The search for the perfect three-row SUV can be a daunting task, especially when faced with a wealth of options in the market. Among the top contenders are the 2023 Buick Enclave and Hyundai Palisade, both offering a blend of luxury, advanced technology, and impressive performance.
In this detailed comparison, we will delve into the key aspects of these two exceptional vehicles to guide you in making an informed decision that best suits your needs and preferences.
Exterior Design:
The Buick Enclave boasts a sophisticated and elegant exterior design. With its signature waterfall grille, sleek lines, and chrome accents, the Enclave commands attention on the road. LED headlamps and taillights come standard, providing excellent visibility and adding to the overall upscale appearance.
The Hyundai Palisade, on the other hand, features a bold and modern design. Its wide cascading grille, muscular fenders, and unique LED lighting signatures give it a distinct and aggressive look. The Palisade’s design is further enhanced by its standard 18-inch alloy wheels and available 20-inch wheels, giving it a commanding presence.
Interior Design:
The interior of the 2023 Buick Enclave is designed with luxury and comfort in mind. High-quality materials, such as leather and wood accents, adorn the cabin, creating a refined atmosphere. The QuietTuning technology, which includes triple door seals and acoustic laminated glass, ensures a serene and hushed ride.
The Palisade’s interior is equally impressive, with a focus on clean lines and modern design elements. Premium materials, including Nappa leather and brushed aluminum accents, are available to enhance the luxurious feel. The Palisade also features a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, providing a high-tech driving experience.
Seating:
The Enclave offers comfortable seating for up to seven passengers with its standard second-row captain’s chairs and a third-row bench seat. An available second-row bench seat can increase the seating capacity to eight. The seats are supportive and well-cushioned, ensuring a comfortable ride for all passengers on long trips.
The Palisade also provides seating for seven or eight passengers, depending on the configuration. Both the second-row captain’s chairs and the available bench seat are comfortable and spacious, with plenty of headroom and legroom. The Palisade’s third-row seats are easily accessible, thanks to the one-touch folding and sliding second-row seats.
Storage:
The Enclave offers generous cargo space, with 23.6 cubic feet behind the third-row seats, 58 cubic feet behind the second row, and a maximum of 97.6 cubic feet with both rows folded. The Enclave also features a hands-free power liftgate, making it easy to load and unload cargo.
The Palisade also provides ample cargo space, with 18 cubic feet behind the third row, 45.8 cubic feet behind the second row, and a maximum of 86.4 cubic feet with all rear seats folded down. Although slightly smaller than the Enclave, the Palisade still offers a practical and versatile storage solution.
Performance:
The 2023 Buick Enclave is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque. Paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission, the Enclave delivers a smooth and responsive driving experience. The available intelligent All-Wheel Drive system provides improved traction and handling in various road conditions.
The Hyundai Palisade is equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine that generates 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, ensuring quick and smooth gear shifts. The available HTRAC All-Wheel Drive system adapts to various driving conditions, offering enhanced stability and performance.
Fuel Efficiency:
The 2023 Buick Enclave offers competitive fuel efficiency for its class. The front-wheel-drive model is rated at 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, while the all-wheel-drive version delivers 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.
The Palisade’s fuel economy is slightly better than the Enclave’s. The front-wheel-drive Palisade achieves an estimated 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, while the all-wheel-drive variant provides 19 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.
Safety:
The Buick Enclave comes with a range of standard safety features, including forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Additional available features include adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, and a surround-view camera system.
The Hyundai Palisade offers numerous standard safety features as well, such as forward collision avoidance, lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. Optional safety features include a head-up display, blind-spot view monitor, and a surround-view camera system.
Trim Levels:
The Buick Enclave is available in four trim levels: Preferred, Essence, Premium, and Avenir. Each trim offers a unique combination of features, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your needs and preferences.
The Hyundai Palisade also comes in four trim levels: SE, SEL, Limited, and Calligraphy. Each trim level provides a different set of features and options, giving you the flexibility to select the one that best fits your lifestyle.
Pricing:
The Buick Enclave starts at a base price of around $42,000 for the Preferred trim and goes up to around $55,000 for the top-of-the-line Avenir model. The price will vary depending on the selected trim, options, and packages.
