2024 Buick Enclave - Review | CarBuzz (2024)

2024 Buick Enclave Review: Competent Old-Timer

Buick occupies an odd spot as a brand that aspires to be counted among the premium players in the market, but the pricing and execution of its cars often suggest otherwise. The Enclave is a case in point. It's always had a premium air about it, but it is not resolved enough to take on the Genesis GV80 - a top contender in the near-luxury mid-size three-row SUV segment. It's a lot cheaper than the GV80, though, and the high-value $43k starting price of the 2024 Buick Enclave instead positions it just below semi-premium contenders such as the Infiniti QX60 and Acura MDX.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that the Enclave is now old and due to be replaced with a redesigned car next year, so its thirsty six-cylinder engine, less-than-premium cabin, and lack of a hybrid powertrain do it no favors. Still, there's plenty of power courtesy of a 310-horsepower V6, it comes with many standard features, and it's roomy inside, so there's a lot to like. But is this enough to recommend the current generation on the eve of its demise? Let's see how it squares up.

New for 2024

The 2024 Enclave carries over into its final model year completely unchanged. The range still comprises Essence, Premium, and Avenir trims, and all their features and specifications stay the same in anticipation of a redesigned Enclave that will arrive for the 2025 model year.

2024 Buick Enclave Price: Which One to Buy

The 2024 model goes on sale in the USA at a starting price of $43,900. This is the base price for a new Buick Enclave in FWD Essence guise, so you're looking at a high-value offering that undercuts all its premium rivals. The FWD Essence is followed by the FWD Premium at $51,200 and the FWD Avenir at $57,500. Adding AWD to any of the trims will cost you $2,000. These prices are MSRP and exclusive of Buick's $1,395 destination charge.

The Premium is the trim to have. The base Essence is well-equipped, but for just over $51k, the Premium represents excellent value, considering it adds big-ticket items such as ventilated and massaging front seats, heated second-row seats, navigation, a premium Bose audio system, and several additional driver assists, including a head-up display and surround-view camera. It looks a little odd on its small wheels compared to the available 20 inchers, and adaptive cruise control isn't included, so we'd add the $1,995 Adaptive Cruise and Wheel package to fix both of those problems and be done with it.

Interior and Features

The cabin architecture is starting to show its age and lacks the all-digital co*ckpit experience of newer rivals - though some people might see that as a plus.

The Enclave was refreshed inside two years ago, along with an exterior facelift, but it still doesn't look like a current design and does little to excite the senses. The rather small infotainment screen is flanked by two ventilation vents, eschewing the latest trend of big, combination displays set high on the dashboard. The materials are of decent quality, and everything is screwed together properly, but it's not really a premium cabin, and it doesn't do luxury the way an XC90 does. Still, the level of features is not to be sniffed at, and leather is standard on the seats, even in the Essence. The saying goes that space is the ultimate luxury, and this the Enclave does well, with a roomy cabin and plenty of interior space, with a usable third row that beats most others in this class for just being able to accommodate average-sized adults. The seat cushioning is spot-on, and it's easy to get in, but in a somewhat cheap move, Buick has only provided a second-row quick-release function to access the third row on the passenger side and not the driver's side, which is disappointing.

Space

The Enclave is not a small car; it's nearly eight inches longer than a Telluride and has a near-121-inch wheelbase, so it's commensurately roomy inside. There's a lot of space in the first two rows, and even the third row is commendably spacious, offering more legroom than most three-row mid-sizers. It's still more suitable for children - very few mid-sizers cater for adults in the third row - but it's comfortably better than most in this segment. The third row is a three-seater, but three abreast is too tight on shoulder room, and it's better suited to two passengers, so the Enclave is a practical six-seater at most.

Cargo

Passenger space does not come at the expense of trunk space, and it's really impressive how the Enclave can still hold 23.6 cu-ft of luggage behind the third seat - much more than most rivals. Fold down the 60/40-split third row (manually in the Essence and electrically in the others), and trunk volume balloons to 57.7 cu-ft. With the two separate second-row seats folded down, a truly cavernous 97.4 cu-ft is available - a very impressive figure. Some will find the lift-in height inconveniently high, but the upshot of the raised cargo floor is an additional 3.1 cu-ft of under-floor storage that takes the total available volume beyond 100 cubes.

The cabin caters well to the storage needs of passengers, and though the glovebox is rather small, the four door pockets are of a decent size, the center-console storage box is deep, and there is a small overhead compartment. There are other smaller covered and uncovered nooks and crannies, with cupholders for every row, those of the dual second-row seats in the doors, and those of the third row in the side moldings. The second row also benefits from front seatback pockets.

Materials and Colors

Perforated leather upholstery is standard in every Enclave, but there are just three interior colors in total to choose from, depending on the trim. The Essence comes with a cabin in Dark Galvanized, the alternative being Whisper Beige. Both options are available in the Premium. The Whisper Beige leather in the Avenir gets diamond-stitched seat centers and you can choose an Ebony color scheme if you prefer. The interior accents in all Enclaves are rendered in Ebony, and there's wood trim on the dashboard and console; Sapele wood is used in the Avenir. The steering wheel is leather-trimmed.

Features and Infotainment

Even the Essence's feature count is high, starting off with keyless entry, push-button start, three-zone climate control, a heated and leather-trimmed manually tilting/telescoping steering wheel, heated power front seats, a universal home remote, active noise-cancelation, remote start, and a 4.2-inch digital driver-information display. The higher trims get additional standard features, such as electrically folding third-row seats, ventilated and massaging front seats, heated second-row seats, an eight-inch digital gauge cluster, and more.

