2012 GMC Acadia MPG and Fuel Cost

The 2012 GMC Acadia is rated 19 mpg combined in every gas version EPA tested.

EPA fuel economy

2012 GMC Acadia · 2 EPA-tested versions

Best EPA rating

19MPG combined

16 city 23 highway

$3,550 a year to fuel

3.6L 6-cyl · AWD · 6-speed automatic

Best version costs $5,750 more in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)

Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.47 a gallon (regular gas).

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Sep 30, 2026

At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs about $3,550 a year. Ratings for the best versions are unchanged from 2011.

Fewer complaints than a typical Acadia year

The 2012 drew 36 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 40 for a typical Acadia year. Best years are picked only from 2016 on, since counts for older years say less: owners filed fewer complaints in the early 2010s.

Years to avoid: 2017 and 2018; best years: 2016, 2022, and 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.

Every Acadia year ranked The 2012 Acadia's recalls and problems

Every 2012 Acadia version

EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.

Version	Combined	City / Hwy	Fuel / year
3.6L 6-cyl · AWD · 6-speed automatic Best EPA listing: Acadia AWD	19 mpg	16 / 23	$3,550
3.6L 6-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic EPA listing: Acadia FWD	19 mpg	17 / 24	$3,550

Fuel cost at your prices

EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.47 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.

Version	Per year	Per month	5 years
3.6L 6-cyl · AWD · 6-speed automatic	$3,529	$294	$17,645
3.6L 6-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic	$3,529	$294	$17,645

At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.

GMC Acadia MPG by model year

The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 18 to 25 mpg (every year from 2010 to 2026); highest in 2021.

2012: gas 19 mpg

Show as a table

GMC Acadia best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version
2010	19
2011	19
2012	19
2013	19
2014	19
2015	19
2016	18
2017	23
2018	23
2019	23
2020	24
2021	25
2022	25
2023	25
2024	23
2025	23
2026	22

Every Acadia year's ratings in one table

How the 2012 Acadia compares

2012 midsize SUVs covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.

2012 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Lexus RX Best: hybrid	29 mpg	21 mpg	$2,850
Toyota Highlander Best: hybrid	28 mpg	22 mpg	$2,400
Kia Sorento Best: gas	24 mpg	24 mpg	$2,800
Ford Edge Best: gas	24 mpg	24 mpg	$2,800
Ford Explorer Best: gas	23 mpg	23 mpg	$2,900
Hyundai Santa Fe Best: gas	23 mpg	23 mpg	$2,900
Honda Pilot Best: gas	20 mpg	20 mpg	$3,350
Nissan Murano Best: gas	20 mpg	20 mpg	$3,350
Jeep Grand Cherokee Best: gas	19 mpg	19 mpg	$3,550
Chevrolet Traverse Best: gas	19 mpg	19 mpg	$3,550
Dodge Durango Best: gas	19 mpg	19 mpg	$3,550
Mazda CX-9 Best: gas	19 mpg	19 mpg	$3,550
GMC Acadia This page Best: gas	19 mpg	19 mpg	$3,550
Buick Enclave Best: gas	19 mpg	19 mpg	$3,550
Nissan Pathfinder Best: gas	17 mpg	17 mpg	$4,850

2012 Acadia recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 296 owner complaints for the 2012 Acadia.

Owners most often describe liftgate or tailgate problems (24 complaints, 8%), then shaking or vibration (23). NHTSA's overall crash rating: 5 stars.

See the 2012 Acadia recalls and problems

Questions

Does AWD lower the 2012 GMC Acadia's gas mileage?

No. Versions that differ only in drive share the same combined rating: the 3.6L 6-cyl gets 19 mpg combined with front-wheel drive and 19 with AWD.

Does the 2012 GMC Acadia need premium gas?

No. EPA lists every 2012 GMC Acadia version on regular gasoline.

How does the 2012 Acadia's MPG compare with the 2011?

For 2012, the best gas version is rated 19 mpg, the same as the year before.

Sources and method

US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 29, 2026.
EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.47, midgrade $5.07, premium $5.48, diesel $6.38 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Oct 2, 2026 and complaint file dated Oct 2, 2026.

Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.