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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  What a ride! - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By Deb - August 12 - 9:28 am

  I love my Enclave! Already made one trip from Ontario to Florida with two golden retrievers and a roof rack full of stuff! No problems. Took 6 people out and about down there on day trips, all comfortable. I too can only find the tailgate button on the keyfob while inside, is there a button? Other than on the tailgate? Which also had to be fixed...it would power up then drop closed! Easy fix. Have 23,000 ks on it as we speak and I can go 740 ks on one tank. Did I mention I love my Enclave?

• 

  Favorite Car Ever! - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By Donna - August 7 - 2:22 pm

  I love my Buick Enclave. It looks great. People have said it reminds them of the much more expensive Audi. It is super comfortable inside. Its a wide car, so sometimes parking and tight turns can be challenging. I had a GMC Envoy before this, and I would estimate the mileage on the Enclave to be about 30% better. I do a lot of city driving, so I cant say what I am averaging per gallon, but it is pretty good for a SUV of this size. Only problem I ever have is sometimes overshifting into low instead of drive, but maybe thats just me. These are great cars, and Im seeing more and more of them on the street.

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  Buick has a winner with the Enclave - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By David Mellard - August 1 - 7:06 pm

  You will not be disappointed with this CUV. We love it! Buick has hit a home run with the Enclave. We traded in a 01 Expedition with the same 1st and 2nd row captain chairs as the Enclave. Im 46 and I never thought Id own a Buick but I dont regret it at all. For the money, the seating configuration, capacity, features, performance, this is an absolute bargan. We were closely looking at the GMC Acadia (which is great as well) but the luxury, quiet ride, looks won us over. We looked at many other brands in this segment but there were very few that could seat 7 with the dual captain chairs. The V6 has plenty of power and transmission seems to shift smoothly for us. Great job Buick! We are very satisfied. GM should use this as an example to improve their bottom line.

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  Best auto we ever owned - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By M Baskette - July 31 - 6:46 pm

  Buick has hit a home run with this vehicle. It is smooth, exceptionally quiet, roomy, comfortable, great for trips, performs well, a pleasure to drive, very stable, no quality flaws, nicely equipped, well thought out interior/exterior design, and finally a great value.

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  Best car ever. - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By stan - July 31 - 5:33 pm

  I have owned many luxury vehicles and I can say that the Enclave is the best ever. I cant wait to drive the car. It rewards you with each venture. It is smooth, quite and soothing. There are many pleasant features that give the occupants the feeling of surround luxury. I love the car!!

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  Best Buick Ever - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By Dick in Colorado - July 22 - 10:51 pm

  I have purchase over 45 new vehicles in my life, this is the best of all. I traded a Toyota Avalon for this Enclave and it is so much nicer I fell bad I ever tried a Toyota. If you are looking for a great vehicle, Enclave is the answer, cannot say one bad thing about it, never had a car/truck to even start comparing with this. Have had several Buicks in past, all good vehicles but this is the first great vehicle! Have 6000 very enjoyable miles on it and look forward to many more. Thanks Buick.

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  Im buying another one - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By anre1969 - July 15 - 1:22 am

  My Enclave saved my life! I was recently in a car accident where another vehicle hit my Enclave and totaled it. However, I was able to walk away from the accident. The Enclave absorbed most of the impact. Everyone at the body shop said this had to be one safe car for me to not have been more seriously injured. As a father of two little toddlers, Im so glad for this vehicle and cant wait to buy another one. Not to mention that it is a beautiful car and a very smooth, comfortable ride.

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  Better than the rest by a wide margin - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By budi - July 9 - 3:13 am

  This vehicle does so many things well. I looked at a lot of vehicles before choosing the Enclave. Other 3 row CUVs do not match up to the Enclaves value, refinement, reliability, usability (storage capacity/passenger room and comfort) Car has good acceleration for a vehicle its size and role as a luxury family hauler. The vehicle cools down quickly. You can access the third row from both sides of the car unlike the MDX and you dont have to be a contortionist. It has plenty of room behind the 3rd row for a stroller and cooler. I could go on and on.

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  The Best Vehicle Ive Ever Owned - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By Sheila - July 7 - 11:28 pm

  I love this vehicle. It drives very smoothly. I bought the navigation system and used it and OnStar for a recent trip to CA. The best road trip Ive ever taken with the turn-by-turn directions. The seats are extremely comfortable and I have it on good authority from my family that you can actually seat 3 people in the third row without being too uncomfortable. The way the second row moves forward makes it easy for people to sit in the third row and gives ample leg room for both the second and third row. I am thrilled with my purchase. The only negative is that Im only averaging 14.3 mpg in town, but do believe I hit the 24 mpg on the highway trip to CA. I love the diagnostic reports.

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  08 CXL AWD Blue-Gold - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By rrtke - June 8 - 3:23 pm

  I didnt think I would ever go back to a GM product. We traded in an 04 Toyota Sienna. The van was very nice but between the hesitation and the run flat tires, it certainly was not perfect as some would lead you to believe. The new Enclave is fantastic. Great room, quiet, and very comfortable.