Taken on its own, the Buick Enclave provides as a perfectly equipped, semi-luxurious, child-toting family truckster. Its premium rates, nevertheless, puts it toe-to-toe with true luxury offerings from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo, which dulls the Buick's shine. Sharing much of its mechanical bits with the down-market Chevrolet Traverse doesn't strengthen its intended positioning, although its V-6 engine and driving behavior are both smooth and reasonable.
The Buick Enclave rolls into 2020 with a brand-new, optional Sport Touring package. Available specifically on the mid-range Essence trim, the brand-new appearance package includes a black mesh front grille, body-color grille surround, and chrome-and-graphite 20-inch wheels. All Enclave designs now feature an upgraded infotainment system with an 8.0-inch screen; high-definition backup and 360-degree exterior video cameras are also available.
The Avenir receives a subtle facelift in the form of lower body panels that are painted instead of left as black plastic for a sleeker appearance. Champagne Gold metallic, Abundant Garnet metallic, and Dark Moon Blue metallic all join the list of readily available colors. Preferred: $41,195 Essence: $43,195 Premium: $49,595 Avenir: $54,995 Costs big dollars on the top-spec Avenir model doesn't rather get you the lux environs we expect from a premium SUV, so we 'd save the cash and choose the midrange Essence.
What Does Buick Enclave Do?
Under the hood of every Enclave is a 3.6-liter V-6 making 310 horse power driving either the front or all 4 wheels by means of a smooth-shifting nine-speed automatic transmission. It's not the quickest crossover, but the Enclave is fast enough that there's never any cause for anxiety when driving around town or merging onto the highway, and the engine goes about its company while leaving the traveler cabin undisturbed.
A well-damped suspension assists the Enclave conceal its mass, however it never ever feels as athletic as the Audi Q7. Instead, it trades on comfort with a smooth, luxurious ride, sliding over pockmarked asphalt and hardly signing up harsher effects. The steering offers an appropriate amount of feedback for a crossover, reacts reasonably crisply, and is well weighted.
But the EPA's ratings have these people haulers in a close heat with each other, and on our real-world highway fuel-economy test path our all-wheel-drive Enclave Avenir provided exactly what it promised: 25 mpg on the highway. The Enclave's cabin is as roomy inside as you 'd expect from a lorry this size, and Buick has actually integrated many convenience and benefit features.
More About Buick Enclave
The wood trim looks chintzy, the sunshades for the optional breathtaking roof aren't power operated, and only the passenger-side second-row seat slides forward to enable third-row travelers in and outa clear cost-cutting relocation that jeopardizes convenience. Nestled into the dash between two asymmetrical air vents is the Enclave's basic 8.0-inch IntelliLink touchscreen infotainment system.