Way back in the 1930s, the 126-year-old company behind our latest test vehicle proclaimed that “When Better Automobiles are Built, Buick Will Build Them.”

And in 1959, the Flint, Michigan-based GM subsidiary said “You’re Better Off with a Buick!”

So I guess I’m doing pretty good when I have my second2026 Buick Enclave Avenir to test in the same season – except it seems to have a better fuel mileage rating.

Let’s see if I’m better off.

Buick Becomes The SUV-Only Division

The Enclave is an SUV – one of four – from a company that used to be known for some pretty interesting sedans, coupes and convertibles, but makes none of those any more. Under the Enclave’s skin lives the same front-wheel-drive platform that makes up the gas Chevrolet Equinox, Traverse, and GMC Acadia. It’s sleek compared to the first-gen version from 17 years ago, with a nice profile for a 3-row crossover with the flagship trim.

We pointed our Buick’s smoked chrome honeycombed grille, slit LED DRLs and stacked headlights toward the historic waterfront town of Fernandina Beach for some cruising. That’s when I noticed its pointed prow over that tall grille, and the chrome accenting its lower intake and framing the honeycomb; gave it some of the sleekness seen in Buick’s compact Evista CUV.

Our Ocean Blue Metallic crossover lives on a relatively long 120.9-inch wheelbase. The 18-spoke silver alloy wheels are shod in 22-inch Continental CrossContact rubber connected by chrome sill spears. The flanks get a gentle tuck for some definition, aided by flattened flares in each fender.

The roofline’s got a gentle dip as it heads aft, with chrome side window trim that rises over gentle rear fender shoulders. In back, LED taillights with clear lenses thin to a lit red line under a high rear window, with rectangular steel exhaust tips framed by the rear bumper,. It’s a handsome design, but does not stand out in the crowd.

2026 Buick Enclave Avenir Has Lush Interior

Ah, but everyone who looked or sat inside its nautically-inspired blue-over-dove gray interior with bronze accents and glowing ambient lighting liked it. Almost every visible surface, from the stitched blue leatherette atop the dash, to the sculpted alloy accent edging more dove gray with dotted decorations, felt and looked plush. There are ash gray wood door accents and perforated alloy Bose speaker grilles that add a British feel here too.

I tested a 7,000-mile-old version of this Buick in January with the same lush interior color scheme. The leather seats, dashboard surfaces and doors showed no smudging after so many miles. But the white carpet mats and flooring underfoot showed some dirt – and so did our sub-400-mile-old test vehicle last week. So maybe this is not the color scheme if you have lots of kids, dogs, or wet/snowy weather to drive in.

The comfy leather-clad steering wheel has tiny plastic paddle shifters in back that are only usable when you select low range, and look a bit cheap – radio controls are integrated with them, a big – and handy volume knob on the center console. The buckets are comfortable if a bit flat, with heat, cooling and very gentle massage. You tap a screen icon to get heat or cooling, and fiddle with the seats’ power-adjust buttons to get the massage active and adjusted – a main screen display showcases that. We also had dual memory preset for the driver.

The sweeping 30-inch gauge/infotainment display atop the dashboard’s centerpiece continues to impress. Multi-configurable, it’s concise. I like the digital speedometer with sweep-hand needle over a bar graph 7,000-rpm tachometer and gas gauge, plus 2-wheel/4-wheel-drive indicator. Day, date, time and temperature are to the left, your media choice to the right, with cellphone status nearby. You can pop up a navigation map with digital mph for simplicity; simpler still is just speed and basic driver info, all doable from steering wheel buttons.

Head to starboard (right) a bit and you’ve got time and temp, then tap icons for functions like navigation, audio, phone and main menus. The navigation screen quickly showed traffic jams, or a (slightly small) backup camera with 360-degree view overhead. I liked that. There’s wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto. HD Radio has to be enabled via a screen menu. The 16-speaker Bose audio system was solid as well.

