First World Problems: The GMC Acadia Denali

Recently, my son started kindergarten – or Casa, for those familiar with the Montessori school system.

He had a rough beginning, as expected from a little boy who has never spent much time in a social setting away from Mommy. The tears flowed the first day, and declarations of “I don’t want to go to school!” continued thereafter. However, now on his third week, he’s all smiles when I pick him up in the afternoon and his teacher is thrilled with the quick turnaround. Success!

Of course, I’ve had a rough time too.

And it’s not because I couldn’t let go of my little baby; it’s not because I would now be subjected to making packed snacks, wiping runny noses or being summoned for Pizza Day volunteer duty. Simply put, it’s because of this conversation that I had with my husband on Ryder’s first day of school:

Ring Ring Ring.

Husband: Hello?
Me: Okay, we officially have the crappiest SUV in the school drop-off line.
Husband: What are you talking about?
Me: I’m talking about the fact that I’m sandwiched between a Range Rover and a Cadillac Escalade, and right now I’m feeling quite uncool and insignificant. Too bad we didn’t still have the Acadia Denali on loan; we’d fit right in.
Husband: Stop bothering me with your first world problems.

He was right, of course – me complaining about my (moderately posh) SUV in contrast to some of the more flamboyant vehicles was silly, but one of the curses of living in a first world nation is having first world problems.

First World Problem #1:

I was given the opportunity to test drive the GMC Acadia Denali – which happens to be one of GM’s most souped up automobiles – for a weekend road trip with my family last month. We decided to pop over to Niagara-on-the-Lake (for romantic memories), Niagara Falls (for fun) and Niagara Falls NY (for some last-minute cross border shopping before school began). And now, after one weekend with the stellar SUV, we’re not sure we can continue driving a car that doesn’t have Tri-zone automatic climate control, a Rear-seat entertainment system, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof… and more.

“Named after North America’s tallest mountain, Acadia Denali is GMC’s highest achievement in crossover luxury and style. Premium details abound, including chrome-clad 20-inch wheels and of course, the signature Denali honeycomb grille. Inside, the cabin is trimmed in fine quality materials, including leather trim and genuine mahogany wood accents. Best of all, Acadia Denali delivers all this without sacrificing performance, versatility or efficiency. So it suits your needs, as well as your style.”

First World Problem #2:

My SUV doesn’t have a rear vision camera. The GMC Acadia Denali has a rear vision camera. It’s actually incredibly helpful and I can’t believe I drive my car without one. Because it’s more than simply a “luxury” feature: In the U.S., fifty (50) children are backed over by vehicles EVERY week. Forty-eight (48) are treated in hospital emergency rooms and at least two (2) children are fatality injured. Source: www.kidsandcars.org

(Hence, even though my intention for writing this post is a tongue-in-cheek attempt at discussing the things I don’t have, the reality is that backover accidents truly are a first world problem, thanks to the scores of SUVs on the road today. If you purchase an large vehicle, please invest in a rear vision camera, or select a model that comes with one.)

First World Problem #3:

The enviable trunk space of the Acadia Denali. My SUV barely fits my double stroller, I kid you not. So this is what has me all hot and bothered: The Acadia boasts storage space of 24.1 cu. ft. (682 litres) available behind the third-row seat (with the cargo management removed). Maximum storage capability is 115.9 cu. ft. (1,382 L) when the second- and third-row seats are folded flat and the cargo management removed. Ay caramba! I could literally create a mobile office in the back of the Acadia and blog away.

First World Problem #4:

The sound of silence. Both kiddos watching an Astro Boy movie on the rear entertainment system means that we spent the whole road trip without raising our voices once (at least not while in the car). Since returning the Acadia Denali, we’ve yet to experience the bliss of two completely distracted and content children. Yes, it sounds silly to complain about a lack of entertainment unit, but dammit, does it ever make travelling easier!

First World Problem #5:

This:

– Monochromatic exterior and chrome honeycomb grille
– Twenty-inch chrome clad wheels
– Complementary woodgrain finish on the instrument panel and centre stack
– Perforated leather seats with matching leather door panel trim
– Premium acoustics – laminated glass and liquid applied sound deadeners
– Navigation radio system, USB port and Bose 10-speaker sound

And This:

I want it ALL. Spending 48 hours in the GMC Acadia Denali is like trying on an engagement ring 2 carats too big – you just don’t want to give it back when the time comes. Having experienced the Acadia has opened my eyes to a new category of affordable luxury – at $59,735 MSRP, it’s not for everyone, but it’s for many more consumers than you’d think.

I gave my husband a task (after all, he reaped the rewards of driving the vehicle all weekend!) and asked him to help me with market research. He priced out five (5) of the Acadia Denali’s luxury competitors in terms of features and performance. The result? The GMC Acadia Denali, on average, cost thousands less than similar vehicles in its class – giving it more bang for the posh buck.

Now that I’ve shared with you all my first world problems centered around lusting after a spectacular SUV, it would be a great time to tell you that NEW in 2013 –  The Acadia Denali makes safety a standard and includes GM’s industry-first Centre Side Airbag, Side Blind Zone, Cross-Traffic Alert Systems, and Head-up Display along with a 6-month subscription to the OnStar Directions & Connections Plan.

Special thanks to GM Canada for letting us take this beauty for a spin! And in case you were wondering, it’s not just me who was spoiled by one weekend in the Acadia Denali. I was trying to take a video of Ryder in preparation for his first day of school, but he totally hijacked the video with talk of the Acadia – or the “big white car”. Check it out!