Review: 2010 Buick Enclave CXL AWD

Chris Shunk — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Buick, New Car Reviews

The Epitome of Inconspicuous Consumption

2010 Buick Enclave CXL AWD - Click above for high-res image gallery

There was a time when Buick was the brand of choice for doctors, lawyers and politicians. Its cars were elegant enough to show success without being overt signals of wealth, they were the epitome of inconspicuous consumption. But that was a long, long time ago. Buicks of the last 30 years look like slightly disguised versions of a run-of-the-mill Chevrolet, with a bit more chrome and better seat fabrics.

The Enclave can be compared to other luxury crossovers in the segment without an asterisk.

Buick design went from purposely understated to flat-out dull, and the average age of the brand's buyers shot up to over 70 in the mid-2000s. If it weren't for Buick's success in China, the Trishield would have likely followed Oldsmobile into retirement. But instead of mothballing Buick for good, General Motors decided to finally give the brand what it really needed: new and exciting products. Former Vice Chairman Bob Lutz went as far as to say that Buick's new products were going to compete against Lexus. We were all a bit skeptical, but one vehicle began making believers.

The Buick Enclave took many by surprise when it debuted in early 2007 with attractive styling and a well-appointed cabin. And since production started, the Enclave has proven to be a strong seller. In fact, the Enclave continually beats the combined sales of its crosstown rivals, the Ford Flex and the Lincoln MKT.

Since Lexus itself does not offer a three-row CUV, does the Buick offer a credible alternative to the hush and plush Japanese automaker? We spent a week with a very well appointed Enclave CXL AWD to find out if GM's highest-end large crossover really represents the brand's new mission. Continue reading...

Gallery: Review: 2010 Buick Enclave CXL AWD

Continue reading Review: 2010 Buick Enclave CXL AWD

Review: 2010 Buick Enclave CXL AWD originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick teases baby Enclave, promises 2011 plug-in hybrid version

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:05:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Buick, GM, Electric

Bob Lutz has gone on record worrying about Buick's advertising campaign, arguing that the messaging doesn't say the right things to the right people. If only Buick had been advertising this instead: a five-passenger "Baby Enclave" CUV that is coming next year, followed by a plug-in hybrid version in 2011.

General Motors expects the plug-in hybrid "to be the first commercially available plug-in hybrid SUV produced by a major automaker," and it looks like they don't plan on any shortcuts with it. The gas-electric Buick will use LG Chem li-ion batteries juicing up a reworked version of GM's 2-Mode hybrid drivetrain, and can be recharged in four to five hours.

But until that gets here you'll have to make do with the full-boat gasoline-powered Enclave. Those who don't need that much space but are keen on owning a Buick would be well advised to wait for the forthcoming Saturn Vue-based model, which will arrive with a 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine that is expected to get 30 mpg on the highway, and there will also be a 3.0-liter V6 version as well. You can read all about the new model in the press release after the jump.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Buick teases baby Enclave, promises 2011 plug-in hybrid version

Buick teases baby Enclave, promises 2011 plug-in hybrid version originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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