Praise be, there’s real fan and temperature controls above big center vents, with vent position, seat heat/cool and others relegated to touchscreen icons nearby. Headlight controls are activated on that display after tapping the light icon on the screen – tapping another menu icon next to it allows changes in vehicle operation, including traction control. I wish instead it had distinct, direct-action buttons. That said, drive mode and front- to all-wheel-drive changes get a button to the left of the steering wheel. Visually the change is confirmed on the center-screen.

Another fave remains the floating gloss black center console. Yes, it attracts fingerprints, but a big volume knob is next to an inductive phone charge slot and a small rubber padded storage nook and cup holders. There is huge rubberized storage space underneath, and a 12-volt port. More space is under the center armrest, plus there are dual USB ports nearby.

Twin captain’s chairs recline and slide in the second row, with center armrests and solid adult head and leg room. Overhead vents keep them cool or warm, with more USB ports. There’s enough room between the white leather seats, with the same blue piping as in front, to slide into a usable 3-person bench seat in back. There’s just enough head and leg room for adults if the second row slides a touch forward.

And what’s a family SUV without rear cargo space? The rear power hatch rises high, and folding the 60/40 rear seatbacks expands stowage, plus some storage under the floor. Remote buttons on the aft bulkhead let you drop third- and second-row seatbacks, while second rows slide when folded down via seatback buttons. 

It’s a richly appointed interior, if a bit bright, and prone to showing dirt.

2026 Buick Enclave Avenir 0-60 MPH: 7.5 Seconds

Buick’s used to mean a powerful V-6 or V-8 under the bonnet – think 401-cu. in. Nailhead with 325-hp, or the 1987 GNX’s 300-hp turbocharged V-6. Well, the Enclave has a respectable 328 hp and 326 lb.-ft. of torque – from a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. But it sounds a bit coarse when pushed, although it is quick to respond when asked.

There are many driving modes: Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice, Off-Road and Tow/Haul. There’s also switchable front-/all-wheel-drive.

Auto-engine off works unobtrusively, refiring without a lurch as you tap the gas pedal to move out. It can tow up to 5,000 lbs.

The last Avenir we tested was comfortably used, with 7,200 miles on it. This, our second go-round tester, had less than 800 miles, just getting comfy in its own skin.

We did our usual tests. Set in front-wheel-drive and Normal mode, the Buick launched strong, turbo boost coming in smoothly to hit 60 mph in 7.5 seconds. That’s a tenth-of-a-second more than the one we tested in early 2026. Same as before, no wheelspin on launch, but the exhaust note was a bit hard-working 4-cylinder.

In Sport mode and all-wheel-drive, our test Buick hit 60 mph in 7.9 seconds with smooth upshifts and seemingly a slightly sportier exhaust note. That’s compared to 7.2 seconds in Sport/all-wheel-drive in the early, higher-mileage version.

Fuel mileage on regular was better than the last one, seeing an average 28 mpg vs. 24 mpg on the earlier model. And while that earlier tester had an EPA average of 19-mpg city/24-mpg highway, this one was listed as 20-mpg city/24-mpg highway – a magic extra mile meaning better testing?

Enclave Avenir’s four-wheel independent suspension delivers a very comfortable ride. It’s quiet and composed with a bit of float after some bumps. On a concrete bridge with some slight sag to each segment, the Avenir had a tightly-controlled bounce on each, but quickly settled. In other words, it gave what I would expect a well-suspended Buick CUV to give in many miles of highway and 2-lane country road driving.

On curves, set in front-wheel-drive, this Buick neutrally tackled sweeping turns and expressway ramps under power with a bit of body roll and no understeer when pushed harder through a corner. Tighter turns in all-wheel-drive saw it corner with just a hint of understeer and a hint of traction control, but no drama. Even when pushed in our skidpad, it was easy to handle as traction  control nudged in more.

Steering is direct if a bit over-boosted in Tour mode, but firms up noticeably in Sport mode, a bit artificial in feel. We applaud a 3-row CUV with a tight turning circle. The Avenir’s 17-inch front/rear disc brakes’ pedal had a decent bite on initial tap, then gave solid control, and minimal nose dive on hard stops. We had a touch of fade after a few hard hits from 65 mph.

