Overview & Reviews

Buick has been on the upswing the past few years, introducing new models that are much more desirable than its mediocre past products. The Buick Enclave was one of the first vehicles to point Buick in the right direction.

The Enclave shares a platform with GM's latest group of large crossovers and features an upscale interior, a powerful 3.6-liter V6 and plenty of room for both passengers and cargo. If you're looking for a new or used large luxury crossover SUV with a number of family-friendly features -- such as a roomy cabin with easily accessed and adult-friendly third-row seats -- the Enclave is one of the better choices available.

Current Buick Enclave
The Buick Enclave is a full-size crossover SUV powered by a 3.6-liter V6 rated at 288 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic and front-wheel drive are standard. All-wheel drive is optional.

There are three trim levels: Convenience, Leather and Premium, all with standard seven-passenger seating. An available second-row bench seat increases capacity to eight.

The Enclave with Convenience Group comes with 18-inch wheels, xenon headlights, a power liftgate, tri-zone automatic climate control, a rearview camera, Bluetooth connectivity, smartphone app integration and OnStar. The Leather Group adds 19-inch wheels, a blind-spot warning system, rear cross-traffic alert, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power passenger seat and driver memory settings. The Premium trim level features lane-departure and forward collision warning systems, active headlights, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, ventilated front seats and a 10-speaker Bose audio system. Option highlights include 20-inch wheels, a navigation system, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system and a dual-panel sunroof.

In reviews, we've praised the Enclave's spacious and pleasant interior, with its gently curving dash, rich-looking wood-grain inlays and soft, double-stitched leather. Adding interest are a Tiffany-style analog clock and aqua blue instrumentation. Access to the third row is excellent, with second-row seats that tilt and slide out of the way, and there are a useful 23 cubic feet of space behind the upright third-row seat. Folding down both rows yields a class-leading 115 cubic feet of cargo space. If you need more space for people or cargo, you won't find it in another crossover.

The Buick Enclave's V6 provides quick acceleration, along with a mildly sporty exhaust note. The six-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly. On the highway, the Enclave is quiet and smooth-riding, though some buyers may find that the optional 20-inch wheels degrade the ride noticeably. Overall handling is competent and predictable, though not necessarily the equal of its more driver-oriented (or smaller) rivals.

Used Buick Enclave Models
The Buick Enclave debuted for the 2008 model year and overall, any used Enclave will be a solid choice for an upscale, family-friendly crossover SUV.

In its first year, the V6 had a lower output of 275 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque. The following year welcomed the direct-injection 3.6-liter V6 (power increased to 288 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque) as well as other upgrades that included Bluetooth connectivity and a traffic feature for the navigation system. Until 2010, there were just two trim levels – base CX and luxury CXL. Also, for the first two model years the transmission could be lazy to downshift due to its fuel-economy-biased programming. For 2010, the transmission was reprogrammed for quicker response. Additionally, Enclaves from 2008-'12 have slightly different exterior styling than the current model as well as some lower-quality switchgear.

The Enclave's current, more descriptive trim levels of base, Convenience, Leather and Premium arrived for 2012. Two years later saw the addition of the lane departure and forward collision warning systems.

User Reviews:

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  Very nice crossover - 2010 Buick Enclave
  By jl - December 12 - 9:49 pm

  Bought it about a month ago, and so far so good. Took it on a long road trip and it was pretty comfy (18 hour drive). Hwy MPG was around 22, which I think will improve over time. XM radio and OnStar are fantastic. Bluetooth is very convenient. Rear backup camera took getting used to, but love it now. Vehicle is 4800 lbs, has very safe, solid feel. Very quiet inside, beautiful outside.

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  Great All Around Car - 2010 Buick Enclave
  By MWSTAT - December 3 - 6:49 pm

  This is a great car to drive, its very quiet and smooth. It is very stable on ice & snow, much better than my four wheel drive pickup. The Bose sound system is really sharp & crisp. So far we really love this car.

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  GM Enclave Service stinks for us - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By Steve Cone - December 2 - 6:22 am

  Bought an Enclave in 2001. Our mileage very much exceeded warranty mileage. So when the entire amp in the car shorted out, they used mileage as an excuse to deny warranty claim, and dumped the cost to replace a defective amp on us, the consumers. It was a defective amp. They should make the amp vendor suffer the loss. After a Suburban, two Tahoes and this Enclave, its HONDA for me from now on.