The Hyundai Palisade has a more affordable starting price, with the base SE trim starting at around $33,000 and the high-end Calligraphy model priced at around $48,000. As with the Enclave, the final price will depend on the chosen trim and additional options.
Key Differences:
Performance:
The Buick Enclave is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque, whereas the Hyundai Palisade utilizes a 3.8-liter V6 engine with 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Though the Palisade offers slightly better fuel efficiency than the Enclave, particularly in city driving conditions.
Cargo Space and Seating:
The Enclave provides a larger cargo capacity, with a maximum of 97.6 cubic feet compared to the Palisade’s 86.4 cubic feet. Both vehicles offer seating for seven or eight passengers, depending on the configuration. However, the Enclave has a more spacious second row, while the Palisade provides easier access to its third-row seats.
Safety Features:
Both SUVs come with a suite of standard safety features, but the Palisade offers a few more advanced options, such as a head-up display and a blind-spot view monitor.
Pricing:
The Hyundai Palisade has a lower starting price, with the base SE trim beginning at around $33,000, while the Buick Enclave starts at around $42,000 for the Preferred trim. The high-end Calligraphy trim of the Palisade is priced around $48,000, whereas the Enclave’s top-of-the-line Avenir model starts at around $55,000.
Final Thoughts:
Both the 2023 Buick Enclave and Hyundai Palisade stand out as remarkable choices for those in the market for a luxurious and spacious three-row SUV. While the Enclave provides a more refined design, slightly larger cargo space, and a powerful V6 engine, the Palisade offers a bolder appearance, better fuel efficiency, and a more competitive starting price.
The decision between these two exceptional SUVs ultimately comes down to individual priorities and tastes. It is highly recommended to take both vehicles for a test drive and evaluate their features to determine the one that truly captures your heart and meets your requirements.
Features Breakdown
Buick Enclave:
- Exterior Design:
- Elegant and sophisticated design
- Signature waterfall grille
- Chrome accents
- LED headlamps and taillights
- Interior Design:
- High-quality materials, including leather and wood accents
- QuietTuning technology for a serene ride
- Spacious second-row seats
- Seating:
- Seating for seven or eight passengers
- Standard second-row captain’s chairs and third-row bench seat
- Optional second-row bench seat
- Storage:
- 23.6 cubic feet behind the third-row seats
- 58 cubic feet behind the second row
- Maximum of 97.6 cubic feet with both rows folded
- Hands-free power liftgate
- Performance:
- 3.6-liter V6 engine with 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque
- 9-speed automatic transmission
- Available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system
- Fuel Efficiency:
- 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway (FWD)
- 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway (AWD)
- Safety:
- Standard features: forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring
- Available features: adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, surround-view camera system
- Trim Levels:
- Preferred, Essence, Premium, and Avenir
- Pricing:
- Base price: around $42,000 (Preferred)
- Top-of-the-line price: around $55,000 (Avenir)
Hyundai Palisade:
- Exterior Design:
- Bold and modern design
- Wide cascading grille
- Muscular fenders
- Unique LED lighting signatures
- Interior Design:
- Clean lines and modern elements
- Premium materials, such as Nappa leather and brushed aluminum accents
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Seating:
- Seating for seven or eight passengers
- Standard second-row captain’s chairs and third-row bench seat
- Optional second-row bench seat
- One-touch folding and sliding second-row seats for easy third-row access
- Storage:
- 18 cubic feet behind the third-row seats
- 45.8 cubic feet behind the second row
- Maximum of 86.4 cubic feet with all rear seats folded down
- Performance:
- 3.8-liter V6 engine with 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque
- 8-speed automatic transmission
- Available HTRAC All-Wheel Drive system
- Fuel Efficiency:
- 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway (FWD)
- 19 mpg city and 24 mpg highway (AWD)
- Safety:
- Standard features: forward collision avoidance, lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control
- Available features: head-up display, blind-spot view monitor, surround-view camera system
- Trim Levels:
- SE, SEL, Limited, and Calligraphy
- Pricing:
- Base price: around $33,000 (SE)
- Top-of-the-line price: around $48,000 (Calligraphy)
