2021 Buick Enclave

History/Overview

Introduced in 2008, the Enclave was Buick’s first move into the luxury crossover segment. Despite its upscale position, this mid-size model is not as posh as similarly sized competitors from European brands. There are no major changes for the 2021 model year.

Available Trims

Buick offers the Enclave in Essence, Premium and Avenir trim levels. All three use a 3.6L V6 engine and a nine-speed transmission. Essence is the only one that starts with front-wheel drive; it’s optional with an AWD system that is standard on the other trims.

Standard Features

Essence trim’s exterior comes with 18-inch wheels, a power tailgate, auto on/off LED headlights, heated/power-adjustable side mirrors, passive keyless entry, and remote engine start.

Inside, there’s standard three-row seating, active noise cancellation, WiFi hotspot capability, a six-speaker stereo, an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, heated front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather steering wheel trim, perforated leather upholstery, and power front seats.

Standard safety items include rear park assist, tire pressure monitoring, and blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic and lane change alerts.

Premium trim adds a driver confidence package of lane keep assist, front parking sensors, lane departure warning, forward collision alert with emergency braking, and automatic high beams. Other additions include power-folding side mirrors, a 120-volt power outlet, a heated steering wheel, a 10-speaker stereo, heated second-row seats, a power-adjustable steering column, front-seat power lumbar, and ventilated front seats.

Avenir adds 20-inch wheels, a sunroof with rear skylight, an 8.0-inch colour driver info display, navigation, 360-degree camera views, wood steering wheel accents, a camera-based rearview mirror, and wireless smartphone charging.

Key Options

Essence trim: Experience Buick package (sunroof/rear skylight, navigation, a 120-volt power plug, and trailer hitch guidance); Touring package (20-inch wheels, side steps); Sun and Navigation package (sunroof/rear skylight, navigation, 120-volt power outlet, 10-speaker stereo)

Premium trim: Experience Buick package builds on the Essence version and adds 20-inch wheels; Surround and Sites package (rear camera mirror, navigation, and 20-inch wheels)

Avenir trim: Technology package (continuous real-time damping suspension, adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking)

Fuel Economy

Buick’s fuel consumption estimates for the Enclave are 13.0/9.1 L/100 km (city/highway) with front-wheel drive, and 13.6/9.6 L/100 km with AWD.

Competition

The Enclave’s closest competitors are the Volvo XC90, Infiniti QX60 and Lexus RX L, which offer a similarly relaxed and refined drive. More typical for this class are the agile handling and firmer ride found in the Acura MDX, Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz GLS, and BMW X7.