Buick Enclave: Serious ride with plenty of comfort

Posted Thursday, January 17, 2008

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The Buick Enclave is a premier luxury “crossover” with a unique European styling that shares no body panels with any other GM product. If you’re looking for a vehicle to convey you from point A to point B in sumptuous comfort and ultimate safety — while keeping you entertained along the way — the Enclave is well worth the pricetag.

As an enthusiast of smaller performance cars, I was unprepared for the rich surroundings. After using the assist step to climb into the driver’s seat, I took a deep breath of new car fragrance and eased the “white diamond” colored crossover onto M-24.

On the snow-covered roads of a sparkling morning, the Enclave’s front wheel drive (all-wheel-drive is available as an option) and StabiliTrak suspension were greatly appreciated.

There is a sense of solidity, the ride hushed and smooth. And, when you’re ready to thrash it up an on-ramp, the Enclave will also deliver the cornering and acceleration its silhouette implies.

But I wanted to see how she’d handle — steering and stopping — in the potentially slick conditions. The ABS functioned without a sound or noticeable vibration when I hit the brakes in an unplowed parking lot.

The 19-inch chrome wheels, wrapped in Michelins, make for plenty of surface contact and quiet tracking. The remote starter (present as an option), heated seats, and heated washer fluid were put to immediate use.

Inside, every available innovation has been applied to driver and passenger comfort and safety. Beginning with leather seats that remember your favorite lumbar angles and ending with a movie on DVD for the back rows, Enclave won’t leave you counting silos or red pickup trucks.

XM radio is standard and includes three months prepaid; the six-disc CD player booms out of Bose speakers. If the kids don’t share your taste in music or are finally tired of Cars, there is a 110 AC or 12 volt DC outlet in the rear for video games and laptops.

Dual sun roofs enhance a sense of spaciousness for those who prefer to sit back and enjoy the scenery. The entire audience will find a convenient place for their beverages — there are 12 cup holders.

Whoever has to do the driving amid all these activities can take advantage of an 18-function Driver Information monitor on the instrument panel (it’ll tell you if one of those Michelins needs air), and the OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation feature — all within easy reach once you know what you’re looking for.

Again, there is no safer vehicle in the Enclave’s class. It has earned a five-star crash rating. All six seats are protected by curtain-type airbags while frontal crash airbags will deploy for each of the three rows.

My favorite thing about the Enclave, frankly, is that the engine is made in Michigan and the assembly is completed in Lansing. While my derriere was being pleasantly warmed, I also discovered the object warning system, which activates in reverse gear.

I liked the over-the-shoulder visibility through the power hatch in the rear — a broader view than my Vibe GT. The sound system, though turned down in deference to conversation with my host, Jim Saunders at Roberts Buick & Pontiac, was a rich, resonant pleasure.

There are probably more high-tech bells and whistles in the Enclave than I’d personally care to learn, and if I had that kind of money, I’d be looking for a Solstice GXP Turbo. But, I’d be happy to go on a long trip in the Enclave (as a pampered passenger) any time. — Chris Dungey