Lots of people like the Buick Enclave, a conclusion supported by the fact that well over 50,000 of them are sold every year, which in turn means that lots of Buick dealers like the Enclave, too. Just recently, a former colleague of mine who owns a Mercedes-Benz ML350 reached out to ask questions about the Enclave, which she thought looked terrific and about which she’d heard good things. I did not dissuade her from considering Buick’s big luxury crossover suv, but I definitely recommended some alternatives.
As is true of many consumers in the market for a new vehicle, my acquaintance was already set on buying the Enclave. She wanted a big, stylish, luxurious crossover SUV that would be more dependable than her Benz, and she loved the way the Buick looked. At that point, all I could do was to recommend a thorough test drive.
Since it had been several years since my own Buick Enclave test drive, and because the 2013 Enclave is updated with new styling and technology, I figured it was time to spend some quality time with this model, schlepping the family, running errands, and taking a rousing run across the Santa Monica Mountains and up the California coastline.
As it turns out, I should have pushed harder in convincing my former co-worker to sample the Acura MDX, Dodge Durango Citadel, Ford Flex Titanium, Honda Pilot Touring, and Infiniti JX35 (or QX60, as it will be known in 2014).