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2008 Buick Enclave CXL FWD Road Test

I don’t consider myself to be much of a gambler. I couldn’t win at poker or 21

The Buick Enclave is just one of many fine vehicles that GM is turning out these days. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

if my life depended on it, and you won’t catch me at a slot machine or in the bleachers, clenching a ticket at a horse race. It might – just might – have something to do with being cleaned out of $20 on a ten-cent ante while playing Poker in high school. But like everything, there are exceptions to the rule. Every year I like to make a little wager amongst friends to see who will win the North American Car and Truck of the Year. I know, I know, it’s not exactly fair given that I get to sample a huge number of vehicles every year, but as you might’ve garnered, I have a slight aversion to risk.

I really must congratulate General Motors this year for an excellent showing. Product guru Bob Lutz knows that good cars, trucks and SUVs are what will help General Motors rise to the top, and here, for 2008, there’s a lot of really good product that’s heading into dealerships. From Saturn there’s the new Vue and Astra, while the revised Saab 9-3 gets a cutting edge all wheel drive system. The shockingly good CTS, the intriguing Tahoe 2 Mode Hybrid, and the Buick Enclave are doing GM proud too. Out of the three possible winners for car of the year and three for truck of the year, GM held four out of six spots. Even with my knowledge of placing bets, I’d say that the odds were pretty in favor of GM.

Interior is just as stylish and unique as the exterior. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Whittling away who to put your money on required logic. As good as the CTS was, and as much as I was impressed by it when I drove it, I knew that the Malibu was going to win. Based on the same platform that won last year’s car of the year, but wrapped in a new label with a bit of new tuning, it was a shoe-in. For truck of the year (rather, SUV of the year) I put my money on the Buick Enclave. Out of the three utility vehicles present, it’s the roomiest, the most luxurious, the most family friendly… a vehicle that sounds like it’s got all the qualities to be the winner. As vast of an improvement that the Tahoe 2 Mode makes over the regular 2 Mode, I didn’t seem to possess enough difference to wow the judges as a vehicle running for Truck of the Year ought to.

I’m not the first to apply the analogy of hitting multiple birds with one stone, with regards to the clean sweep that the Enclave created when it entered Buick's lineup. It nearly chopped the brand's offerings in half, getting rid of the Terraza minivan, the Rendezvous crossover and the Rainier SUV in one shot. But really, why have three okay vehicles when you can have one

Second row captain's chairs slide, and recline. They're very comfy too. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

very good vehicle that can do everything just as well?

The Lambda architecture that the Enclave is based on was designed from the very beginning to be a crossover, and it’s an ace at what it does because it caters right to what crossover buyers value most. The Enclave isn’t really off-road capable as the Rainier was, particularly in FWD-only form, such as this tester, but so what. I really doubt that very many Rainier buyers took their vehicles off-road, instead, using its capabilities to tow. While the Enclave can’t quite match the 6,000+ pound capability of the Rainier, you’ll still be able to lug 4,500 pounds behind it without difficulty. Compared to the Terraza, the Enclave is just as effective as a people-mover (other than the fact it has no side sliders). It can seat up to eight adults with comfort, and getting in and out is very easy with the flip and slide action of the second row. And in quite literally ten seconds, the second and third row seats can be folded flat with very little by the way of effort (which is more convenient than the Terraza's fixed second row). Last but not least the Enclave bests the Rendezvous in just about every category that matters, from performance to driving experience

Analog clock is just one of the many classy touches in the Enclave. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

and road-holding to comfort and quality.

I also find the Enclave to be a much nicer looking vehicle, arguably the nicest looking Buick in a very long time. After seeing so many blockish SUVs for years, it’s refreshing to find the sort of curves and haunches that the Enclave shows off. It also looks a lot like a premium vehicle, with detailed chrome accents that act like body jewelry against the two-toned color scheme. And not that cars have eyes, but, if they did, the Enclave’s irises would certainly be blue, as it’s the color of the lens that covers the HID bulbs. These extra-bright lights come standard, and can be upgraded to swivel for better night-time visibility.

