​​Autoblog looks at Three Flagship 3-Row SUVs in Terms of Reliability​. 

Three-row SUVs have become the go-to vehicle for comfortable family transport, with room for everyone and the option to invite a pair of friends or extended family along for the ride. If the monthly budget allows, the top-tier versions of these models can provide a quite luxurious experience with soft leather seating, premium audio systems, and several comfort, convenience, and aesthetic enhancements. Autoblog looked at three American-brand three-row SUVs at the flagship level and asked: beyond all their luxurious offerings, which model best offers the subtler luxury of reliability? Ewing Buick-GMC gives you a recap. 

The three models they looked at include the Ford Explorer Platinum, the Chevrolet Traverse High Country, and the Buick Enclave Avenir. Each model offers most of what the brand features to provide a luxury experience.  

The Buick immediately stands out for its luxury offerings. While sharing a platform and powertrain with the Traverse, Buick has the advantage of being a premium brand. Thus, the Enclave was built from the beginning with Buick’s quiet-tuning techniques and upscale aesthetics, including the elegance of its one-piece center digital screen that extends seamlessly from the driver’s digital display into the center touchscreen, with organic shapes below that encompass the physical controls. It comes as little surprise that after this design was introduced, the Enclave Avenir was named toWard’s 10 Best Interiors & UX list. 

But the Autoblog comparison was mostly about reliability. Of the three, the Explorer stands out and not in a good way, with no less than eight recalls for the 2026 Explorer model line. As Autoblog states, “The recalls are not trivial. Among them: a recall for engine piston circlips that may have been incorrectly installed, risking piston failure and engine damage, and a separate recall for second-row seat belt anchor bolts that may be improperly secured. Those are the kinds of issues that make a reliability researcher’s eye twitch.” 

By contrast, the Traverse has not had any model-specific recalls. However, Autoblog notes that Consumer Reports removed the model’s “Recommended” rating due to results from its annual consumer survey, in which owners reported issues with the transmission, body hardware, and electronics, as well as noise and leaks. 

The Enclave also has no recalls, but there is a service bulletin that prompted a “Service All-Wheel Drive” warning that has frequently appeared on the dashboard. Nonetheless, J.D. Power has named Buick the top mass-market brand for vehicle dependability. Among the three, the Enclave has the most reassuring overall reliability, even when considering the AWD bulletin. 

In their final analysis, Autoblog had this to say, “Its single minor recall, Buick’s J.D. Power brand dependability crown, and the most recently redesigned platform make it the most confident reliability choice of the three.” 

If you are curious about what the Buick Enclave Avenir and the rest of the model line have to offer, we invite you to visit Ewing Buick-GMC and take a look at the Enclave from our vast Inventory, which is sure to include just the right model for you.