:

	Acadia	Durango
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	8.3 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.1 sec	6 sec
Quarter Mile	15.8 sec	16.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	87.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Acadia
	FWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/27 hwy
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	19 city/24 hwy
Durango
	RWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/25 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/22 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/24 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/22 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the GMC Acadia uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Durango with the 5.7 V8 engine requires mid-grade for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 49.8 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 Durango doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

The Acadia stops much shorter than the Durango:

	Acadia	Durango
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	148 feet	160 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Acadia Denali offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Durango’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The GMC Acadia’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Dodge Durango 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 Durango doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Acadia has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Acadia flat and controlled during cornering. The Durango’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Acadia’s wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the Durango (120.9 inches vs. 119.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Acadia is 3.9 inches wider in the front and 3.6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Durango.

The Acadia Denali AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Durango GT 4x4 pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Acadia Denali AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Durango GT 4x4 (27.5 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Acadia Elevation’s turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the Durango’s (38.8 feet vs. 41 feet). The Acadia Denali Reserve’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Durango’s (40.1 feet vs. 41 feet).

Chassis

The GMC Acadia may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 600 pounds less than the Dodge Durango.

The front grille of the Acadia uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Durango doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

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

Passenger Space

The Acadia offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Durango can only carry 7.

The Acadia has 2.7 inches more front headroom, 4 inches more front legroom, 2.2 inches more front hip room, 3.5 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 2.9 inches more rear legroom, 2.9 inches more rear hip room, 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room, .4 inches more third row headroom, 6.2 inches more third row hip room and 7.5 inches more third row shoulder room than the Durango.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Acadia	Durango
Behind Third Seat	23 cubic feet	17.2 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	57.3 cubic feet	43.3 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	97.5 cubic feet	85.1 cubic feet

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Acadia Denali’s second row seats and pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Durango doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Acadia’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Durango doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The Acadia offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, navigation instruction, infotainment and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Durango doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Acadia’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Durango’s parking brake has to be released manually.

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

If the windows are left open on the Acadia the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Durango can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 Acadia’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Durango’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the GMC Acadia has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Durango.

The Acadia’s optional Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Durango doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the GMC Acadia, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Dodge Durango isn't recommended.

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