Because of the breadth of the term “crossover”, it is tempting to debate Buick's proclamation that the Enclave is the finest luxury crossover vehicle ever. I do have to admit, mind you, that the interior of the Enclave is

Xenons are standard; to get them to swivel will cost you, though. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

quite nice. Its layout is unique and different from the chiseled, geometric look of the GMC, and it doesn’t feel as simple or as basic as the Saturn. It’s like living the high life in here – fine leather seats with complex stitching, and wood and metal-like trim galore, all back-lit in a cool lapis blue-green glow. And with three rows of vents and interior lights, everyone’s going to be comfortable. Children in the back will be quiet too, with the DVD player and wireless headphones, allowing you to take advantage of the library-quiet cabin and ultra-smooth ride.

Against its rivals, you won’t find a better family-oriented crossover than the Enclave, and as far as Buick has come with its interiors, there are a few details that could easily elevate it to top of the class. Imagine if for instance Buick offered the Cadillac Cut & Sew French stitching on the dashboard, or used authentic wood trim on the dash. The Enclave already gets real mahogany on the steering wheel, so why not make it available elsewhere on the car too? With that said, the Enclave possesses the nicest interior of the Lambda

There's room for three real live, normal sized human beings back here. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

trio, and it’s one of the better interiors amongst large-format crossovers.

I find the Enclave to be more than powerful enough too, but I can see consumers wanting a little extra oomph. The 275 horsepower that the Enclave’s Cadillac-sourced 3.6-liter V6 makes is admirable, and it’s smooth too, but it isn’t terribly quick. Blunted by its 4,500+ pound curb weight, the engine really works to get the vehicle up to speed, taking a little over nine seconds to scurry to 60. In the near future, expect to see the Enclave gain a few extra ponies, as Chevy just introduced a direct injected version for its version of the Lambda, with output totaling 285 hp. Although it’s growing more and more unlikely by the day, I could definitely see the Enclave with some sort of V8 under the hood, whether it be the Northstar series engines from Cadillac, or the compact, pushrod 5.3-liter from the Allure Super. Although the applications that would work don’t necessarily make much more horsepower, there’s something about the effortlessness of a V8’s torque curve and the low-stress, deep-down burble that would suit the Enclave perfectly.

Smooth, quiet and comfy - a superb highway cruiser. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Gripes? It’s absolutely vital to order the Enclave with some sort of reverse parking assistance, be it the sonar park assist or the reverse camera, as its stylized but tiny rear window makes visibility when backing up limited. If you go for the camera (a good choice), you also get the nav system which also plots out famous landmarks in urban areas, something I found to be rather novel. Additionally, I’m a bit surprised that Buick doesn’t offer heated second row rear seats. The folding and sliding part of the second row is a foreseeable issue, but, since the Enclave was redesigned, Chrysler came along with their redesigned minivans that feature heated seats on both the Stow & Go and the Swivel & Go seating arrangements. It also wouldn’t hurt to have side view mirrors that are a little larger. Gas mileage, while better than a traditional SUV, could be better. GM says that the direct-injected version of the engine in the Traverse gets best-in-class fuel economy, so this complaint could very well be void by the end of the year.

One of the best full-size crossovers out there, and 100-percent, it's the best Buick. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Of the three Lambda crossovers currently on sale, each has a distinctive profile; the GMC is a great all-rounder, the Saturn is by far the best value, and the Buick the most luxurious. But beyond being the most luxurious in terms of content, it feels like a step up because of the styling and the greater attention to detail. With its QuietTuning it’s the smoothest and calmest to drive of the three and is therefore not only my pick of the Lambda litter, but of the Buick range as well. Rivals of the Enclave range from the Acura MDX, to Lexus’ RX, and Volvo’s XC90. The Enclave may be less performance-oriented to drive, but it more than makes up for this in its versatility and price.

So at the end of the day, I could’ve been (I think I should’ve been) twenty bucks up, but instead I broke even. The Enclave ended up being beaten by the Mazda CX-9, which while a more dynamic driving experience, can’t match the daily usability of the Buick. On the other hand, if you’re in the market for a crossover vehicle, go with the Enclave, as there’s no question that you’ll be up.

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