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:

• 

  So far I love it - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By jgeiss - December 18 - 12:30 am

  Just purchased 2 weeks ago and really like this vehicle. Gave up fully loaded 2004 Tahoe and thought I was going to miss it. Not yet. Drives like a luxury car and has so much room.

• 

  Quiet Ride - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By libby - December 17 - 11:13 pm

  Having three young boys to drive around to activities, I racked up over 130,000 miles on a Ford Expedition. My husband and I decided it was time to buy a new car. We needed a large enough car to to hold the five of us. And this time I wanted a car with a quiet ride, better gas mileage, sunroof, plus all the bells and whistles. After test driving numerous cars, I fell in love with the Enclaves quiet and smooth ride. My kids love the sunroof, and comfortable bucket seats. GM got it right, right, right! OnStar is fun to use, the headlights, back-up camera,and 19 inch wheels are a bonus too. I test drove many crossover vehicles, and I cant rave enough about this car.

• 

  Bad Timing - 2011 Buick Enclave
  By Rich Hand - December 13 - 1:25 pm

  Why would all 3 timing chains need replacing at only 36000 miles?

• 

  The jurys still deliberating - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By DAz - December 12 - 2:04 pm

  We moved out of the domestic market in the 1990s for better quality, e.g. Nissan, Lexus. We wanted an AWD SUV and deduced that the quality imports had gotten out of our reach. We were really taken by the Enclave when we tested one out, so we ordered one. To our disappointment we have found that the wheels & hubs build up with snow, ice or mud which sets up an uncomfortable vibration Which can only be alleviated by washing the wheels thoroughly with a pressure washer. The Dealer tells us that this is a common issue in all the newer vehicles due to the open hub. I am suspicious that this is a run around. I also drive a 2008 Explorer at work that exhibits no such problem.

• 

  Ms. Enclave - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By NESSA709 - December 9 - 8:45 pm

  This is a very nice and comfortable riding SUV. GM has always had the best riding cars without all the road noise. Fit and finish is very nice for an American car maker.

• 

  The Buick Enclave is Fantastic! - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By Enclave Fan - December 8 - 8:56 pm

  Bought my 09 Buick Enclave a few months ago and I am very pleased. The styling is gorgeous, the build quality is tight and sharp, and the ride is very comfortable even for a big guy like me. I tried the Acura MDX which is so overrated, the Lexus 330 is another wildly overrated SUV, the Audi, BMW, and Mercedes comparable SUVs cost 25-30K more and arent any better. The Buick Enclave has great interior space, just hauled a Christmas tree and wreath to the house with room to spare, and the mileage has been averaging 17mpg with AWD! The engine is strongly reactive and the steering is tight and responsive. The interior noise is practically zero! Ive owned a lot of vehicles and this Buick rocks!

• 

  Oh Boy - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By Mike` - December 4 - 6:19 pm

  The ride was incredible the comfort was out of this world. Then the engine light came on. Engineer flies in from GM, to find what he feels is a clearance problem with the head. We had the car for almost two weeks and has been at the shop for almost two and half weeks. He is not even sure a new head will fix the problem. I hope GM stands behind their product. 1,500 miles on vehicle

• 

  This Aint Your Grand Pas Buick - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By j graham - November 25 - 10:40 pm

  I was a little unsure going from a Lexus RX 300, but now I can tell you I have surely traded up! It felt a little big at first, but I have come to love the looks, driveablity and functionality. It has plenty of power. I got very concerned during the high gas prices recently, but my mileage has actually improved. I have put on 10000 miles in 5 months. I get about 19 in my combo city/interstate work commute driving and about 27, yes 27 on the open highway. Also recently during the hurricane damage and recovery it has come in very handy making trips to Lowes and Home Depot. We got it fully loaded with AWD. We love all the features - lots of luxury and a sport drive.

• 

  Way to go GM! A great luxurious ride. - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By Dan - November 20 - 3:16 pm

  Wanting to replace my Escalade, I looked at Mercedes, Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, & Mazdas. I then found the GM Lamda platform of which Traverse caught my eye first. I then drove the Outlook and Acadia but after I drove the Enclave I knew! It had such an incredibly smooth, quiet ride with technology only found in more expensive vechiles. After I get over the shock that I am driving a Buick (it looks so damn good for a Buick!), all else has been a fantastic experience for me. This platform should help Americians look at buying a great product from their own country again.

• 

  Enclave is great - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By Jim - November 20 - 9:42 am

  This is a great riding vehicle with good space. I love the amenities and that it uses regular gas. The transmission stinks. Its always searching and you have to tromp it just to keep up with rural traffic but on the highway its fine. Gas mileage has been 14mpg commuting and 22mpg on the highway. It is a very quiet riding vehicle though.