BUICK Enclave 2018

Body and cabin

The familiar traits of the redesigned 2018 Buick Enclave dissimulate a slight increase in wheelbase (+ 5 cm) and overall length (+ 6.2 cm). At nearly 5.2 m, the Enclave is the longest “midsize” SUV on the market, along with its Chevrolet Traverse cousin. It even surpasses such full-size models as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Dodge Durango as well as each and every minivan on the market!

Such dimensions obviously yield oodles of space, especially in the first two rows. Each offers two very comfortable bucket seats that are wide enough to accommodate all body types, though somewhat to the detriment of side support.

Third-row passengers get better seating than in most midsize SUVs but still must make do with a low bench and poor headroom. Minivans are still the all-time winners for transporting more than five people on a regular basis.

Cargo volume has shrunk by 500 litres when the last two rows are folded. It is a curious phenomenon only partly explained by the 1-cm reduction in height. Still, Buick’s largest vehicle remains one of the roomiest in its segment both for people and cargo. A vast under-floor compartment allows valuables to be hidden away from view; Premium and Avenir trims offer a power-folding third row.

The latter versions pamper their passengers with heated second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats and driving position memory. Avenir adds a wireless charging mat for smartphones, a customizable 20.3 cm (8-in.) cluster display, and exclusive wheels and trim. Features such as a power liftgate, automatic tri-zone climate control, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay interfaces and leather seats (heated in front) are standard.

All trims offer the same warm, refined and attentively finished cabin and controls that are generally easy to use. We would, however, have taken a pass on the new electronic gear selector; the extra space freed up under the console does not sufficiently compensate for its unintuitive operation.

Safety

The redesign greatly enriches the Buick Enclave’s advanced safety equipment, which is enhanced by automatic low-speed emergency braking, lane departure alert with automatic lane keeping assist and automatic high beams. Unfortunately, those important features are absent on Essence models, which offer only blind-spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert.

Purchasers can at least opt for a rearview camera mirror, which provides a much better field of view than a traditional interior mirror. And it is not just a luxury, since the narrow side windows and wide roof pillars hamper the view just as before. LED headlights equip all models, at no extra charge.

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

Mechanical overview

The 2018 Buick Enclave weighs 163 kg less than its predecessor, thanks in part to a lighter, more solid structure. The engineers completely revised the independent suspension, and on Avenir models, it can be paired with continuously variable real-time damping. An electric power steering system replaces the outgoing model’s hydraulic system.

Unlike Chevrolet, which offers a turbocharged four-cylinder for the Traverse RS, Buick offers the Enclave only with a V6. It is still a direct-injected 3.6L, which this year gains 17 more horsepower for a total of 305. More important for everyday driving, torque tops out at 266 pound-feet, 4 lb-ft less than in 2017. On the other hand, it is accessible at lower rpms than before so as to improve engine response in daily driving.

The automatic transmission is now nine-speed rather than six as before. A new twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system is standard on Premium and Avenir trims (available for $3,000 on Essence versions). As for several of GM’s recent SUVs, you have to push a button to engage it, an unnecessary step for an automatic system that in any case only engages the rear wheels when the front wheels slip. At least the system retains the chosen selection when the engine is switched off so that the driver can select it once and not have to worry about it again.

By combining lighter weight with the revised engine and new transmission, Buick obtained a 14 percent reduction in the fuel consumption rating of its flagship vehicle for 2018. A full test on our usual test route will allow us to check those numbers.

Overall, our short first contact with the redesigned Buick Enclave indicates a noteworthy improvement in driving dynamics. The excellent nine-speed transmission injects new life into a vehicle that seemed underpowered in the past. It almost, but not entirely, masks the lack of power at low rpms that has always dogged GM’s 3.6L V6.

The weight loss has a positive impact on handling. There is less body roll in turns, and the vehicle proves more agile than expected considering its large size. Comfort also seems intact, though the smooth roads of the Kelowna, B.C., region are much less taxing in this respect than the Quebec road network. A Buick trademark, the low interior noise level is as impressive as ever.

Less impressive is the new power steering, which is too light. And that’s unfortunate, because the former hydraulic power system was better connected to the road. At least this concession in favour of fuel economy does not seem to affect vehicle stability at highway speed.