2024 Buick Enclave Review, Pricing, and Specs

The Enclave lineup of three trims casts a wide net from family transportation to near-premium luxury. Unfortunately, the top-of-the-line Avenir, even with its base price of nearly $60k, is outshone by competitors, including its kissing cousin, the Cadillac XT6. For that reason, we will use the Essence base model value. It brings a surprising number of standard amenities, including Wi-Fi, wireless charging, leather seats and a heated steering wheel, and six USB ports. We’d recommend splurging on the Sport Touring package, which replaces the 18-inch tires with fancier 20-inchers and adds body-colored door handles for a more streamlined look. There’s also a trailer package (obstacle, heavy-duty engine cooling, tow/haul driving mode and a special obstacle view for the backup camera) that increases the maximum towing rating to 5000 pounds. Adding all-wheel drive is a $2000 upgrade, regardless of trim.

Engine, Transmission and Performance

All Enclaves rely on a 3.6-liter V-6 engine and nine-speed automatic transmission for motivation. Rated at 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, it’s not sophisticated by any means but carries enough thrust to merge without worry, and its reserved nature keeps the cabin quiet in more typical conditions. Pushing on our test track, the V-6 in our Avenir test vehicle managed to complete the sprint to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. The suspension is well tuned, but the Enclave knows its audience and prioritizes comfort and a luxurious ride over sharp reflexes. Still, the steering is crisp, which helps the three-row SUV hide its mass; mind you it’s not in the same league as the Audi Q7 or BMW X5 in terms of dynamics. Then again, the softer tune ensures that rough pavement is delivered with minimal jolts or shudders entering the cabin. The Buick can tow up to 5000 pounds when properly equipped.

Real World Fuel Economy and MPG

The EPA pegs the Enclave’s fuel economy at 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway (17 and 25 with all-wheel drive). In the middle of the pack in the segment, our all-wheel-drive Enclave Avenir nailed a 25-mpg highway number on the nose in our 75-mph highway fuel economy test, part of our extensive testing regimen. Unfortunately, Buick does not have a hybrid powertrain option for the Enclave. For more information on the Enclave’s fuel economy, visit the EPA website.

Interior, Comfort and Cargo

Ace Enclave in the hole is a spacious, comfortable and functional interior. While it comes with plenty of comfort and convenience features and is beautifully crafted, the quality of materials and attention to detail keep the Enclave from fully competing with its luxury brand rivals. The wood trim looks and feels cool, the sun visor for the optional panoramic roof isn’t power-operated, and only the passenger-side second-row seats slide forward to let third-row passengers in and out—an obvious cost-saving move. affect the facility. However, if cargo space is a priority, the Enclave is one of the best options in this segment. In our tests, we installed a total of 38 carrycots with the third- and second-row seats folded down; we store an impressive five pieces of luggage behind the power-operated third-row seats.

Infotainment and Connectivity

The Enclave comes with an 8.0-inch IntelliLink touchscreen infotainment system as standard equipment. User friendly and presented in a beautiful layout with clear graphics and many features. Navigation is standard on Premium and Avenir and available on the base Essence trim. Wireless charging, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are all standard and users can connect their devices to the Internet via the available onboard Wi-Fi hotspot.

Each of the three rows comes with a pair of USB ports for a total of six wired charging connections.

Safety Features and Driver Assistance

Even the base Essence trim receives various standards driver assistance technology as part of Buick’s Driver Confidence Plus system. It includes automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, front pedestrian braking, front and rear parking assist, and more. Buyers who want to upgrade to features like adaptive cruise control will need to step up to a higher trim or purchase an option package. For more information on Enclave crash test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) website. Key safety features include:

• Standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Standard lane keeping assistance with lane departure warning
• Adaptive cruise control is available

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Buick offers the most powertrain-warranty coverage among its main competitors and also sweetens the deal with free maintenance visits within the first year of ownership. The XC90’s powertrain warranty isn’t as long as Buick’s, but Volvo offers longer free maintenance and more years of corrosion protection.

• The limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers six years or 70,000 miles
• Free maintenance is covered for the first visit

More Features and Specifications