Buick Enclave is All the Bling This Mom Needs

2009 Buick Enclave CXL FWD

model as tested $42,620

Test Drove 1/26/09 – 2/2/09
reviewed by Sherrice Gilsbach

The oh-so-beautiful 2009 Buick Enclave has inspired me to create a new television series, “Extreme Makeover: Car Edition.” I’d love for some hunky host to relay my automotive sob-story to the masses, followed by the ultimate pulverization of my eight-year-old, 150,000-mile “piece.” At the end of the show, the bright, shiny Enclave would sit in my garage! Unlike my test car, it’d have all-wheel drive.

The Enclave exuded class, inside and out. It was adorned with lots of chrome jewelry to put that extra twinkle in the eyes of all the pedestrians as you drove by. On the inside, there were heated seats for the driver and front passenger, and zoned heating and cooling for all three rows.

Its ride felt good. While I was test-driving the Enclave, Michigan was smacked with a few inches of fresh snow on top of the already-compacted snow, which made driving conditions less than desirable. While I really wish I’d had an all-wheel-drive model, the FWD responded well in the snow, and the electronic stability system with traction control kicked in on just about every trip to and from my son’s school. This extra hand made me feel confident that, even without AWD, the car was doing a great job of keeping us safe.

The Enclave was downright powerful despite its ample size and could quickly pick up speed from a dead stop. Its braking was equally impressive, especially considering the snowy roads. We never skidded into a stop. Inside the roomy cabin, the ride was quiet, which is something Buicks have become known for. I always appreciate a higher vantage point, and the Enclave’s highly maneuverable driver’s seat allowed me to gain a few inches in height that God chose to leave out.

The only negative I discovered about the Enclave was its less-than-fabulous gas mileage. The Enclave gets an EPA-estimated 17/24 mpg city/highway. I averaged 16.7 mpg combined on my country roads. Perhaps there could be a hybrid in the Enclave’s future?

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