Good For: GM's minivan. You can call it a mid-sized SUV or a crossover, but in practice the Acadia does what a minivan does well. It seats 7, is efficient with interior space, and is much easier to park and maneuver than a truck based SUV. I drove last year's model, which felt glaringly different from the new controls on the latest GM vehicles, but that is not a bad thing. This original Acadia was loaded with 4 sliding captain chairs and a usable 3rd row, offering the kind of flexible interior experience I associate with a minivan, not an SUV.
Compromises: This is more of a smaller Dodge Caravan type of minivan than a spacious Sienna. The 2nd row seats are low, so the 2 adults up front are the ones that are most comfortable. It's also more expensive than a minivan, while still being front-wheel-drive based.
Overall reaction - None: If you are one of those people who refuses to drive a vehicle with sliding doors, and yet you find yourself needing something like a minivan, this fits the bill. But to me, it's nothing more than an overpriced minivan.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Good For: Proper American Vehicle. I have finally found a brand new vehicle that I feel completely at home in. Gear shifter on the column. Wide bench seats accomodating 6 people. Rear wheel drive. And I actually don't mind it's a truck. I finally get why there are people who prefer to drive a big truck simply for the interior space and comfort, even if they use the bed of a pickup once a year. In the configuration experienced, it's easy to forget I'm driving a truck at all. The weight distribution of the long cab and short bed is noticeably more neutral than other trucks I have driven. All the daily driver gadgetry is present: bluetooth, dual climate control, a library of GM vehicle information screens, LED lighting, etc.
Compromises: The base models have the 4.3L engine, but it is not your grandfather's 90 degree V6. The 6-speed transmission is always ready for you to wind the new direct injection motor up to the 285 horsepower peak. Even with the V6, it's easy to forget that this is a massive truck. But if you enjoy how effortless the small block V8 pushes big cars around, stick with the V8. I got to compare the two engines side by side and the V6 is literally only 1 mpg more efficient, so you will only save a few bucks. 4x4, on the other hand, is quite a lot of bucks on the option list. But if you venture out into the country you'll probably want it on a $40k+ truck.
Overall reaction - Two thumbs Up: I think I can finally see myself enjoying a truck. It's even family friendly. What other vehicle out there has two levels of storage compartments on the rear door stacked like a double decker bus? I got to drive two different option packages, but there are many avaiable, and something for everyone. I prefer the bench seats, but the middle console between the bucket seat configuration can hold all sorts of things, like 2 vases of flowers. The standard mirrors have a car-like profile, but the same double mirrors that you find on heavy duty trucks are available with the tow package. The Texas Edition essentially adds LED fog lights for free, and actually help light up a rural road and creatures that may cross them. The Chevy is a good truck, but I have also been intrigued by the Ram lately. Who knows, maybe by the time I finally get around to buying a truck, Telsa will have made this all obsolete.