Buick has struggled for years to build its reputation as something more than the lost middle-brand of the GM lineup, and this car is not going to break them out from it. That doesn't mean it isn't a pretty exceptional ride, both in terms of quality and comfort, but more so in terms of the exceptional brand-backing 100,000 mile warranty that's offered by General Motors. The Buick Enclave sits you higher up that you might expect. The step into the car is easy, even for myself at 5'6" and my passenger at 5'3", but when you're driving around you'll notice that you're sitting high enough to see over most of traffic, but without all the body sway you might expect from a needlessly oversized mini-big-rig. The high ride is nice because of visibility, the safety that comes with visibility, the inability of that jerk behind you to sit on your bumper to irritate you, and the only downside is the odd vortex of air behind you that necessitates the rear window wiper (included standard), and a possible downside in the fuel efficiency sector, which is likely largely offset by the 3.6 liter V6 and standard 6-speed automatic transmission with included shift override built right in to the shifter.
The base model includes a leather package which is attractive, supple and comfortable. The only thing I don't like about leather is the temperature of it, but the Enclave's seats are made of pale colors, which are exceptional for avoiding undue heat on sunny days, and for colder weather, they com with dual, independent heated seats. Unlike my old Lexus (which I still rave about to this day), they are not just dual and independent, but offer the heating in three degrees of heat, and can be selected for just the back, or both the back and buttock region together. So if you're just cold in one area, you've got three degrees of heat, and if you're cold in both sectors of seating, you've got three levels of heat for each, which is that much better still. Really counteracts the chill that comes with the comfort of leather.
The suspension is more cushy than nimble, but it's still plenty safe in aggressive, last-minute cornering. It's a smooth, easy ride, and it's exceptionally comfortable, but it doesn't feel unsafely comfortable like the Ford Expedition, for example, which is so heavy it can barely stop or turn without so much as a minute's notice or divine intervention. The ride is by no means stiff enough to be considered sporty, but it's plenty comfortable enough to be accommodating even on broken terrain. I had the opportunity to run the bad boy across a rough dirt road near one of my editors lives, and it felt Altima-pothole comfortable, even despite my needless speed and knowledge of the upcoming breaks in terrain.
I can't say how it would perform off road, as I lack both the inclination and balls to abuse a borrowed vehicle to test such matters, but the stupid breaks in the road felt like nothing at all, and there was no slip in the traction or handling, and it felt better than I've seen in any vehicle of any calss.
For the love of safety, convenience, or novelty, whatever you like is up to you, the Enclave comes standard with a handful of easy-to=-love features that might surprise you. When you throw it in reverse, your passenger mirror will automatically tilt down to the curb so you can see how your wheels are lining up to the ground to show you where you're going and what you might be about to clip. Better still, the mirrors fold in manually when you park, so if you're on a busy or dangerous street, you can pull them in to protect them. This is more of a passive safety feature, since they won't be broken off while you're away, so you'll have them handy (at tremendous savings for one thing) when you need them in traffic on the way home.
The other passive safety feature is the heated mirrors, which are also selfl-dimming, so that the scant few headlight that could actually stand to blind you at your newfound altitude as a road-farer, can never blind you, since the rearview and driver's side mirror both automatically dim. And forget about frost or dew, because it will burn it off without so much as you asking to pay for that premium feature.
Automobile Blog December Archive
