Summer should be bright for GMC, thanks to the 2008 Acadia, a full-sized crossover that ranks at the top of the heap.

I recently drove one for a week, and it's a radical departure -- in a good way-- from anything I've ever seen from GMC. It's stylish, comfortable and chock full of features, such as a second row seat in which the cushion folds up to make entry into the third row of seats an easy feat.

	The 2007 GMC Acadia. Click photo for larger image.

It also drives much smaller than it really is, thanks to strong handling and well-balanced steering that felt just right. As for cargo room, the Acadia outranks a whole slew of its competitors as I found out during a demonstration at the Acadia's introduction.

The Acadia comes in SLE and SLT forms, and its engine is a 275 horsepower, 3.6 liter V-6 that is rated at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 26 on the highway in a front-wheel drive version, and 17/24 for all-wheel drive.

Standard equipment includes full power accessories, OnStar, front-row side-impact air bags, head-curtain side impact air bags, air conditioning, cruise control, remote keyless entry, tire pressuring monitoring system and StabiliTrak stability control system with rollover mitigation.

It's a beautifully done product with precision fittings, durable and contemporary interior and best of all, lots of space in the third row.

Interestingly, it's so aerodynamic that it has a drag coefficient that is exactly the same as Corvette's ZO6!

That third row room will, I suspect, bring a lot of sales for GM because most similar products on the market cannot claim to have anything but cramped third rows designed for occasional use only.

Prices start at about $30,000, and fuel mileage is rated at 17/24.