2023 Buick Enclave: The Enclave, Buick’s most considerable SUV, has provided its target market with amenities, technology, comfort, and room in a stylish American package for fifteen years. The Enclave’s objective to carry up to seven people in upscale luxury with a dash of elegance has not changed despite being completely redesigned for 2018 with a fresh facelift and an improved platform.
The second-generation Enclave will carry over its midcycle makeover from this year through 2023. Buick also made minor adjustments to several interior and external features, added a new exterior color choice, and added a “Sport Touring” look package for the Essence grade. The series uses a 3.6-liter V6 engine with a nine-speed automated gearbox producing 310 horsepower. All-wheel drive (AWD) is an additional $2,000 option, whereas front-wheel drive is the default.
The three-row SUV market offers buyers the broadest range of possibilities for cross-shopping. The Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, Acura MDX, and even the Cadillac CT6 and GMC Acadia (the latter two having the same GM platform as the Enclave) are all competitors of the Buick Enclave based only on price. The top levels of the updated 2023 Toyota Highlander, Chevrolet Traverse, and Volkswagen Atlas also compete with the basic Enclave Essence model. It’s congested in this area.
The Essence front-wheel-drive variant, which replaces the $44,590 entry-level model from the previous year, is the first in the Enclave series and costs $46,195. A very basic second-generation Enclave with cloth seats cost $40,200 in 2018, but now leather comes standard, along with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. Additionally, there is an eight-inch infotainment system with GM’s user-friendly, intuitive software, standard connection features, OnStar, and the Driver Confidence Plus suite of passive and active safety features.
A 10-speaker Bose audio system, power-actuated and adjustable interior items, and additional color choices are included in the mid-tier Premium model, raising the price to $53,430. It also adds more features like a more comprehensive and detailed gauge cluster info display, sat-nav, and more infotainment system features. With the addition of the $1,545 “Avenir Technology Package,” which adds adaptive suspension and improved lighting, the top-spec Avenir, which our tester arrived in, meets all the criteria and costs $58,865.
The Enclave doesn’t try to stand out as a pioneer in this competitive and congested sector, but it seems to have settled into a cozy middle ground. Although it can’t compete with the roughly 190,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees and more than 160,000 Ford Explorers produced in the same year, the 33,336 vehicles it expects to sell in 2021 (according to Motor Intelligence) will serve its target market well. It will be precisely what you anticipate if a peaceful, cozy minivan-like SUV is what you’re expecting or if you’re a Buick or GM fanatic. If not, there are many alternatives available that could suit your preferences better.
Performance: Buick Enclave
Practical crossovers designed to transport families don’t often prioritize performance above speed as long as they can avoid it. But we couldn’t help but note how nicely GM’s classic 3.6-liter “LFY” V6 with 310 horsepower, naturally aspirated, drives this two-ton-plus leviathan right away. With the flawless nine-speed GM automatic, it is the only engine that is needed and the only engine that is available. Although it isn’t sluggish, the sub-seven-second 0-60 pace won’t snare you in the seat. The adaptability, silky operation, and willingness to rev when pushed will appeal to anybody who can appreciate a well-tuned powerplant.
Though its clever adaptive suspension (only available with the Avenir Technology Package) won’t let you carve corners, it effectively controls body movements and dampening. The Enclave manages and even conceals part of its weight thanks to precise, light steering and more than adequate brakes, so we barely ever need Sport Mode. Before you even approach the vehicle’s handling limit, coming into a corner too quickly may cause you to scrape door handles and aggravate your passengers, warning you to slow down.
There are also some odd driving characteristics. For instance, the steering wheel-mounted gearbox paddle shifters are inoperable without selecting the “L” mode on the console selector. Others enable instant gear switching back to full auto when the paddles are unused. Like its platform-mates, the Enclave accelerates more smoothly in all-wheel drive mode.
The Acura MDX, Ford Explorer ST, or Dodge Durango will be better options if performance is a requirement. Even though it doesn’t always like being pushed, the Enclave can hold its own.
Fuel efficiency: Buick Enclave
The all-wheel drive Enclave is expected to get 17 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and 20 mpg in the combined cycle, while front-wheel models improve all three metrics by one mpg. Unfortunately, our tester’s onboard trip computer fluctuated between 18 and 20 mpg, somewhat below average for the category, in our daily effort to keep up with the hectic traffic in the larger New York City tri-state region. However, it comes with the territory of being the biggest in its category.
A loaded Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Kia Sorento Hybrid, or top-spec Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (albeit smaller) would likely catch your eye more without forgoing any of the comforts if fuel efficiency is your main priority. Even their gas equivalents have somewhat better overall fuel efficiency ratings.
Safety and driver support technology:
Like other automakers, Buick standardized nine tech safety features called “Buick Driver Confidence” on all Enclave models. These features include automatic high beams, blind-spot warning, rear-park assist, forward collision warning, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, and lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist. Sadly, all models save the Avenir need a $1,995 add-on for adaptive cruise control.
The Enclave received a five-star certification overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and four ratings for side impacts in 2020 because of its extensive array of safety features and sturdy construction. It still has that rating today, despite the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) issuing a comparable rating, with top “good” scores in all tests save from the side-impact test, where it did “acceptably.”
Every function operated well in the congested, aggressive New York and New Jersey metropolitan traffic. However, we did encounter a few erroneous collision and pedestrian alerts. However, they were uncommon in some situations, such as with double- or shoulder-parked cars or turning at intersections while looking for people on the walkways.
