2015 Buick Enclave

The Enclave is the glitzy, tarted up version of the Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia, which is General Motors’ way of badge engineering or vehicle cloning — where essentially the same vehicle is sold under several brands.
 
In the General Motors arsenal of full-size crossover utility vehicles, the Enclave has the edge in looks, ride, and gravitas. That carries over inside, with a design that favors form over function. The Enclave’s cabin is beautifully laid out. Everything you see and touch has a premium feel. While overall it falls short of luxury brands, it’s certainly modern and handsome with its Aqua Velva-blue ambient lighting, warm wood tones, brushed chrome accents, and leather seating.
 
Notably, it received the highest possible five stars for overall performance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a “Good” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It comes with dual front, front outboard side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, and a front center seat airbag.
 
There is available 360-degree camera monitoring, side blind zone alert with rear cross traffic alert, forward collision alert, and lane departure warning systems.
 
On the outside, I’ve defaulted to describing its looks (with affection I might add) to that of a Balaenidae whale. Distinguishing features are, most noticeably, the graceful yet stocky lines, strong bowed body, and massive jaw — in this case the audacious waterfall grille.
 
The Enclave also carries on decades of the Buick tradition that it’s impossible to have too many bright, shiny chrome objects. That includes the suggestion of the traditional Buick ventiports in chrome detailing on the hood. It comes in three trim levels: Convenience Group, Leather Group, and Power Group (tested here).
 
The Enclave comes standard with seating for seven, including second-row captain’s chairs. It is also available with an optional second-row bench seat that increases seating capacity to eight. Access to the third row is simply the easiest I’ve seen in any vehicle. With an easy lift of a lever, the Enclave’s second-row captain’s chairs spring forward and jackknife so the bottom cushion folds against the front seat back, creating enough room for even an adult to easily step through into the back.
 
With all-wheel drive optional, the Enclave is powered by a 3.6-liter, 288-horsepower, V-6 engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Performance is adequate and the quiet, smooth ride is impressive. But the biggest problem is its mass (nearly 5,000 pounds), which delivers a nearly intolerable 19 mpg overall fuel economy.
 
Overall there is substantial competition in this vehicle class, including the excellent Acura MDX and Infiniti Q60. I prefer the Enclave to the Acadia and Traverse, but if you are ambivalent regarding its luxury leanings or find them unnecessary, you can save some money and essentially still get the same vehicle with either the GMC or the Chevy.