Blogging definitely has its perks. I asked and our friends at GM answered. We were given the opportunity to test out a brand new Buick Enclave for approximately 800 miles over a span of a week. In my opinion, you need that much time to really get a good feel for a vehicle’s performance.
Now, Eric and I have driven several brands of vehicles over the years, our Hyundai Santa Fe being one of them. The Santa Fe has been good to us for the past seven years, giving us minimal problems but we’re going on some 120,000 miles and we can feel every. bump. on. the. road. It ain’t fun. Sure, we could look into new shocks and struts but we’re ready to upgrade into something a little newer and more spacious.
I haven’t paid much attention to the “bigger” SUVs on the road because for one thing, we can’t fit something much bigger than the Santa Fe into our garage. However, this will not be our garage forever and we will definitely be expanding the family. So, I’m happy that we were able to truly put the Enclave to the test.
There isn’t much about the Enclave that I don’t like besides the fact that it’s just a little too big for us right now. It’s a very classy-looking luxury SUV, or “crossover” and it’s QUIET. My mom even made the comment that she couldn’t tell I was in the car when we spoke over the phone. She’s knows instantaneously when I’m driving the Hyundai. There is little to no road noise (with the windows up, of course) and the ride is so comfy. A friend made a comment that it’s like never leaving your living room.
There are three rows of seating, with the middle row having the option of bucket or bench seats. The bench seat pulls forward so passengers are able to sit in the very back row. We drove the CX model and I believe with the options included in our test vehicle, the price range would be right around $37,500-38,000. I’m not very good at guesstimating how a car does on gas but I do know that we paid just about $10 more to fill up the Enclave than the Santa Fe. The Enclave also has a bigger gas tank.
While testing out the Enclave, we had six and a half passengers; that is six adults AND a toddler in a car seat. Everyone was very comfortable. The very back row is somewhat limited in leg room but our passengers said that it wasn’t uncomfortable. It would be ideal for smaller children.
So, I’ve definitely grown fond of the Buick Enclave. It’s so sleek and feels so safe. I can’t say enough good things about the way it handles on the interstate and with a car load of people. When the time comes for us to purchase a new vehicle, this crossover will remain at the top of my list.
Amy, loved your post. I work for GM on the Buick brand and can offer you my employee discount if you purchase a GM vehicle within the next week. Sounds like your Santa Fe is getting a little long in the tooth — maybe time for that Enclave? :)