As with many higher-end GM vehicles, we had Super Cruise, a hands-free autonomous driving system with auto-lane changing if something slower is sensed ahead – and that greenlight bar when it’s on. During our brief stints on interstate and state highways that were in its map/cloud database, the system maintained lane control with only occasional wiggling, usually over bad pavement. It was a lifesaver during a half-hour slowdown due to a crash ahead, holding speeds as low as 10 mph, stopping when needed, then resuming. Just keep your eyes on the road. The sensors read wandering pupils and it shuts the system off.

The auto-lane changes were done safely and smoothly, or the move could be triggered with a steering wheel touch. Super Cruise shut off once after we hit a pothole on an interstate. On some stretches of federal and state highway, it would shut off sometimes for no obvious reason. It would flash the steering wheel light bar red and buzzing seat buzzers when it did. Once it did shut off on a state highway bridge in a curve, and we had to steer.

The Lansing, Mich.-built Enclave Avenir’s base version starts at $48,395 with front-wheel-drive; Our Avenir starts at $59,600 with lots standard except: the $3,015 Super Cruise package with auto-parking assist, $2,000 all-wheel-drive and $825 Illumination package – add destination and total price is $67,335.

Bottom line: The Enclave Avenir is handsome, quick enough, comfortably roomy and very well-equipped. A more refined powerplant presence and a slightly sportier ride would be nice.

2026 Buick Enclave Avenir AWD Specifications

Vehicle type – mid-size luxury all-wheel-drive 5-passenger crossover

Base price – $59,600 ($67,335as tested)

Engine type – turbocharged 16-valve DOHC in-line four

Displacement – 2.5 liter

Horsepower (net) – 328 @ 5,500 rpm

Torque (lb-ft) – 326 @ 3,500 rpm

Transmission – 8-speed automatic

Wheelbase – 120.9 inches

Overall length – 207.6 inches

Overall width – 79.6 inches

Height – 71 inches

Front headroom – 42.6 inches

Front legroom – 44.3 inches

Center headroom – 39.9 inches

Center legroom – 41.4 inches

Rear headroom – 38.2 inches

Rear legroom – 32.1 inches

Cargo capacity – 22.9 cu.ft./57.1 w/rear seats folded/97.5 w/2nd & 3rd row folded

Curb weight – 4,537 lbs.

Fuel capacity – 18.4 gallons

Mileage rating – 20-mpg city/24-mpg highway

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GM is bringing back a name that was synonymous with the American land yachts that reached their peak in the 70s before going extinct.

Buick has unveiled its Electra GS concept EV, which it says is a “defining milestone” in Buick’s transformation towards new energy vehicles.

At a length of 17.3-feet, the concept isn’t as long as the old Electras. But still, it would mark the return of a full-size sedan to Buick’s lineup.

And, in case you’re curious, the longest Buick title goes to the 1975 Electra 4-door, which was also built for the 1976 model year.

If you’re lovin’ the look of the Electra design exercise, don’t get too attached. It may not end up being anything more than a drafting exercise from GM’s China design studio.

Buick is showing off renderings but nothing more. There are no specs such as battery or motor size.

Inside, the Electra features an augmented reality head-up dislay along with a 16.3-inch ultra-wide center display screen.

GM hasn’t said whether the Electra will be green-lighted to move beyond the computer screen to a full-scale mock-up or fully designed prototype.

Even among the renderings there are some variations.

Here in America Buick doesn’t hasn’t sold any EVs yet but in China the Electra E5 SUV EV was introduced back in 2023.

Buick also showed off the Wildcat EV coupe concept a few years ago here in the states. That’s another concept that never made it to production, although some of its design cues are now showing up on Buick’s gas-powered SUVs.

As for the Electra GS, we’ll just have to wait and see whether it stays a dream machine or eventually makes it to a production line.

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As it turns out Tesla ended up picking the perfect name for its Supercharging technology: The North American Charging Standard (NACS).

General Motors Chair and CEO Mary Barra has announced with Tesla CEO Elon in a Twitter Spaces webcast that starting next year GM EVs will be able to use Tesla Superchargers and starting in 2025 new GM EVs will come standard with a NACS charging port.

