Recently, we held a mega-comparison featuring five ruggedized mid-SUVs. Despite the pricing and function of these SUVs all intersecting to some degree, two were outliers within the quintet. The 2026 GMC Acadia AT4 and 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor were the only three-row entrants, both measuring a size larger than the other three contestants.
To see how these two dirt-ready family haulers compare head-to-head, we’ve gathered them once more for a more direct comparison. As the evaluating went on, a clean winner emerged, but both have their pluses and minuses. Read on to see our findings.
2026 GMC Acadia AT4: All the Details
A big family SUV that can handle off-roading may seem like an odd combination, but it works. Plus, besides making the Acadia more capable, we’d wager the AT4 package is the best looking version of this SUV, even more so than the Denali. The blocky all-terrain tires, front skid plate, exposed tow hooks, and AT4 badges give it a tougher look. But it still seems a bit ordinary and pedestrian compared to the Explorer Tremor.
The Acadia is the bigger and heavier vehicle here but is also more powerful. Under the hood is a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 328 hp and 326 lb-ft of torque. It’s hooked up to a 10-speed automatic transmission and Active Torque Control AWD system, which is only available on the AT4. The power to weight ratio between the two vehicles is close, so it’s no surprise acceleration tests were just as close. That stated, the transmission in the GMC is a bit slower to kickdown, unleashing all that power, which is found in the higher rpm range.
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Engine and Sound 2WD
The engine in the Acadia AT4 is much quieter than it was when we drove its sibling, the Chevrolet Traverse Z71 a few years ago. It’s still a wee bit growly at times, but nothing too bothersome. The engine notes we do hear inside aren’t nearly as pleasant as the simulated roar in the Explorer. On the plus side for the Acadia, despite more curb weight, more power, and a slightly larger engine, it still manages to achieve slightly better fuel economy figures. Unlike the Ford, the GMC can be manually set to only drive two wheels, the front two in this case. With the press of a button, it flips into all-wheel drive mode, which splits power front to rear at different ratios depending on road conditions and which drive mode is selected. Even when the all-wheel drive mode is engaged, it’s still quite easy to spin the front wheels of the Acadia AT4 under hard acceleration when cornering.
Big SUV, Big Feel
On the road, the Acadia drives as large as it is. There’s a massive hood to look over, and everything feels heavy. The steering effort, the transmissions deliberate gear changes, the suspension responses…it all feels like it’s going a fraction slower than in reality. The Explorer Tremor isn’t exactly a sports car but compared to the Acadia it definitely has the better reflexes and responds quicker to a driver’s inputs. Off-road the same theme continues. The Acadia AT4 had no problem conquering any of our off-road challenges, but we felt like it required more effort in doing so compared to the Tremor. The Explorer just blasts across obstacles while the Acadia requires a bit more steering effort, more throttle application, and a little more modulation in crawling over the taller logs and rocks.
Better Isolation
On the plus side, the interior seems quieter to our ears, and it has the better ride comfort. The driver’s seat can be adjusted multiple ways offering decent comfort. There’s enough headroom to wear a helmet, in case you want to take this to the local track day? The middle row offers the same generous amount of space and comfort with nice big door openings. The third row in the Acadia has the seat cushion set a bit higher, better for adult passengers. There is a bit less usable legroom, but headroom is fairly equal. The side windows in the Explorer are placed in a better position for third row passengers, but the Ford can only seat two back there while the GMC can take three.
The interiors of both vehicles are nice, but neither are standout class leaders. In the GMC, it is a bit busy with numerous different textures, materials, and designs across the dashboard and doors. We really like the Acadia’s infotainment software and the dual control climate switches on the bottom. Of course, I need to make a special shoutout to my favorite technology, GM’s handsfree Super Cruise. Yes, Ford has BlueCruise, but I still prefer Super Cruise.
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