• 

  not as advertised - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By schomeboy - November 23 - 1:50 pm

  Bought car in "clunker" trade-in deal. My wife fell in love with this car based on the interior and quiet ride. she was correct on both. however, after 4 months we see a couple of issues. first, gas mileage is 15-20 not 17-24 as advertised! No different than the "clunker" we had. took it back to dealer and of course found nothing wrong. had to put foam strips on underside of garage door because rear door lifts too high and bangs on bottom of garage door. ill designed. no clothes hook on second row seats. to hang clothes you have to use hook by 3rd row seats and it is difficult to get to. nice car overall, but I would look at others before investing this much money.

• 

  Great Looking, But Not Reliable - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By darrenjonesoc - November 23 - 12:59 am

  We love the look of our Enclave and the interior is versatile and attractive and comfortable. However, the car is very unreliable! Our engine had been dropped three times (we only have 28,000 miles) for major repairs. We have been without the car a total of 2 months out of the 24 we have owned it. A number of smaller issues have emerged that are annoying (seat tracks falling apart, exterior apliques falling off in the wind, sensors failing, etc.). I hate to say it, but Consumer Reports is right, GM cars are not reliable. That is a shame, because if the car were well built and reliable, I would love it.

• 

  Acceptable SUV - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By SAM - November 21 - 9:43 pm

  I leased this vehicle to replace a Lexus RX 330. With 2 babies on boards I needed a 3 rows Luxury SUV with decent fuel economy. PROS: Any SUV of that size has a V8. The Enclave has A V6 with decent performance and fuel economy (for the size/weight). It is beautiful inside and out. Very comfortable ride and minimal road noise. CONS: Questionable build quality and reliability. I have already been to the dealer for serious repairs multiple times. I do not trust what the dealer did to repair the car. Thank God it is just a lease. My brother just visit me and immediately notice how the SUV is falling apart. On the other hand, 3 years ago, he though my 4 year old Lexus was almost brand new.

• 

  Best 7 passenger ALL AROUND- Hands Down! - 2010 Buick Enclave
  By Mark - November 18 - 2:01 pm

  Looked at many "family" vehicles for 3 kids etc. etc. Never considered Buick until roadsign caught my attention. Drove to dealership and WOW finally they got it right!! Quality, value and convienience right on target. Configuration of seating and comfort is exceptional. Quality of design, function and comfort is far better than crossovers costing $10-15k more. Interior space behind driver is excellent and surprising. Looking at exterior styling you wouldnt think it would be that functional inside. Great job. Have owned many luxury cars/suvs before costing $70-$80k. This one has them all beat. Way to go team GM.. You sold us and we are picky.

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  Very dissapointed downshift/ time repair - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By 1998 Buick Enclave - November 15 - 12:08 pm

  We bought the car without test driving. Dumb,dumb,dumb. I drive the Enclave primarily in town and I am so disgusted with the constant downshift. I feel like I am on a bumber ride at times. The exterior is beautiful and interior nice but lots of trouble with gadgets that have had to be repaired under warranty. Too many to mention. This is a total pain to drive into Madison, get a rental car and then back again to pick it up. I am finding scary stuff again with the starter not turning over right away and one time almost hitting a car in front of me at 45 Miles per hour because the downshift became stuck and I had to hit my breaks as a quick reaction. It was freaky! The 1998 was mistake!

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  1st Class all the way - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By Yellow Jacket Fan - November 9 - 9:58 am

  I was growing tired of my Ford Explorer, even though it was only 4 years old. It was starting to cost me money in repairs, and it was becoming a rattle trap. I wanted an upscale vehicle that would seat at least 7 passengers comfortably for hauling kids, but that would still seat adults comfortably in all 3 rows, and would still have some cargo room with the 3rd row up. I didnÂ’t want a mini-van, so I thought I would be stuck with a large SUV like a Suburban or an Expedition, but then I found the Enclave. Looks great, drives great, rides great, and has nice appointments inside and out. I have 6000 miles on it, and have not had a single issue with looks or performance.

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  Its Great! - 2010 Buick Enclave
  By Appu - November 8 - 3:18 am

  Have put in 2000 miles - Has been very impressive so far. Lots of customization/memory features. Gets above 19mpg with 75% local and 25% Freeway. Slow pick up - took time to get used to its rate of pickup. Its very smooth and majestic once it picks up speed.