The collaboration will expand access to charging for GM EV drivers at 12,000 Tesla Superchargers, and growing, throughout North America.

“Our vision of the all-electric future means producing millions of world-class EVs across categories and price points, while creating an ecosystem that will accelerate mass EV adoption,” said Barra. “This collaboration is a key part of our strategy and an important next step in quickly expanding access to fast chargers for our customers. Not only will it help make the transition to electric vehicles more seamless for our customers, but it could help move the industry toward a single North American charging standard.”

The Tesla Supercharger Network will be open to GM EV drivers starting in 2024 and will initially require the use of an adapter. Beginning in 2025, the first GM EVs will be built with a NACS inlet for direct access to Tesla Superchargers without an adapter.

In the future, GM will make adapters available for drivers of NACS-enabled vehicles to allow charging on CCS-capable fast charge stations.

GM will also integrate the Tesla Supercharger Network into its vehicle and mobile apps, helping drivers locate, pay for, and initiate charging at Superchargers.

Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s Senior Director of Charging Infrastructure, added, “Our mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. Giving every EV owner access to ubiquitous and reliable charging is a cornerstone of that mission. We’re excited to work with other industry leaders like General Motors to provide access to the Tesla Supercharger Network via the North American Charging Standard.”

GM continues to work with others in the industry to accelerate the installation of home, work and public charging as part of its Ultium Charge 360 initiative. This includes collaborations with Pilot Company and EVgo that will add more than 5,000 DC fast chargers to the nearly 13,000 existing DC fast chargers in North America, as well as the deployment of community chargers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

GM didn’t say in its news release whether those will be NACS or CCS chargers, although since those announcements were previously made, it’s assumed those will still be CCS stations.

Last month Ford President and CEO Jim Farley made a similar announcement with Musk. With today’s announcement the big three American-based EV manufacturers have committed to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard.

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For generations Cadillac made some of the finest sedans, coupes and convertibles available anywhere. 

Now GM’s luxury brand is hoping to recapture those glory days as it moves into the EV age with the Cadillac Celestiq. 

The handbuilt Celestiq EV is the car that Cadillac hopes will return it to being recognized as “The Standard of the World.

Related: More coverage from the 2023 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance

When it debuts in 2024 it will be the most extravagant and expensive model Cadillac has ever built, with an eye popping base price of more than $300,000. 

Each car will be hand crafted to a customer’s specifications, allowing for a much higher level of personalization than most automobiles.” 

Infinite color-match options will be available on the biggest sedan I’ve seen Cadillac build since the early 1980s. Customers will even be able to order a leather floor if they so choose. 

As you would expect, the Celestiq will also offer some incredible tech, including what Cadillac is billing as the industry’s first smart glass roof that will allow passengers to control the amount of light that comes in through four separate sections. 

The rear seats will have their own digital command centers with 8-inch touchscreens along with a four zone climate system. 

The list of options and possibilities is too long for this video and post but it’s the type of moonshot vehicle that Cadillac used to known for. 

The Celestiq will have an estimated 300 mile range from its 111-kWh battery pack, making about 600 horsepower. Currently Cadillac is estimating 0-60 miles per hour will take about 3.8 seconds. 

General Motors had the Celestiq on display right next to Buick’s stunning EV concept at the 2023 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. 

In terms of style, the Wildcat concept was my favorite EV on display,

Buick hasn’t committed to building the Wildcat coupe but a GM spokesperson did tell me the Wildcat has been receiving a lot of positive feedback and that Buick does listen to customer opinions. 

GM says the Wildcat conveys Buick’s upcoming styling language that will influence its models for the foreseeable future.  

One item that will definitely make production is the Wildcat’s new Buick logo. 

Although they weren’t turned on during my visit to The Amelia, the Wildcat’s lighting elements are configured to create a unique welcome choreography when the driver approaches. You can see the choreography in action in the video at the top of this post.

Some of the other styling highlights include semi-swing doors for easy entry and exit along with unique aluminum trim that flows seamlessly into the seats.  

The last memorable Buick coupe was arguably the Grand National, which ended production after the 1987 model year. 

