Road Test: 2009 Buick Enclave

Buick Enclave

I was not prepared to be impressed with the Buick Enclave. A pal of mine who experienced some of GM's poor quality a few years back thinks I'm crazy to like this SUV so much.

But here it is, knocking my socks off with an elegant, tight-fitting interior as good - dare I say it - as any Lexus I've tested. The controls, instruments, buttons and overall layout genuinely took me by surprise the second I climbed inside my $43,785, as-tested 2009 model.

Panel gaps were tight. Visibility was good and the cloth seats were very comfy. The wood and leather steering wheel felt wonderful to hold. There was not one squeak or rattle the whole week I drove it. And quiet? Close your eyes and you'd swear you were being chauffeured in a Mercedes S-Class, much of that silence thanks to GM's QuietTuning that reduces noise at source (such as tires) and employs sound-deadening material, from special carpet to laminated glass.

It's not much of a stretch to say the Enclave is proof General Motors deserved to be bailed out with billions of taxpayer dollars, that GM can build really good cars and trucks when it tries hard enough.

Sure, there were a couple of things that disappointed, such as the tiny, hard-to-see backup camera image in the rear-view mirror, and a six-speed transmission that balked at being driven aggressively - almost as if it preferred to be driven like I was collecting a pension.

At that pace, or any other day-to-day driving style in adult fashion, however, the Enclave was difficult to fault. No question, there is a feeling of bulk and mass that revealed my two-wheel-drive vehicle's 2,168 kilograms; but the power-assisted steering felt ultra-light and it was able to point the vehicle with ease. Parking was by no means a breeze, but manoevring through city traffic was never a burden.

The pull from the 3.6-litre, 288-horsepower V6 was satisfactory under most conditions, though a boost in torque from the factory-rated 270 pound-feet would not go unappreciated, especially when passing on the highway - though this Enclave can tow 2,045 kilograms.

Braking was solid, firm and properly weighted, with slightly more than average dive under hard stops. Fuel consumption, in part due to the engine's

direct injection, averaged an impressive eight to nine litres per 100 kilometres on the highway and 13.1 under my impatient foot in the city. The official rating is 10.8 combined. Not bad for such a big beast.

Equally impressive is the cargo room when all the seats are folded, creating a cave inside similar to a minivan, able to accept eight-foot-long lumber. There's an easily accessible third row of seats, too - as standard equipment - so families with three children can allow each child to invite a friend to the cottage. With all the seats up, luggage space falls to a meagre 232 cubic feet behind the last row, but that's still as good, or better, than most of the Enclave's competitors, which include the Acura MDX, Audi Q7, Volvo XC90 and Lexus RX 350, to name a few.

All of these vehicles boast a distinctive design - the Q7 and MDX wearing, perhaps, the sexiest lingerie of the bunch. But the Enclave is elegant, quietly good-looking, with graceful lines that reveal a focused attention to design, all of which help make the Enclave look smaller than it really is.

The front is especially appealing, despite the faux engine vents in the hood, and the standard 18-inch wheels look OK, though the 19-inch, seven-spoke chrome rims seem better suited for such a large vehicle. For the truly chic, 20-inch wheels are available as a dealer option.

Standard features on the Enclave include fog lamps, power liftgate, tri-zone climate control, OnStar, Bluetooth and XM satellite radio (free for three months only). The standard five-year, 160,000-km powertrain warranty is a bonus.

All of this makes the Enclave more than a contender in the luxury SUV marketplace. I have to admit the Enclave was one of the more satisfying SUVs I've driven. It's great-looking, great to drive and good value, too, attributes I never expected to laud upon a Buick.