2018 Buick Enclave Review: First Impressions and Photo Gallery

CARS.COM — Buick focused mostly on its 2018 Enclave Avenir at the 2017 New York International Auto Show, but the 2018 Enclave is also heavily updated and gets many of the same changes as its more luxurious Avenir sibling. These updates improve the styling and interior packaging to make this three-row SUV more family-friendly.

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The Enclave gets the same updated shape and styling inside and out as the Enclave Avenir, though the Avenir model has a unique grille, interior colors and materials, and wheels. On the Enclave, Buick’s waterfall grille sits behind its updated logo, with wings extending from behind the shield. The updates make the Enclave more athletic and sleek looking, but I wouldn’t call it good-looking.

Inside, the second row is what makes the interior space work. On the passenger side, the captain’s chair can tilt and slide even with a forward-facing child-safety seat installed. Both seats can slide forward and back, which opens up third-row legroom. Charging ports are plentiful as well: Six USB ports (including two in the third row) and a 120-volt household plug located in the back of the center storage bin means all devices will remain juiced.

One final option that I appreciated: The Enclave’s hands-free tailgate requires you to kick under the bumper to get it to open — which I don’t usually like because there’s a lot of flailing around. But Buick helpfully shines its logo on the ground underneath the bumper at the spot where the sensor is, giving you a target.

There is one key safety feature that won’t be offered on the 2018 Enclave: adaptive cruise control. For that, you’ll have to jump up to the Avenir version. It’s a strange omission to make, especially since that technology is starting to become standard on vehicles at much lower prices.

The 2018 Enclave will go on sale in the fall of 2017.