Today Buick doesn’t have a single car left, instead it offers four gas-powered SUVs. 

The Wildcat just might be the concept to get Buick back into the car game, but only if GM gives it a chance. 

If you’ve enjoyed this EV Rider episode and post, please give it a like and subscribe to my YouTube channel so I can bring you more adventuresz in EV motoring. 

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Stylish coupes cruised America’s roads for decades before automakers started largely favoring SUVs over 2-doors and sedans. 

But now that EVs are rewriting the rules, could we see a return to the heyday of coupes? Doubtful, but there are glimmers of hope. This week we’re looking at four potential EV coupes, starting with Dodge. 

The Charger Daytona EV unveiled this past summer isn’t just a one-off dream machine for the car show circuit. It’s the model that America’s “Brotherhood of Muscle” brand is betting its future on.  

In fact, Dodge is one of the few brands left that still sells a high-volume coupe. Dodge has sold 673,045 current generation Challenger coupes thru 2021, according to Wikipedia, and a sales spike is expected in its final year of Hemi-powered production. 

A version very close to Dodge’s EV concept will be arriving in showrooms in 2024. What makes it really different, besides acceleration that will leave gas-powered Hellcats in the dust, is it adds the extra utility that for whatever reason, has been rarely designed into 21st century ICE powered coupes. 

For starters, despite it looking like a traditional coupe with a small trunk, it’s going to be a hatchback with plenty of storage space when the seats are folded. And, it’s going to have all-wheel-drive for all you EV Riders dealing with snow every winter. 

Perhaps best of all for muscle car fans, the looks and form factor harkens back to the styling of the classic 1970 Charger featured in this archived Jacksonville Cars & Coffee cruise-in video:

“It is going to be the slipperiest car that still looks like a muscle car. We incorporated the designs from the original Charger Daytona aero treatments on the front end, but still looks like a proper muscle car. We added sound back into the car. With a patented Fratonic chambered exhaust system, and, we’re going to make it drive like a proper Dodge with an electromechanical shifting system known as the eRupt system. This car will literally change the way people look at electrification in the muscle car space,” said Dodge CEO Timothy Kuniskis in a promotional video distributed by the brand.

Since this post is about style as opposed to performance and tech, we’ll leave it there for now, but rest assured the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee edition will bring the heat needed to keep drag strips in business. 

Next up is a stunningly beautiful coupe that if built has the potential to return Buick to being one of the best styled brands in the world. But here’s the problem. The Wildcat concept isn’t expected to make it into production. 

Instead, its designers say we’ll start seeing some of its styling cues showing up in future Buick EVs. 

While there’s potential here, it’s also worrisome, since the sleek lines of a coupe rarely translate well into the world of SUVs, which is all that Buick currently makes. But then again, Ford has been able to successfully translate its Mustang styling language into the electric Mach-E SUV. 

However, why can’t the Wildcat be built as coupe? Think about it. That massive hood could a fantastic frunk, while the large coupes of yesteryear offered rear seat passengers plenty of space. A utility that has been all but lost in current day coupes such as the expected-to-be canceled Camaro coupe and next-generation 2024 Mustang. 

Back to reality, the gorgeous GranTurismo Coupe Folgore EV from Maserati will be going into production. Like Dodge, Maserati is owned by Stellantis, which has been accelerating its transition to EVs. 

The GranTurismo Folgore EV, will share the same classic styling as its gas-powered siblings but will be faster, ripping to 60 miles per hour in 2.7 seconds with a 92.5 kWh battery pack with an 800-volt architecture.  

Better yet, a Maserati spokesperson told Autocar a convertible version is also on the way. 

Finally, Genesis is also taking a look at the two-door form factor with its Genesis Speedium Coupe concept. 

“We definitely wanted to go back to the great moments of automotive design,” said Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke in a video promoting the concept. 

But like Buick, Genesis has no plans to actually put the Speedium into production. 

“It is a tool of the design process allowing us to explore the future of Genesis. It’s simply based around the typology that we believe. It’s representing the core values of Genesis,” Donckerwolke added. 

