Indeed, the Enclave is part of a trifecta of hot Buicks, the others being the redesigned LaCrosse sedan and the 2011 Regal sport sedan. Competitors include the Acura MDX, Lexus RX 350 and Volvo XC 90.
Seating up to eight people, with cargo capacity and car-like handling, the Enclave shares a unibody platform with GM’s other popular crossovers, the GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse.
The Enclave spices up the environment wherever it’s parked. Its understated, yet sporty silhouette sparkles with chrome accents, flashy “portholes” on the hood and bejeweled headlights.
There are two trims available — CX and CXL — and each comes with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The base CX with 2WD has a starting price point of $35,515 and the CXL starts at $38,630. All-wheel drive in each trim adds another two grand.
There’s a great deal to disclose about the Enclave’s interior but I’ll hit just the highlights:
• Three rows of seating, with bucket seats up front, a pair of captain’s chairs in the second row and a split/folding bench seat for three in the third row. The captain’s chairs can have an optional center console ($300) between them, or they can be swapped out for a three-person bench seat that splits and folds, adding cargo-carrying versatility. All second-row seats feature GM’s Smart Slide, which allows easy entry to the third row with the pull of one handle.
• The Enclave offers more than two dozen storage areas. One is even designed to hold a small purse.
• An optional power sunroof over the front seats combined with a skylight over the second-row seats ($1,400) brings lots of air and light in.
• Buick’s QuietTuning process means a laminated windshield and door glass, triple door seals, flat-blade windshield wipers and strategically placed sound-deadening material minimize noise.
A single engine powers the Enclave: a 3.6-liter V-6 that produces 288 horsepower at 6300 RPM and 270 lbs.-ft. at 3400 RPM. Tied to a 6-speed automatic transmission to produce a smooth, compatible package, the engine is quiet at cruising speeds. EPA mileage ratings are 17 mpg/city and 24 mpg/highway. Regular unleaded gasoline is used.
The Enclave’s 119-inch wheelbase is one of the longest of any midsize SUV or crossover. Its wide track, variable-effort power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering and independent front and rear suspensions mean it rides and handles well. Nineteen-inch wheels/tires are standard with the CX, while seven-spoke 19-inch chrome ones are standard in the CXL. The new-for-2010 20-inch chrome wheels are a $300 option for the CXL.
Safety features standard on all Enclaves include OnStar assistance system; StabiliTrak electronic stability control system with rollover mitigation technology; traction control; front, side and head-protecting curtain airbags for all three seating rows; and a tire pressure monitoring system.
Automatic climate controls including rear controls, heated power mirrors with turn signals, AM/FM/CD/MP3 player, XM satellite radio, power liftgate and bi-xenon headlights are in every Enclave. The fancier CXL models come with leather upholstery, heated front seats, a memory system and parking sensors.
My front-wheel-drive CXL came with a base price of almost $42,000, and its options brought it close to $50,000. A $3,185 audio options package included a touch-screen navigation system, DVD rear entertainment system and satellite navigation and traffic service.
My tester came painted in optional White Diamond Tricoat for $795. The sunroof and skylight, and a trailering package that cost $455 and allows Enclaves to tow up to 4,500 pounds, completed the vehicle.
My favorite feature of all? The steering-linked adaptive headlights, throwing light ahead of you into turns and corners. Quite a safety innovation and, in my mind, worth having — as with the Enclave in general.
Amy Rollins is Wheels editor at the Dayton Daily News and may be reached at (937) 225-6901 or arollins@coxohiomedia.com. Read Wheels online at DaytonDailyNews.com/Wheels.
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