I’ll just give you the TLDR for the 2026 Buick Enclave: it’s a three-row SUV that doesn’t try too hard to be flashy, but succeeds on comfort, tech, and honest utility. It doesn’t chase headlines with electric powertrain promises, it just quietly gets on with the job of being a refined family hauler with some genuinely compelling tech inside.
Big changes mark the all-new Enclave this year. Gone is the old V6; Buick joins the rest of the world and equips the 2026 Enclave with a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, which produces around 328 hp and 326 lb-ft of torque. That’s hooked to an 8-speed automatic. It’s not going to set any drag-strip records, but it moves this sizeable SUV with enough motivation for highway on-ramps and loaded-down trips. The Enclave’s acceleration is smooth, midrange torque is well-timed, and the eight-speed shifts without fuss. But you’ll notice refinement more than exhilaration.
On the road the Enclave leans into Buick’s traditional strengths: it rides smoothly over imperfect pavement, isolates road noise impressively well, and feels confident at highway speeds. There’s turbo noise under hard acceleration, of course, but overall noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) control is excellent for the segment.
If space is what you want, Buick has delivered there too. All seven seats are comfortable for adults, with generous legroom and a cargo area that expands dramatically once the third row folds. It genuinely feels like an SUV designed for real people and real road trips, not just showroom photos. Which, to be frank, is what’s now expected in the three-row segment. Gone are the days when a “kids only” third row is an acceptable option in this midsize category.
The 30-inch curved display that sweeps from driver gauges to center screen feels like the centerpiece of this cabin and it doesn’t just look modern, it feels modern. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, and higher trims upgrade to a lush Bose audio system that’s very well-tuned for this SUV. What Buick calls QuietTuning® with Active Noise Cancellation isn’t all marketing fluff.
If you’re a buyer who wants a spacious, quiet, well-equipped three-row SUV that feels grown-up on both interstates and weekend errands, this Enclave earns its keep. It doesn’t define its character with a single flashy headline spec, but instead quietly ticks the boxes that matter for most buyers.
This review originally published on DriveModeShow.com.