So for coupe lovers, Dodge and Maserati are the ones to watch in the near-term, and while the coupe genre isn’t likely to recapture its high-production glory days, beautiful design will always be captivating to a subset of buyers, meaning every once and a while we’ll still see dream machines like the Charger Daytona and GranTurismo Coupe Folgore make production. 

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The music contained in the video at the top of this post is “Jumpin Boogie Woogie” by Audionautix and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

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Buick has unveiled its Wildcat EV concept coupe — which is meant to lay out the brand’s new design direction as it transitions to an all-electric future, although the division of General Motors hasn’t announced any plans to actually build it.

Editor’s Note: This story has been compiled from a Buick news release

The Wildcat was developed to convey the all-new design language that will influence Buick production models for the foreseeable future. Buick’s new tri-shield logo, mounted prominently on the body front and rear, symbolizes the design transformation and new production models will wear it starting next year.

“The Wildcat EV concept represents the real design future for the brand,” said Sharon Gauci, executive director, Global Buick and GMC Design in a news release.. “Buick has always been forward looking and this expression is a glimpse of where we’re going, and the optimism we have for the limitless possibilities of an electric future.”

The Wildcat EV concept also introduces a new face for Buick that features a low-mounted, trapezoidal grille. Sharp, high-mounted and horizontal check mark-shaped lighting flanks the vehicle, while the outer edges of the grille house primary lighting. The lighting elements are configured to create a unique welcome choreography when the driver approaches.

The 2+2 coupe has a windshield that wraps around and flows into the side glass, which tapers dramatically with the fast roofline.

“From every angle, the vehicle looks like it’s ready to pounce,” said Bob Boniface, director, Global Buick Design in the same news release. “It’s the result of careful attention to the proportions and sculptural beauty derived from the intersection of forms, not lines.”

Additional exterior design highlights include:

• Semi-swing doors for easy entry and exit.
• Unique aluminum trim that appears to flow seamlessly into the interior seat structures.
• Micro-LED lighting technology and thin-beam projector lenses for the front lighting.
• Blade-style taillights embedded in the roof’s sail panels, culminating in check mark-style horizontal lamps that echo the front lighting signature.
• An external “state of charge” indicator visible in the exterior hatchback glass.
• Jet Age-inspired 18-spoke “turbine” wheels.
• “The more you look at the Wildcat EV concept, the more the details reveal themselves,” said Boniface. “Its timeless proportions acknowledge the brand’s rich design legacy, while our latest technology moves you forward.”

Interior

Inside, the Wildcat EV concept’s cabin integrates new technologies,

“It’s a space intended to strike an emotional chord,” said Therese Pinazzo, Buick exterior and interior design manager. “It is defined by simple, graceful forms that convey balance, harmony and a feeling of warmth.”

Interior design elements include cockpit-style seats with cantilevered headrests that appear to be floating, and a lightweight, flat-bottom steering wheel.

A sweeping touchscreen is the access point on the instrument panel, along with a complementing screen on the console.

The Wildcat EV concept is built to be a platform for features such as artificial intelligence, biometrics and aromatherapy. The vehicle is designed to detect an elevation in driver heart rate and automatically adjust vehicle settings to calm them down. For example, when Zen Mode is activated, it will dim the cabin lights, disperse calming aromatherapy scents and activate massaging seats.

Everything about the concept is intended to convey what’s possible — in design, technology and the transformative experience of EV mobility.

“We are on the cusp of true change, and this concept is a tangible vision of it,” said Gauci. “It inaugurates the next chapter in Buick’s design heritage, as we make the crucial transition to our all-electric future.”

Wildcat: A Concept Legacy

Buick said for nearly 70 years, the Wildcat name has been reserved for its concept vehicles. The first Wildcat — introduced in 1953 — was a show vehicle that previewed next-generation Buick design. The Wildcat II and III concepts followed in 1954 and 1955, respectively, and the designs of all were overseen by legendary chief designer Harley Earl. In 1985, another Wildcat concept debuted. It was a futuristically styled, mid-engine and AWD supercar developed to showcase new engine technologies.

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