2008 Buick Enclave

The Whole Story from The Toronto Sun

Enclave stands alone
The Toronto Sun
Sun 06 Jan 2008
Page: A7
Section: Autonet
Byline: BY SHAUN KEENAN
Column: Driveline
AJAC members like myself made a bold statement when voting for this year's Canadian crossover (over $60,000) of the year. So much so that a vehicle with a starting price under that magical mark won our hearts in preliminary voting. Maybe it was something in the food or drink, but after our intensive critical evaluations of the four impressive entries vying for the category win, the 2008 Buick Enclave CXL now stands alone.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Enclave can pull off the underdog win and be named the official CUV of the Year. In fact, we have to wait for the announcement at the Canadian International Auto Show in February to find out if that's its destiny. But, for 10 days over the holidays I got to drive around in this red jewel and experience its affordable luxury firsthand.
Like the vehicle provided for TestFest, the base price for my CXL tester is $51,295. Only after adding a slew of options does it rise above the 60K mark - in this case to $60,045 as tested. Its competitors - the new BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GL and M class - had (as tested) price tags of $84,300, $96,370 and $67,035 respectively.
Motivated by a 3.6-litre DOHC V6 that transmits 275 hp and 251 lb.-ft. of torque to its all-wheel-drive system through a six-speed Hydra-Matic (6T75) automatic transmission with overdrive, the Enclave CXL is well prepared to take on Canadian roads.
At 4,984 lb. (2,260 kg) and with a 119-in. wheelbase, I expected the Enclave to be a bit sluggish and imprecise. But that's simply not the case, as the Buick is a joy to drive, with ample power, light steering, confident suspension, excellent visibility and decent fuel economy (rated 13.5 and 8.9 L/100 km, city/highway).
Enclave comes in two basic trims - CX and CXL - with your choice of FWD or AWD, which adds $3,000 to the base. CX starts at $40,895 and boasts a long list of standard features, including premium cloth seating for seven, power windows, locks and (heated) side mirrors, keyless remote entry, cruise control with steering wheel controls, fog lights, remote trunk release and dual-zone front automatic climate controls. The driver gets eight-way adjustable seats (six-way power) while the passenger seat includes four-way (two-way power) adjustments. You also get a six-speaker AM/FM/ satellite radio with CD and MP3 capabilities and OnStar with the Safe & Sound plan free for one year.
The CXL gives you everything the CX model does, plus leather upholstery on the first two rows (third row is vinyl), heated, fully electric adjustable front seats, a 10-speaker AM/FM/satellite radio with six-disc in-dash CD changer with MP3 capabilities, heated windshield washer fluid system, ultrasonic rear parking assist, retractable rear cargo shade and convenience net, plus a 110-volt AC power outlet. CXL also deletes the 18-in. wheels in favour of larger 19-in. versions. Safety features on both models include StabiliTrak vehicle stability control with rollover protection, four-wheel ABS disc brakes, theft deterrent system and six airbags including first, second and third row side-curtain airbags.
While I wasn't able to fill all seven seats the Enclave affords, holiday errands and Christmas shopping runs saw me put close to 200 klicks on it around town. And on Christmas day, my wife and I, along with my sister and our dog, ventured out on a 550-km road trip to visit family out in the boonies.
I have very few complaints. Of course, the CXL test mule was outfitted with another $8,650 in options (refer to Fact File) that made it all the moreenjoyable.
The most noteworthy of these has to be the AM/FM stereo w/DVD navigation/XM satellite option that adds a touchscreen vehicle interface up front and an overhead LCD monitor with two wireless headphones and remote control so that rear seat passengers can enjoy DVD movies and/or games on consoles connected via the supplied component A/V jacks.
That 110-volt outlet is also found here and eliminates the need to buy a separate power inverter to plug in your electronics. While this is obviously great for families with young kids with short attention spans, my adult sister was completely at ease watching Jack Black in Nacho Libre while we listened to XM radio the entire time. Beside her, our dog was chilling on the other seat, which I had folded down flat along with the third row, where there was also more than enough room for our gear and gifts.
Buick has engineered the Enclave to be amongst the quietest crossovers in the market and it really shows. Road, wind and engine noise are practically non-existent thanks to their 360-degree "QuietTuning" approach to the problem. The result is a quiet, comfortable, feature-packed cabin bolstered by excellent workmanship and high-quality materials like leather (seats and armrests), wood and metal (trim) and soft touch vinyl (dash).
Nestled within the instrument cluster is a handy trip computer/vehicle information display that details things like your average speed, fuel economy, fuel used, range, tire pressure levels and more.
The first leg of our road trip lasted exactly 284.5 km and required 39.9 litres of fuel. Average fuel economy was 14.2 L/100 km. On the return leg, we achieved 13.2 L/100 km using 35.2 litres over the course of 268.2 km and averaging 117.5 km/h. About 90% of the trip was highway driving. Fuel consumption is higher than what Buick states, but still at acceptable levels.
The front suspension is an independent coil-over setup while in the rear it's an independent multi-link arrangement that holds the line in corners without too much body roll. Steering is accurate and power delivery smooth from bottom to top.
Performance testing at TestFest in November showed the Enclave can go from zero to 100 km/h in 9.4 seconds, pass from 80 to 120 km/h in 8.5 seconds and stop from 100 km/h in 54.2 metres. Interestingly, these figures place it fourth (out of the four category entries) in the performance testing part of the testing.
Still, the Enclave performs very well. It also leads one to believe the price factor is what helped it achieve the best-in-category status. For many, this is the deciding factor of any new vehicle purchase and, in the Enclave's case, it's very hard to overlook. That said, the Enclave is no longer an underdog but rather a safe and economical contender to win the ever-important SUV/CUV of the Year award for 2008.
FACT FILE
2008 BUICK Enclave CXL
As tested, before tax: $60,045
Freight: $1,220
Configuration: Front engine,
AWD
Engine/Transmission:
3.6L DOHC V-6 w Variable Valve Timing / 6-speed Hydra-Matic 6T75 automatic
Horsepower: 275 @ 6,600 rpm
Torque: 252 lb.-ft. @ 3,200 rpm
Options: Two panel sunroof ($1,685) - power tilt-sliding f/r w/power sunscreen; Touchscreen AM/FM Stereo w/DVD Navigation/XM Satellite ($4,720) w/voice recognition and rear entertainment system - AM/FM stereo w/MP3 compatible CD/DVD player and DVD-based navigation, rear camera view, overheard LCD monitor w/rear seat controls et al; Steerable headlights ($425)
Observed fuel economy (L/100 km): 13.7 combined (mostly highway)
Competition: BMW X5, Land Rover LR2, Mercedes-Benz GL and M class, Mazda CX-9
Strengths: Relatively low cost, lots of comfort/convenience/ safety features, decent performance, beautiful exterior
Weaknesses: Overall size is a bit large, fuel economy not as good as advertised
© 2008 Sun Media Corporation. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• 1. photo by Shaun Keenan, Sun Media
• The Enclave's interior features excellent workmanship and high-quality materials.
• 2. photo
• The Buick Enclave is a joy to drive with ample power, light steering, confident suspension and excellent visibility.
Idnumber: 200801060050
Edition: Final
Length: 1212 words