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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  Do Not Buy a Buick - 2011 Buick Enclave
  By Leaks - December 16 - 12:56 pm

  2011 Buick Enclave with 113,000 miles: A/C has never worked properly, the car body leaks water into the interior when it rains, the suspension is noisy, the car has been in the shop multiple times with less than crappy support from the local dealer but I see where that customer care support comes from when I called the Buick hot line and was a given a number to document our call with no resolution to the problem.

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  Beautiful / Horrible - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By Herb Walstreet - December 1 - 9:58 am

  This car is cursed. We had a Yukon XL for 10 years and never had any issues. We have 80k miles or so on this vehicle and have spent around $10k in various maintenance and repairs. Weve had to replace the transmission 11 months ago and its currently in the shop because of a stutter it has in cruise on the highway (ignition coils?). We know our power steering is going out but its not bad enough that Buick will replace it under the extended warranty. Our heated seats only stay on for about 5 mins then go off. The instrumentation buttons (AC temp control) have worn incredibly fast (replaced them once already), have had a "stuck strut", replaced rotors, replaced the battery and some decorative adhesive molding on the window frames is bubbling up and shredding (looks horrible when you look at the drivers side of the car). All of this and our gas mileage is terrible also (13 in the city and 18 highway). I want to like this car - its really good looking but weve got to get rid of it and well avoid Buick. My recommendation, steer clear!

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  Whyyyyyyyyy? - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By judi - November 14 - 12:00 pm

  Why does everything go wrong with this horrible car? It is never without a problem and is costing me every month for a repair. Has anyone had buick respond?

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  WORST CAR IVE EVER OWNED - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By Lindsey - September 16 - 8:25 am

  I bought my car in Feb. 2014 with 28k miles on it... A month later the steering wheel started making a whining noise. I took it to the dealership and they said "that is common with those SUVs" and this was when the recall on the power steering came out. So I said ok, what if Im driving down the road and my power steering goes out? They said "then we will fix it." Thats safe! Fix the problem AFTER something bad happens... And shortly after this I had to replace the water pump (@ $385- which was the 2nd time it had been replaced and my car still had less than 40k miles!) Then, on my way to work one day a few months later my car made a terrible noise so I pulled over... The timing chains broke (thats great for the transmission)... So I had those replaced under special policy. A few months after that... my car was running TERRIBLY. The transmission was slipping. I took it to another dealership and they fixed the 3-5-R plate under special policy but then I needed my A/C fixed as well as a coil and spark plug replaced. I ended up paying over $475 this time. A month or so later... 2 more coils and spark plugs needed replaced as well as the front engine mount. I was quoted over $1100 and my car has 62k miles on it currently!! I got the car back after the repairs and the 2nd time I drove it it is saying "LOW OIL PRESSURE. STOP ENGINE!" So I give up. I am trading it. I dont feel comfortable selling it to someone individually! I am SICK that I have to trade because I was planning on driving this for a very long time! I have 2 children and they LOVE the DVD player. I love the back up camera and we couldnt ask for anything prettier or better on the inside! When you have a car that youre going to lose over $10k on it really makes you disgusted with the company! I have contacted GM and they say "I will note your issues" .... Its like oh thanks. Im glad youre taking the time to do that.. how about reimbursing me for all the money Ive spent in repairs, tows, missed time from work because my car wouldnt start, etc. etc.??? I will NEVER buy another GM car! Worst company ever.

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  Awful Car with no value - 2014 Buick Enclave
  By Robert Webb - March 14 - 8:27 pm

  We purchased an Enclave two years ago. We already are having to replace the transmission, air conditioning, and sensors! This car has awful value and a mediocre entertainment system with laggy and sluggish controls. The ride quality is pretty poor with shaky and bumpy cabin.

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  Worst car Ive ever bought - 2011 Buick Enclave
  By F Sangen - January 5 - 12:35 am

  Ive always bought american cars, that being said, This is the worst car Ive ever owned. Its nice looking and has all the features Ive wanted. The MPG is terrible. The worst thing about this car is its an absolute lemon. The first few months I had it the airbag lights went on. It was in the shop multiple times and they finally had to rewire the airbag system. At 12000 miles the engine light came on and car shut down 4 hours away from home after waiting 5 hours for roadside assistance they towed me an hour away. I got a loaner car and had to leave it up there. It ended up being a bent valve and the head had to be machined. I got it back 3 weeks later after having to drive back up 4 hours to get it. I have a problem with the gas guage that I still have it was back multiple times(they replaced gas tank) and it still does it. It shows 1/4 tank when its empty. Ive had multiple front end components replaced. It runs rough(like a miss) and tach jumps been back multiple times they tell me all the tachs do that. Now charging system is not working replaced battery must be alternator. The car has 52000 miles I bought it in today (thursday )to make appointment. They cant look at it till Wednesday at the soonest, So I dont have a car again. The car is paid off in another 5 months!! So now I dont have a car again. Maybe I should just leave it at dealer. I am a mechanic for railroad and know what Im talking about and dealership is trying to BS me about problems. STAY AWAY