Premium Buick is best known for its sumptuous sedans of the past, but the Buick Enclave, a three-row SUV that offers that characteristic comfort in a modern design, should be on your radar. The brand’s flagship has a spacious interior and simple controls, as well as a cloud-like ride thanks to a soft-tuned suspension that absorbs road imperfections. For the price, several cabin materials could be of greater quality.
Overview
For those looking for a big, comfortable SUV, the Buick Enclave is a great choice. It has a luxury vibe thanks to its smooth ride and quiet interior, while easy-to-use features keep things simple for everyone. Buick lags behind rivals in terms of technology, and the lowest trim lacks key critical driver safety features. Similarly, the 3.6-liter V6 engine in the Enclave is outstanding, but there is no hybrid option. The Enclave, on the other hand, offers conventional comfort at a fair price. Its roomy, peaceful cabin is great for unwinding on the way home or when logging miles on the way to new destinations.
Trims and Costs
Buick offers four trim levels for the full-size Enclave crossover: Preferred, Essence, Premium, and Avenir. All have seven passenger seating, a strong V6 engine, and front-wheel drive. Customers may add all-wheel drive to any trim level for around $2,500 more.
The Preferred grade is well equipped for its $40,000 starting price, while certain standard features are missing. 18-inch alloy wheels, a backup camera, rear parking sensors, a theft-deterrent alarm, automatic LED headlights, intermittent wipers, heated outside mirrors, and a motion-activated tailgate are all included as standard equipment. A few advanced driver safety features that rivals include are not available as optional options on the Preferred. To access these other innovations, shoppers must upgrade their trim level.
Cloth upholstery, eight-way power-adjustable front seats, front-seat heaters, folding second- and third-rows, remote engine start, keyless entry/start, tri-zone climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, a six-speaker audio system, satellite radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen are among the other standard features to mention.
Leather upholstery, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert are all included when you upgrade to the Essence.
Before options, the Premium trim costs around $48,500. It has power-folding outside mirrors, a Bose 10-speaker premium sound system, a heated steering wheel, ventilated and massaging front seats, driver’s seat memory, heated second-row seats, a power-folding third-row, forward-collision warning, and low-speed automatic emergency braking, as well as forward-collision warning and low-speed automatic emergency braking.
The Avenir, which starts at $55,000, is for those who want top-of-the-line details. It boasts a power one-touch moonroof, wireless smartphone charging, a surround-view camera, a signature grille, unique luxury style, exclusive 20-inch pearl nickel alloys, and a signature grille. Adaptive cruise control, an active suspension that adjusts every two milliseconds, and full-speed automatic emergency braking are all available as options for the Avenir.
For the rest of the Enclave lineup, Buick offers a few options. The Hit the Road Package, which includes features like roof rack cross rails and molded help steps, is available as an option. A Trailering Package raises the towing capacity to 5,000 lbs. for people with heavy chores to undertake.
Performance and Engine
A 3.6-liter V6 engine is standard on all trim levels. This engine has been used by Buick in a variety of applications and is known for its smooth power delivery. It produces 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque in the Enclave. Fuel economy is improved using spark-ignition direct fuel injection and a start-stop engine technology. Unlike most of its rivals, the Enclave is a luxury SUV that runs on normal unleaded gasoline.
The engine’s power is routed through a well-performing nine-speed automated transmission. The Enclave lacks the athleticism of its competitors. Instead, it floats calmly and without drama along highways and backroads. All-wheel drive is optional, although front-wheel drive is normal.
Interior
The Buick Enclave’s cabin is a resounding success, despite Buick and parent company GM’s recent mixed record with interiors. Passengers may stretch out with lots of headroom and legroom. The physical controls and touchscreen are conveniently positioned, and everything is simple to operate. The 8.0-inch touchscreen isn’t the largest in the market, and there isn’t an upgrade available. Despite this, the display is user-friendly and includes modern luxury-vehicle technologies such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
The seats and trimmings are comfortable to the touch, whether in basic fabric or optional leather. Small-item trays and bins are strewn across all three rows, providing above-average in-cabin storage. The third-row seats in the Enclave, like those in other SUVs of its size, are cramped, making them ideal for children. Unfortunately, some cabin plastics and other materials, such as the manually controlled sunshade, are of poor quality.
The cargo space is adequate, with 23.6 cubic feet available. A motorized tailgate with hands-free operation is standard.