AUTO REVIEW: Buick Enclave can’t be matched
If I were a Buick salesperson I would do everything possible to get a potential SUV customer into a Buick Enclave for a test drive.
Better yet, maybe park in front of the Lexus dealership and offer Enclave rides before they pluck down any money for one of those offshore “luxury” SUV’s. Given what I have seen testing the new Enclave, it matches the perceived luxury brands from Japan and Germany. Better yet, it’s a hometown product and no apologies need be made for less than the highest quality in workmanship or materials.
The Buick Enclave can match or exceed its foreign competition in every aspect that matters. Take the Enclave’s styling; it has an elegant and boldness that has always been a Buick legacy. The bold Buick trademark grille is the marquee for the big bold SUV body that is not too big, but large enough for a family of seven with the standard third-row split bench seat.
Buick says the Enclave is an eight-passenger, but I would not want to be the last one boarding. There are even port holes on the hood sides that are reminiscent of the big Buicks in the 1950s. Unlike some of other SUV’s, the Enclave does not have the slab-sided uninspired look found on many of the other SUVs in this class.
Big shiny 20-inch chrome-clad aluminum $300 optional wheels on the tested Enclave provided a flashy display as I rolled up to the stop light. I would pay extra for this option, because bigger wheels look so at home here. Buick has almost always had the most recognizable grills, and the Enclave can be identified from a block away — just like the old days when every kid could tell you the vehicle brand year. A power up and down cargo gate will save a lot of groceries from being dropped in the parking lot. The cargo area will hold 18.9 cubic feet with the rear bench seat unused. That is more than almost any big sedan. With the rear seat folded down, 535 cubic feet can be added. A 4,500-pound trailer can be towed if that’s not enough room for vacation junk.
The standard 3.6 Liter 288 horsepower V-6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission are well up to the task of getting the 4,985 pound Enclave down the road. The optional all-wheel drive would be a smart upgrade around the Midwest, but even the standard front-wheel drive would be adequate for all but the worst winter days.
Gone are the old days when we could easily find plenty to say about poor paint jobs on domestic vehicles. Actually, I now believe the Detroit 3 are better painters than almost any of the foreign companies, and this Enclave had a perfect Cocoa Metallic color coating. Under the hood the V-6 engine is in a typical sideways configuration. That makes general servicing much easier.
The single most important styling consideration for any vehicle, be it a truck or a luxury sedan, is the cabin area. The dashboard and its luxo/sporty appearance is something the owner notices every time it’s started up. If you’re not excited to notice all of the elements of the dash and the instrumentation you may soon be tired of making the payments.
The Enclave does not take a backseat to anyone for styling, including the interior. The richness of the materials and presentation of the many controls are not only intuitive to operate but are smart looking, too.
A power sunroof with the second-row skylight added $1,400, but how could you do without it? Also, a second-row console put another $300 on the tab. The whopper option was the audio with navigation and DVD player that also included rear seat entertainment. Almost all GM vehicles now come with OnStar, and while you may never use it, it will only take one bad accident with its ability to monitor your vehicle in emergencies and send help or help the cops find it fast if its purloined. Even with the options the final price was $49,955. Seems like a lot of dough, but this is luxury and our test CXL edition was loaded. I cannot think of anything I would or could find to add.
Be it vacations or just general use, a SUV is perhaps the perfect vehicle. It’s a truck or sedan; pick your needs at the time and its ready. The Enclave is a mid-size SUV, and it’s a little on the high side. The nice styling does limit some of the window area that other less attractive SUV’s may have. Its something you get used to. The backup camera will become your friend; the stylish rear window will not be used much for backup duty.
I think the Buick Enclave is unmatched in every category.
Better yet, maybe park in front of the Lexus dealership and offer Enclave rides before they pluck down any money for one of those offshore “luxury” SUV’s. Given what I have seen testing the new Enclave, it matches the perceived luxury brands from Japan and Germany. Better yet, it’s a hometown product and no apologies need be made for less than the highest quality in workmanship or materials.
The Buick Enclave can match or exceed its foreign competition in every aspect that matters. Take the Enclave’s styling; it has an elegant and boldness that has always been a Buick legacy. The bold Buick trademark grille is the marquee for the big bold SUV body that is not too big, but large enough for a family of seven with the standard third-row split bench seat.
Buick says the Enclave is an eight-passenger, but I would not want to be the last one boarding. There are even port holes on the hood sides that are reminiscent of the big Buicks in the 1950s. Unlike some of other SUV’s, the Enclave does not have the slab-sided uninspired look found on many of the other SUVs in this class.
Big shiny 20-inch chrome-clad aluminum $300 optional wheels on the tested Enclave provided a flashy display as I rolled up to the stop light. I would pay extra for this option, because bigger wheels look so at home here. Buick has almost always had the most recognizable grills, and the Enclave can be identified from a block away — just like the old days when every kid could tell you the vehicle brand year. A power up and down cargo gate will save a lot of groceries from being dropped in the parking lot. The cargo area will hold 18.9 cubic feet with the rear bench seat unused. That is more than almost any big sedan. With the rear seat folded down, 535 cubic feet can be added. A 4,500-pound trailer can be towed if that’s not enough room for vacation junk.
The standard 3.6 Liter 288 horsepower V-6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission are well up to the task of getting the 4,985 pound Enclave down the road. The optional all-wheel drive would be a smart upgrade around the Midwest, but even the standard front-wheel drive would be adequate for all but the worst winter days.
Gone are the old days when we could easily find plenty to say about poor paint jobs on domestic vehicles. Actually, I now believe the Detroit 3 are better painters than almost any of the foreign companies, and this Enclave had a perfect Cocoa Metallic color coating. Under the hood the V-6 engine is in a typical sideways configuration. That makes general servicing much easier.
The single most important styling consideration for any vehicle, be it a truck or a luxury sedan, is the cabin area. The dashboard and its luxo/sporty appearance is something the owner notices every time it’s started up. If you’re not excited to notice all of the elements of the dash and the instrumentation you may soon be tired of making the payments.
The Enclave does not take a backseat to anyone for styling, including the interior. The richness of the materials and presentation of the many controls are not only intuitive to operate but are smart looking, too.
A power sunroof with the second-row skylight added $1,400, but how could you do without it? Also, a second-row console put another $300 on the tab. The whopper option was the audio with navigation and DVD player that also included rear seat entertainment. Almost all GM vehicles now come with OnStar, and while you may never use it, it will only take one bad accident with its ability to monitor your vehicle in emergencies and send help or help the cops find it fast if its purloined. Even with the options the final price was $49,955. Seems like a lot of dough, but this is luxury and our test CXL edition was loaded. I cannot think of anything I would or could find to add.
Be it vacations or just general use, a SUV is perhaps the perfect vehicle. It’s a truck or sedan; pick your needs at the time and its ready. The Enclave is a mid-size SUV, and it’s a little on the high side. The nice styling does limit some of the window area that other less attractive SUV’s may have. Its something you get used to. The backup camera will become your friend; the stylish rear window will not be used much for backup duty.
I think the Buick Enclave is unmatched in every category.
posted by Edward Noble at
8:24 PM
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