2013 Buick Enclave Video Road Test & Review

One of the biggest automotive storylines within the past five years has been the revitalization of Buick. A brand that was considered for a time that only your grandparents would drive, Buick has pulled off an almost impossible feat of reversing it and becoming a brand that’s in tune with a younger audience. One of the first vehicles that helped with this transition is the 2008 Enclave crossover. Boasting a unique design, seating for seven or eight passengers, and a very comfortable ride, the Enclave became a huge success. With the new 2013 Enclave, Buick knew they had to tread carefully to not mess with the success of the previous model. The Enclave’s exterior shares a similar shape as the previous model, but is more pronounced. The front end features a large chrome grille, LED daytime running lamps, and high-intensity discharge headlamps. Along the side, there is chrome stripping running along the windows and on the bottom edges of the doors.

The back end has been completely redesigned and includes LED taillights and integrated exhaust outlets. Stepping inside the Enclave, You have the choice of eighteen, nineteen or twenty-inch wheels. Buick designers redesigned the cockpit to give it a premium feel. Materials used inside range from soft-touch materials, real stitching, chrome and wood accents, and ice blue LED ambient lighting. Power comes from a 3.6L direct-injected V6 producing 288 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic is the sole transmission. You do have the choice of either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Fuel economy for the 2013 Enclave is rated at 17 City/24 Highway/19 Combined for the front-wheel drive model and 16 City/22 Highway/18 Combined for the all-wheel drive model.

A base Enclave will set you back $38,445 and comes well equipped. Standard features include rear parking assist, a rear camera, remote start, a power liftgate, seven airbags including the industry’s first front center side air bag, and a seven-inch color touch screen radio featuring Buick’s IntelliLink infotainment system. Next up is the Enclave with Leather Group for $43,285 which adds leather seats, heated front seats, an eight-way power passenger seat, memory for the power seats, and Side Blind Zone Alert with Cross Traffic Alert that lets drivers know if a vehicle is approaching when backing up. Finally there is the Enclave with Premium Group for $46,450 that adds nineteen-inch chrome clad wheels, articulating headlamps, a Bose premium audio system, cooled front seats, power-folding side mirrors, and a power tilting/telescoping steering column. The main options for the Enclave are all-wheel drive for $2,000, navigation for $795 to $1,540, and seven or eight passenger seating for no cost. Competitors for the Buick Enclave include the Acura MDX, Infiniti JX35, Lincoln MKT, and Volvo XC90.