Battle of the full-size luxury SUVS
Palisade gives Enclave a run for style, but does it cheaper
BRIAN HARPER:
We’re going to dial it up a notch and pit the Hyundai against a more premium-priced three-row sport ute — Buick’s Enclave Avenir.
It’s been a while since we’ve been behind the wheel of the big Buick. It’s a model that’s been around for a dozen years, the second-generation version coming out for the 2018 model year. It sells reasonably well in both Canada and the U.S., and the Avenir sub-brand claims to represent the “highest expression” of Buick luxury, with unique styling cues and an extensive set of standard features and premium materials.
Hyundai has proven in the past it’s not afraid of moving its products upscale, though it has been accused of exceeding its “place” in the past. So, is the Palisade capable of mixing it up with a senior, albeit conservative, member of the family-hauler class?
NICK TRAGIANIS:
Let’s start with the fundamentals. Under the skin, the Palisade is identical to the Telluride. That means power comes from a normally aspirated 3.8-litre V6 rated at 291 horsepower and 262 poundfeet of torque, hooked up to an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard on all but the base Palisade.
It’s a similar story with the Enclave. It’s a bit more powerful than the Palisade, putting out 310 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque from its 3.6-L V6. It’s paired to a nine-speed automatic and, like the Palisade, allwheel drive is standard on all but the base Enclave. Both are drama-free and never felt underpowered or overworked, both have light and fairly numb steering, but that just makes them easy to live with day to day. And both are museum-quiet and La-Z-Boy comfortable.
If you need to tow, both can haul up to 5,000 pounds. And both the Palisade and Enclave are smart, no-nonsense family haulers.
But the Palisade punches well above its weight on the inside, especially for the price. Like you said, Hyundai isn’t afraid to push the upscale envelope. That’s abundantly clear in the Palisade: materials and fit and finish are top notch, the seats are comfortable and overall ergonomics are on point, and the available tech is impressive. At a hair above $50,000, the almost fully loaded Limited tester comes with a sharp 10.25-inch touch screen controlling the infotainment system, plus power-folding third-row seats, and heated and cooled front seats (the second row is also heated).
It also has all the active safety features you’d expect in 2019, including a crisp 360-degree camera system. Spec the right upholstery option and the interior feels bright and airy, and the faux wood and metal accents add a lovely touch, despite them being plastic. Seems as though the Enclave Avenir has its work cut out for it.
BH: The Enclave deserves some respect. It handles its family-hauling duties with a certain amount of panache, being far more distinctly styled than many of its rivals, including the more mainstream Palisade. And it’s particularly silent around town — Buick has this Quiet Tuning technology it’s been touting for some time, not to mention active noise cancellation.
In a straight line, the Enclave will accelerate a bit more quickly than the Palisade. When cornering, however, the Buick’s extra 180 kilograms are noticeable.
Now the cabin: The best part is that the Buick offers a fair amount of cargo flexibility. It has significantly more capacity than the Palisade — 688 L behind the third row versus 509 L for the Hyundai, and 1,643 L behind the second row folded versus the Palisade’s 1,296 L. I was less impressed with the interior’s overuse of black, creating a dungeon-like dreariness, especially in comparison to the Palisade’s light and bright interior.
More to the point, the Buick is a far pricier proposition as a family vehicle. The topline Avenir costs $62,100 before options, our tester topping out at $64,770. That’s $14K more than the Palisade Limited, most of that premium the result of opting for the Avenir. Choosing a base AWD Enclave Essence instead brings the price down to a far more competitive $51,100, though it won’t have the myriad features of the Palisade Limited.
NT: It’s not as though the Enclave Avenir does anything particularly wrong. It’s comfortable, spacious, and despite the sea of black, the fit and finish are impressive. If cargo space is your absolute top priority in this segment, the Enclave is a stellar choice — in non-Avenir flavour. But even then, the Hyundai is still the better buy. Even if you want all the bells and whistles, the $54,000 Palisade Ultimate — with its fancy Nappa leather, fully digital instrument cluster and head-up display, LED lighting all around, bigger wheels, and plenty more — costs less than Buick’s so-called “highest expression of luxury.” You just can’t beat Hyundai’s bang for your buck.