The steering isn't so heavy that any serious effort is required, even in a parking lot, but it offers enough weight that it doesn't feel disconnected either. So, it quickly gives the driver a feeling of confidence about where the vehicle is heading and how it will respond.

The Acadia uses an independent suspension in the front and rear, just like most cars. It provides a well-rounded blend of ride and handling.

Bumps, tar strips and potholes are still felt but only distantly, without the slam-bam jarring that is part of life with a truck-based SUV. The body also feels strong and doesn't quiver with each blow. But despite the pleasing ride the body motions are still nicely controlled so there isn't a sloppy feeling.

There is no denying that the Acadia is a relatively large and quite heavy vehicle, with the curb weight of the all-wheel drive model we tested being almost 5,000 pounds. That is several hundred pounds more than a Ford Explorer V8 and about 500 pounds more than a Honda Pilot.

But the Acadia still heads into a turn fairly quickly and feels locked-down stable during interstate cruising.

In the past many GM trucks had a soft, squishy feel to the brake pedal. That is not the case with the Acadia. It feels firm makes it equally easy to shave off a lot or a little speed.

The best safety feature is the ability to avoid accidents, which in the Acadia's case is helped by StabiliTrak, GM's brand name for electronic stability control. The system uses sensors to tell if the front or rear of the vehicle is sliding in a direction that is at odds with what the driver is doing with the steering wheel. Then, it tries to correct for the skid.

The Acadia is available in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The all-wheel drive system is permanently engaged and does not require the driver to do anything but drive.

Those who wonder whether a V6 is enough to handle such a big vehicle have a valid concern, but this is a new V6 with variable-valve timing designed to make it more powerful, efficient and flexible. The V6 is rated at 275 hp at 6600 rpm and 251 pound-feet of torque at 3200 rpm.

That is more than the Pilot's 244 hp and approaches the 292 hp in the Explorer's V8, while the Explorer's V6 is rated at 210 hp.

In addition, the Acadia gets a new six-speed automatic transmission. The Pilot and V6 Explorer use five-speed automatics, though the V8 Explorer gets a six-speed. The additional gear means smart engineers can make the vehicle respond more quickly to the gas pedal while also providing better fuel economy than in a vehicle with fewer gears.

We found the Acadia's powertrain impressive. The six-speed automatic was quick to downshift while upshifts weren't jerky. Acceleration was more than adequate with one or two adults and the 3.6-liter V6 seemed smoother than the new 3.5-liter V6 Ford has just introduced. However, we never had the chance to load the Acadia up with seven people.

The Acadia clobbers the Pilot and Explorer when it comes to estimated fuel economy, according to the federal government's Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA estimates the Acadia all-wheel drive we tested will get 17/24 mpg City/Highway. The two-wheel-drive Acadia is rated 18/26 mpg. GM recommends 87-octane Regular gas.

That compares to 15/20 mpg for the Explorer V6 4WD, 14/20 mpg for the Explorer V8 4WD, and 17/22 for the Honda Pilot 4WD.