The infotainment system comes with an eight-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, six USB ports throughout the cabin, a wireless charging pad, Bluetooth audio streaming, OnStar Connected Services capability, SiriusXM, a Wi-Fi hotspot, an auxiliary audio jack, and a six-speaker audio system. The Premium gains a head-up display, navigation, and a premium ten-speaker Bose audio system (this audio upgrade is optional on the Essence as part of a package). The Avenir gets three years of OnStar Premium access.

Performance

The powertrain is competent and well-tuned, offering decent performance but sub-par fuel economy.

The engine in the Buick Enclave is the familiar GM 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V6, here with 310 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. As a pointer to the car's age, no downsized turbocharged four-cylinder engines or hybridized powertrains are offered. There are two available drivetrain configurations - front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive - both making use of a nine-speed automatic transmission. It might not be the most advanced powertrain, but with 310 horses on call, performance is fairly swift, and the Buick Enclave's 0-60 sprint is done and dusted in around seven seconds with AWD, with the FWD model proving around half a second quicker in real-world conditions thanks to its lighter weight. Top speed is limited to 130 mph on account of the all-season tires. Trailering is important but the Enclave's maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds is beaten by rivals. Ground clearance is not overly generous at 7.5 inches.

Despite its advanced age next to most newer rivals, there is still a lot to like about the Enclave's driving manners. Saying that the steering is lifeless but precise and that body roll is well-controlled seems like standard stuff applicable to most modern SUVs, but the Enclave feels better than that simple description makes it sound. Body control is good, and it corners with remarkable composure. The average Enclave owner is unlikely to test the limits, but the Enclave is still a good drive if they do. It's also really smooth and quiet on the highway, and the refined six-cylinder engine is cultured - and kept in its powerband by the nine-speed auto, which is keen to drop a gear or two when necessary. Ride quality is good on all manner of surfaces, but we can recommend the adaptive dampers that are optional on the Avenir as part of the Technology package.

Fuel Efficiency

The Buick Enclave's mpg numbers are no longer competitive. According to the EPA, its city/highway/combined figures work out to 18/26/21 mpg for the FWD configuration - that combined figure is 1-2 mpg worse than competitors such as the QX60 and MDX, which both also use naturally aspirated V6 engines. The AWD Enclave is worse, at 17/25/20 mpg.

With a fuel capacity of 19.4 gallons, expect a range of around 407 miles out of the FWD Enclave. The AWD has a larger 21.7-gallon gas tank, stretching its range to around 434 miles, despite its worse gas mileage.

Safety

A full suite of driver assists is standard even on the base car, but you don’t get a head-up display or surround-view camera on the Essence - though the latter can be added.

The NHTSA's 2024 safety review of the Buick Enclave demonstrates that the SUV still does an excellent job of protecting its occupants, garnering a full five-star rating overall. At the IIHS, only last year's model was tested but the news is good too, with the agency's top Good score for most tests, except the updated side test, which received an Acceptable score.

The Enclave gives you everything you need to avoid a crash in the first place, with the Enhanced Buick Driver Confidence driver-assistance package being standard on every trim. This means that forward-collision alert with automatic emergency and front pedestrian braking, a following-distance indicator, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, lane-departure and lane-change alert, and lane-keep assist are all included on every trim. Additional features include automatic LED headlights with auto high beams, cruise control, an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror, a Teen Driver mode, and a rear-seat reminder. The Premium additionally gains a surround-view camera, rear pedestrian alert, and a head-up display. The Avenir is the only trim that gets standard adaptive cruise control and rain-sensing wipers. The emergency braking system on the Essence is a basic setup that works up to 50 mph, and the enhanced system on the two trims works at any speed above 2 mph.

US NHTSA Crash Test Result

Reliability

The Buick Enclave's reliability record is excellent. JD Power gives it an excellent rating of 85 out of 100 for reliability, and the car has, so far, not been recalled at all for the past two years. The 2022 Enclave was only recalled once - for a problem with the curtain airbags.

The limited warranty of the 2024 Buick Enclave is valid for three years/36,000 miles, but at least the powertrain warranty runs for a full five years/60,000 miles. The first service visit is also included in the price.

Warranty

Design

The styling of the Enclave is inoffensive and unremarkable, but at the same time, attractive in an understated way. It benefited from a facelift two years ago to clean up its appearance, and the design has aged well, though the side profile is very generic. The slim-line LED DRLs are joined by LED headlights across the board, and the two base trims run on 18-inch alloys that simply look too small for the big body. The Avenir gets 20s - which are optional on the Essence and Premium and definitely recommended. All trims get roof rails, a rear spoiler, and a programmable hands-free power liftgate, but only the Avenir gets puddle lights and a front power sunroof with a fixed rear skylight, though the sunroof and skylight are optional on the lower trims. Power-folding side mirrors are fitted to the two top trims. An available Black Accent package blacks out the exterior trim. The exterior of the car can also be enhanced with assist steps and other accessories.

Verdict: Is The 2024 Buick Enclave A Good SUV?

The Buick Enclave does little wrong, but it's simply not as rounded and well-resolved SUV as many of its more modern rivals and is approaching its sell-by date. Its many standard features, composed ride, and spacious interior are strong points, but the cabin is less than premium, its old-fashioned powertrain is not as economical as it should be, and it offers no downsized turbocharged engines or hybridized options. If you just want a roomy, comfortable, and well-equipped three-row mid-size SUV, the Enclave has a lot to offer, but next year's redesigned model promises to move the game on, and we'd rather wait for that or opt for a rival.