There is only one engine available on the Enclave, but it's a powerful 3.6L V6 producing 288 horsepower. The engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic, a combination yielding enough grunt to tow up to 4,500 pounds. Despite its size and powerful engine, the Enclave still manages to return decent fuel economy and is rated at 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway in front-wheel-drive trim.
The Enclave is offered in three different trims: Convenience, Leather and Premium. Convenience is only offered on the front-wheel-drive Enclave, while Leather and Premium feature on both front- and all-wheel-drive configurations, with all-wheel-drive costing about $2,000 more.
Even the most basic trim level comes packed full of interesting features. All Enclaves get Buick's excellent IntelliLink infotainment system featuring Bluetooth, a 6-inch color screen, steering wheel controls, satellite radio, voice recognition and plenty of connectivity to various electronic devices. Other standard features include OnStar, tri-zone automatic climate control, a powered rear lift gate, 18-inch wheels, an 8-way power adjustable driver's seat, a leather and wood trimmed steering wheel and a rear view camera system.
The Leather package includes leather seating surfaces, but also adds heated front seats and steering wheel, an 8-way power adjustable front passenger seat, memory presets for the driver's seat, 19-inch wheels and Buick's Side Blind Zone Alert system which helps avoid accidents when backing out of parking spots or when changing lanes.
The Premium package offers chrome 19-inch wheels, swiveling headlights to help see around corners, power folding exterior mirrors, cooling and heating for the front seats, a power tilting and telescoping steering column, a Bose 10-speaker stereo system and a forward collision alert and lane departure system.
Other optional items include a navigation system, a rear seat entertainment system and seating for eight, rather than seven people.
Buick takes safety seriously and in addition to anti-lock brakes, traction control and stability control, all Enclaves come equipped with panic break assist, seven airbags and a rear view camera.
Available All-wheel Drive
Spacious, Luxurious Interior
3-row Seating
Quiet Ride
Standard Safety Features
The Buick Enclave received a major revision for 2013 and subtle changes last year. It carries over into 2015 relatively unchanged, though the Convenience trim disappears from all-wheel drive models, while a heated steering wheel is now available. The Enclave starts at $39,050.
The Buick Enclave luxury crossover is packaged well, so that even as a mid-sized vehicle, it will seat up to eight passengers, which puts it up against larger SUVs. The Enclave borrows a lot from many of the luxury cars available from Buick, and it provides healthy competition for models from Lexus, Acura and Lincoln. With a state-of-the-art infotainment system capable of connecting to most modern devices and plenty of soft touch, high-quality interior materials, the Buick Enclave feels every bit the luxury vehicle. However, with available all-wheel-drive and better ground clearance than most minivans, the Enclave is surprisingly practical.