Comfort and Space
Buick made its name by providing comfort, and the Enclave hardly marrs that reputation. The inside is as peaceful, quiet, and undisturbed as one would anticipate from a vehicle that uses the term “luxury” in its advertising. With fantastic seats all around (the front buckets receive standard massagers beginning with the midrange Premium), noise, vibration, and harshness are almost nonexistent.
Interior size is almost class-leading, with room for seven passengers (second-row captain chairs are optional) and 157.3 cubic feet of total passenger capacity. For the first, second, and third rows, the measured legroom is 41.2 inches, 38.3 inches, and 33.5 inches, respectively. The second-row occupants benefit from the 41.4, 42.4, and 31.4-inch third-row space offered by the Kia Telluride. The Acura MDX measures 41.6, 38.5, and 29 inches; obviously, it’s a game of tenths, and each manufacturer makes a different piece of the legroom pie.
Few complaints focused on the enormous eight-lug wheel hub assemblies, which slam violently against the pavement over potholes to reveal their unsprung weight. But such robust components probably allow the Enclave’s 5,000-pound towing capability. A few convenience amenities, including a one-touch power window for the driver alone (other reasonably priced options have them for all windows), were also absent, which left us perplexed. Again, it’s hardly a deal-breaker, but these little flaws may mount up, particularly considering our tester’s $60,000 list price.
Infotainment: Buick Enclave
If you are comfortable with GM infotainment systems, you’ll feel at home in the Enclave. The device’s physical design is flawless; it has a high-resolution screen and all the connection features, including Amazon Alexa integration, and is easily readable and responsive. But you’re not alone if you think it’s becoming a little stale. Within the last ten years, neither the graphical user interface nor the program seems to have evolved much.
Keeping the graphical user interface the same means familiarity will ring bells with folks acclimated to the system already, so there’s no need to modify it, depending on how you look. Additionally, the GM architecture has always been relatively simple to use. On the other hand, it could be nitpicking to say that some people might find it old-fashioned. Even so, it completes the task.
Storage & Cargo Space:
The Enclave has the most significant room behind its third row, measuring 23.6 cubic feet with all three rows up and 57.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, which complements the class-leading interior volume. When all the seats are folded down, that volume may increase to 97.6 cu ft, yet another record-breaking amount. Comparatively, most competitors only have 21 cubic feet or less behind the third row. For instance, the Acura MDX is just 18.1 cubes behind the third row, whereas the Telluride has 21.7 cubes. However, the luggage capacity in this sector is simply a game of give and take, much like the legroom figures.
For loose and smaller objects, there are also several pockets and compartments. So, the Enclave may fit that demand if you especially require one of the roomiest three-row family crossovers without going for a full-size SUV or a minivan.
Design: Buick Enclave
Although there are many competitors in the three-row crossover SUV market, we believe the Buick Enclave is one of the most attractive and recognizable vehicles in its class, both inside and out. It has solid European influences yet is unmistakably American, exuding an air of sophistication and flair without crossing the line into being over-styled.
For those who recall the Malaise Era, GM may be creating some of its most excellent interiors, but there are still indications of a “that’ll do” attitude toward material selection. Soft-touch fabrics have a fair degree of flexibility, while plastics have a solid feel.
However, for instance, the imitation wood and panel assembly make some quite regrettably cheap cracking sounds when you lay your arm on the door panel. However, these are not deal-breakers since the Enclave’s boundaries are enough. Some competitors perform significantly better in certain areas, particularly on the more expensive spectrum.
Is the 2023 Buick Enclave worth it?
The Buick Enclave is indeed worthwhile. Depending on your grade level, it’s a fantastic all-around option in the mid-size three-row family crossover SUV sector.
The highest Avenir grade of our tester, with all-wheel drive and the included tech package, will cost you close to $64,000. You’ll surpass the mid-level Cadillac XT6 Premium’s $58,785 asking price (with a $1,395 destination fee) and begin to approach European models like the Audi Q7 and the BMW X5 in price.
The Mazda CX-9, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, and the Acura MDX (a sector favorite among consumers and reviewers alike) are some of the very intriguing and famous value-driven alternatives to the $46,195 essential Enclave.
The mid-range Enclave Premium ($53,295; includes $1395 destination), which adds the essential features, is the trim we believe to be the finest. It has a proper 3D surround camera view, giant gauge cluster and infotainment screens, power-adjustable seats, and a top-notch Bose audio system. It does not, however, stray too far from equilibrium in terms of value and price to cause excessive buyer regret.
How much does it cost to insure a Buick Enclave?
Regarding insurance expenses, the Buick Enclave is approximately average compared to its rivals. The average yearly premium for the top-tier Avenir for a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record is $2,150 to $2238; however, this figure covers all 50 states. In contrast, the Acura MDX costs $2,073 to $2,279, while the Lincoln Navigator costs $2,454 to $3,100. The Ford Explorer costs approximately $2000, and the Kia Telluride $1,964 on the low end.
Verdict
The Buick Enclave is a strong competitor for mid-size, three-row crossover SUVs that are almost luxurious. It has all the amenities you’d anticipate in this category, including helpful technology, features, comfort, size, and even great driving qualities. The Enclave is a sure thing, but is in a crowded fighting arena. The Enclave is surrounded by fierce rivalry from below and above because it sits between the status quo and luxury housing. The flagship Avenir, essentially a high-zoot Enclave, but Buick won’t be disappointed if you believe it’s a stand-alone vehicle, further muddies the waters. Both won’t disappoint you, but neither is a performance or luxury leader.
