2021 Buick Enclave vs 2021 Hyundai Palisade

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy stood out with its unique grille pattern, revised exterior lighting, including puddle lamps, additional lower body trim, and exclusive 20-inch wheels. The interior was upgraded with premium detailing and a simulated suede headliner, making it appear more luxurious than its price tag suggested. The Limited trim, which previously included some of these features, now shared an exterior look with the Palisade SEL equipped with the Convenience or Premium option packages. Standard LED headlights were a new addition for models that lacked them in the previous year.

The Calligraphy trim made the Palisade look more upscale, drawing attention for its unconventional styling. Opinions on its design varied, with some loving it and others being unsure. Inside, the Calligraphy’s Beige over Navy Blue color scheme, combined with quilted and stitched premium Nappa leather and a suede headliner, made it feel like a genuine bargain compared to other midsize three-row SUVs, except for the similarly luxurious Kia Telluride SX Prestige.

The 2021 Buick Enclave, on the other hand, aimed to recapture Buick’s former glory with its big, shiny, and impressive design. It was the largest of Buick’s four SUVs, standing out with its unique grille pattern, extra brightwork, and polished 20-inch wheels, especially in the Avenir trim. The Enclave’s interior featured organic forms, a minimalist approach to instrumentation and controls, and tasteful polished accents. The soft, perforated, piped, and embroidered leather added a sense of luxury, although the wood trim was not genuine.

The Enclave’s simplicity extended to its driving experience, with a 3.6-liter V6 engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and a choice between FWD and AWD. The V6 produced 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, providing strong acceleration. The Avenir Technology Package, which included a premium-tuned suspension and automatic emergency braking, enhanced the driving experience. The Enclave’s ride and handling were well-suited for various driving environments, and it achieved an average fuel economy of 21.2 mpg on the testing loop.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade was equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine producing 291 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and FWD, with an optional AWD system. Drivers could choose between Eco, Comfort, Smart, and Sport driving modes, with AWD models adding a Snow mode and a Lock function for improved low-speed traction. The Palisade AWD had an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 21 mpg in combined driving, and the test vehicle averaged 21.1 mpg with Smart mode engaged.

The Palisade’s firmer suspension tuning provided excellent body-motion control, making it more communicative about road conditions compared to the softer Kia Telluride. It was enjoyable to drive, with plenty of power and easy maneuverability in urban and suburban environments. The Palisade’s 5,000-pound towing capacity was supported by a new seven-pin trailer pre-wiring connector for the 2021 model year.

The 2021 Buick Enclave featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine generating 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and a choice between FWD and AWD. The V6’s low torque peak provided strong acceleration, and the Enclave drove like a smaller SUV despite its size. The nine-speed automatic transmission performed flawlessly, and the FWD test vehicle demonstrated momentary tire spin before traction control intervened.

The Avenir Technology Package, which included a premium-tuned suspension with continuously variable damping and automatic emergency braking, significantly enhanced the driving experience. The Enclave’s ride and handling were impressive across various driving environments, and it achieved an average fuel economy of 21.2 mpg on the testing loop. The Enclave’s 21.7-gallon fuel tank allowed for a range of up to 460 miles on a full tank.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade excelled in terms of interior size, seating, and accessibility. The Calligraphy trim added a touch of luxury with eight-way power-adjustable seats, heated and ventilated front seats and second-row captain’s chairs, and separate climate controls for third-row passengers. The seats provided good support for long drives, and the second-row captain’s chairs offered ample legroom and support. The third-row seat was more accommodating than most other SUVs in the class.

The Palisade provided plenty of in-cabin storage space, especially in the front center console and door panels. Cargo space measured 18 cubic feet behind the third-row seats, expanding to 45.8 cubic feet with the third row folded down, and 86.4 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded. The hands-free Smart Liftgate automatically opened when it detected the key fob, which could be turned off if desired.

The 2021 Buick Enclave was one of the largest SUVs in its class, offering ample room for six people (seven if needed). The Avenir trim featured a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support and a basic massaging function, while the front passenger seat was 10-way power-adjustable with matching massage. The seats were heated, ventilated, and wrapped in soft leather, and the steering wheel included automatic heating.

The Enclave’s seven-passenger seating included second-row captain’s chairs and a three-person third-row bench seat. The third-row seat was roomy and comfortable, with easy access through the large rear doors and between the captain’s chairs. Cargo space measured 23.6 cubic feet behind the third-row seat, expanding to 58 cubic feet with the third row folded down, and 97.6 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade offered two infotainment systems: an 8-inch touchscreen display and a 10.25-inch touchscreen display. Both systems could pair two smartphones to Bluetooth simultaneously, but only the 8-inch setup offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Calligraphy trim included SiriusXM satellite radio, a navigation system, Blue Link connected services, and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. Other features included wireless smartphone charging, a Driver Talk intercom system, Quiet Mode, a head-up display, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2021 Buick Enclave’s infotainment technology met basic expectations but fell short in some areas. The Buick Infotainment System responded quickly to inputs, had good voice recognition, and featured a simple and logical user interface. Every Enclave came with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, connected services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and USB charging ports in all three rows. Upgrades included a premium sound system, navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a surround-view camera system.

However, the Enclave’s 8-inch touchscreen display was the largest available, and it lacked Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant integration. The 10-speaker Bose sound system was not as impressive as those in other SUVs in the segment. The free trial periods for connected services were also short. The available rear camera mirror provided a live video view of what was behind the Enclave, which was useful.

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade excelled in safety, with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and multiple lane-keeping systems as standard. The rear occupant alert system reminded drivers to check the back seat, and higher trims included a more sophisticated ultrasonic rear occupant alert system. Most Palisades had active blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning systems, as well as Safe Exit Assist. The Limited and Calligraphy trims featured a Blind View Monitor. Highway Drive Assist, available on more trims for 2021, provided excellent adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance.

The Palisade earned top safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, and its three free years of Blue Link services included automatic collision warning and emergency assistance.

The 2021 Buick Enclave’s safety systems worked well but were limited to higher trims. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available starting from the Essence trim, while the Driver Confidence Plus Package, which included forward-collision warning, low-speed automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and more, was standard on Premium and Avenir trims. Adaptive cruise control with enhanced automatic emergency braking was only available with the Avenir Technology Package. The Enclave lacked lane-centering assistance, rear automatic braking, self-parking, and Level 2 driving assistance technology.

The Enclave received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, though frontal-impact protection rated four stars. The IIHS gave it high marks, but a Marginal headlight performance rating prevented it from earning a Top Safety Pick accolade.