By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

We still like the minivan for hauling passengers and cargo. It’s well suited for that kind of work.

But the image of the once-popular people mover has fallen on hard times. So hard that two of the world’s biggest manufacturers — Ford and General Motors — are abandoning the segment.

But vehicles that can move several family members and their things are still as necessary today as they were nearly 25 years ago when the minivan was introduced.

So as minivan sales started slipping in the late ’90s, mid-sized and large truck-based gas-mileage-challenged sport utility vehicles such as the Ford Explorer and Expedition and the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban picked up the slack. But the prodigious fuel consumption required by these trucks has become a budget buster as gas prices settle in at $3 a gallon.

That has made the crossover, a sport utility vehicle built on a car-based platform, extremely popular. The so-called crossover carries less curb weight while retaining the high-riding, all-weather attributes that made the more rugged truck-based SUV appealing to soccer moms and others.

Seeing this trend, manufacturers have flooded the market with mid-sized crossover vehicles, many with cramped third-row quarters. And until now, the full-sized family crossover that can carry as many people as the minivan in relative comfort has been as rare as a Chicago Cubs World Series ring.

Enter the GMC Acadia, a car-based vehicle with three rows of seats and all-wheel drive rated at 26 miles to the gallon on regular gas starting at around $30,000, about the same price as a well-equipped Toyota or Honda minivan and in line with some of the larger sized crossovers such as the vaunted Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.

The big thing here is that the Acadia, built on an all-new platform, has more room for passengers and cargo than the Pilot, Highlander, the Acura MDX or the new Mazda CX-9, and it’s one of the best first efforts in General Motors’ recent history. It actually has no rival other than its platform mates, the Saturn Outlook and Buick Enclave.

It’s the first GMC vehicle ever that’s not a body-on-frame truck. And it’s about time, according to Craig Bierley, GMC product director. Bierley said the large smooth-riding crossover capable of decent gas mileage is the direction the market is headed.

The Acadia retains many truck-like attributes including a 4,500-pound towing capacity, all-wheel drive capability, a 117-cubic-foot cargo area and a nearly 1,500-pound maximum payload. It rides high on standard 18-inch wheels standing nearly 73 inches tall.

Bierley said that while the Acadia and the Enclave will be sold side by side in most stores, the vehicles are different in many ways and will attract different customers. The Enclave will be more luxury oriented and feature a softer ride than the Acadia.

Bierley also predicted there will still be demand for the body-on-frame GMC Yukon, especially for those folks needing more towing capacity or more rugged off-road capability.

While the Acadia’s size trumps the competition, its drivetrain and suspension deliver the driving dynamics of the mid-sized competition.

The Acadia is powered by an all-new 3.6-liter overhead cam V-6 generating 275 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. There’s ample off-the-line power and scads of merging and passing oomph when needed. Even though the engine is tasked with pulling nearly 5,000 pounds it accomplishes the chore in a satisfying manner.

Steering is responsive and well balanced and the suspension setup gives the big crossover a confident demeanor through the twists and turns of back-road America. The suspension is tuned a bit toward the stiff side, but we think few people will be offended.

OK, we admit the 2007 MDX and the new Mazda CX-9 may best the Acadia in a slalom test. But the differences aren’t much and, hey, we are talking about a sport utility vehicle that can carry a basketball team, its coach and trainer.

Let’s throw out a few comparisons just to demonstrate what the GMC has going for it: The Acadia’s 117 cubic feet of maximum cargo space created with flat-folding seats tops the CX-9 by 17, the Pilot by 29, the Highlander by 36 and the MDX by 33. None match the Acadia’s 26 mpg highway mileage in two-wheel drive format. All but the MDX carry 3,500-pound tow ratings, 1,000 pounds less than the Acadia. And only the MDX has a bigger engine at 300 horsepower and a larger tow rating at 5,000 pounds. The MDX also carries about a five-grand higher price point.

The Acadia interior comes with impeccable fit and finish and high-quality materials, something not always present in late-model GM products. The interior of the Acadia demonstrates that perhaps GM has finally turned the corner.

We have praised the crossover’s interior space, but even more praiseworthy is its usefulness, especially for passengers. For instance, the second row seats slide fore and aft several inches and the seat tips forward creating a big opening in which to enter the third row. And unlike most of the mid-sized entries, adults can actually ride far back in relative comfort without their knees pressing on their chin.

The Acadia comes in three trim levels, all nicely outfitted with third row seats, 18-inch wheels, a full complement of power equipment and with such safety features as antilock brakes, stability control, tire-pressure monitoring, rollover sensing technology, side-impact airbags and side-curtain airbags for all three rows.

The base SLE model with two-wheel drive begins at $29,990 including destination. We feel that with GM’s Stabiltrak stability control system and traction control, that front-wheel drive is safe and adequate in warm-weather climates. All-wheel drive, which can shift torque from a 90/10 split to as much as 35/65 as conditions demand, adds $2,000 to the cost.

The SLT-1 trim level starts at $33,960 and the top-line SLT-2 begins at $36,105. There are a host of desirable options to pick from including navigation, rear entertainment, leather seating surfaces, dual sunroof, tri-zone climate control and Dolby 5.1 surround sound audio.

But the key point here is that the base Acadia comes with the most important equipment. You won’t be giving up any of the driving experience by going the less expensive route.

Out test SLT-1 front-wheel drive model with a few options including the massive sunroofs came in at $36,879.

If people continue to insist on buying minivan alternatives in the form of sport utility vehicles, General Motors seems to have produced one of the best alternatives yet.

Essentials: 

Base price: $29,90; as driven, $36,879
Engine: 3.6-liter V-6
Horsepower: 275 @ 6,600 rpm
Torque: 251 pound-feet @ 3,200 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Drive: front wheel
Seating: 2/2/3
Turning circle: 40 feet
Length: 200.7 inches
Wheelbase: 118.9 inches
Curb weight: 4,936 pounds
Towing capacity: 4,500 pounds
Luggage capacity: 19.7 cubic feet
Maximum cargo capacity: 117 cubic feet
Fuel capacity: 22 gallons (regular)
EPA rating: 26 highway, 18 city
0-60: 8.1 seconds (Car and Driver)
Also consider: Saturn Outlook, Mazda CX-9

The Good:
• Smooth ride, car-like handling
• Large cargo capacity
• Better gas mileage than truck-based full-sized SUVs

The Bad:
• No off-road or rock climbing

The Ugly:
• Even though it's a General Motors product, be prepared to pay sticker price