Anonymous wrote:I'd get a Honda Pilot over a Chevy 100 times out of 100.

I would too. MDX also has a captain’s chairs option, but the back row is tiny. My 1 year old vetoed it.

I'd get a Honda Pilot over a Chevy 100 times out of 100.

GLS 450

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a Buick Enclave from 2011. Good looking car but lots of maintenance issues. Don't think it's a reliable car. would not buy a Buick again. Although consumer reports says that was an off year for that make/model so maybe they are better now.

This is me too. Probably will not buy another. Looked at the Audi Q7 but it’s reliability wasn’t any better than the Buick.

I had a 2013 Enclave and I heard there were more issues with 2011/2012. Mine was great, never had anything other than routine maintenance, kept it for 5 years, and generally loved driving it. I test drove all three (Enclave, Traverse, Acadia) at the time and had a strong preference for the Buick in driving as well as interior features. One of my friends got the next model of Acadia and loves it! The newer Acadia is slightly shorter which can be great in parking lots, etc. The Buick is a big vehicle with little cargo space if you are using the third row. I've posted before on other discussions of this car... I could carpool 5 kids to a sport, but not get all of their equipment bags in the trunk. One or two kids' bags would be up in the front passenger seat (no front seat kids at the time). If you are not using the third row, then it's plenty of cargo space, but a four-passenger vehicle. I loved the captain's chairs for the ease of getting to the third row, which was used often in carpools. I have two kids, so on travel we were also comfortable. My kids were also elementary age when I had that car, so no strollers and such.

I downsized after the Buick with teens who can now sit in the front, carpool less, and prioritized trunk space.

I have another friend who went from the 2011 Enclave to a 2016(ish?) Q7 and loves it.

Anonymous wrote:Infiniti QX 90. You want a usable third row. Our Acadia was great but the third row was still tights.

Or Mercedes GLS

Anonymous wrote:I have a Buick Enclave from 2011. Good looking car but lots of maintenance issues. Don't think it's a reliable car. would not buy a Buick again. Although consumer reports says that was an off year for that make/model so maybe they are better now.

This is me too. Probably will not buy another. Looked at the Audi Q7 but it’s reliability wasn’t any better than the Buick.

Land Rover discovery

I have a Buick Enclave from 2011. Good looking car but lots of maintenance issues. Don't think it's a reliable car. would not buy a Buick again. Although consumer reports says that was an off year for that make/model so maybe they are better now.

I take it a 3rd row is more important than trunk space?

Infiniti QX 90. You want a usable third row. Our Acadia was great but the third row was still tights.

The new bigger Subaru has this feature. I’d certainly go Subaru over Buick or Chevy for reliability.

Check out the GMC version as well - the Acadia. I’m on my second and have loved both of them, the GMC interiors are nicer than Chevy’s and it should be cheaper than the Buick.

Where do you anticipate driving this? Meaning, is it just around town and down to OBX, or are there special considerations?

Those are wildly different options. The first two are very similar. The BMW costs way more.

Favorite captains chairs 3 row SUV for 3 kids and why: Right now leaning toward the Chevy Traverse vs. Buick Enclave (can anyone compare?), but also considering the BMW X7 and the Volvo XC90 (although we test drove the Volvo and felt it was small). Would love tips and insights!