Saturn's Outlook Rides Again

 

It didn't take long after GMC accidentally revealed their refreshed 2013 Acadia crossover late Tuesday night that the internet was abuzz with GM's dirty little secret: The new GMC Acadia is, in effect, the old Saturn Outlook. 

Sure, a Terrain-, or even Granite-esque front end has been grafted on and the interior has improved dramatically, but from every angle other than head on the cost-cutting move is obvious. It looks like the Outlook. Now, you can't blame GM for wanting to get some more use out of the expensive tooling which only was used to make Outlooks for two and a half years. 

2013 GMC Acadia, top, and defunct Saturn Outlook, bottom

The finished product looks alright; but I'm not sure the switch to the Outlook's stampings was even necessary. The new front end carries the new GMC DNA respectably, and the new interior looks much better than the one it replaces (although it still looks dated compared to the rest of the segment). Unfortunately, engine performance and fuel economy carry on unchanged, leaving the big crossover vulnerable to less thirsty competitors. 

Had this update debuted for the 2010 or 2011 model year, it would have likely been much more well received. After 6 full years on the market, though, I can't help but think that more needed to be done to keep this one fresh. We'll see when the 2013 Acadia hits lots later this year.