The Enclave was a bold statement from Buick back when it debuted as a crossover in 2008. It helped redefine what the entry level luxury segment should be with its leather, chrome, and elegant style in a large and roomy family vehicle. Since then, it has remained in its entry level luxury crossover niche. Buick refreshed the Enclave in 2013 and created the second generation of the vehicle debuting as a 2018.
The 2020 Buick Enclave is a sophisticated second-gen design, with several upgrades to the infotainment systems, the Sport Touring package, and various luxury features in the top-line Avenir.
REFINED EXTERIOR
The 2020 Buick Enclave showcases a refined exterior design balancing elegant luxury with modern boldness all through its subtle lines. Winged headlights flanking a sleek black mesh grille, bumper-embedded fog lights, hood accent lines and plenty of chrome all come together to complete the front end. The Enclave’s signature grille stands out by featuring chrome wings alongside the Buick tri-colour badge.
Around the side of the Enclave, the design is complemented by 20” bright machine-faced aluminum wheels, with chrome fender vents above them and a sloping roofline that comes together with the angular window design at the rear. A rounded rear end completes the look and incorporates dual chrome tipped exhaust, a full width chrome splitter dividing the taillights and some nice use of line and curves. A hands-free power liftgate shines the Buick logo LED projection, so you can easily access the rear cargo area with your hands full.
LUXURIOUS INTERIOR
The bright and sleek interior of the 2020 Buick Enclave is spacious, flexible and well appointed. A two-tone leather interior and the soft touch materials, warm wood tones and brushed chrome accents come together to create a refined and luxurious design. The wide touchscreen display sits in the center of the dash and helps reduce button clutter, allowing the modern design of the interior to really come through.
The 2020 Enclave has a flexible interior which offers lots of storage spaces for personal belongings – even more than usual thanks to the electronic shifter opening up a huge storage area below the center console. With seating for seven passengers and plenty of cargo, the 2020 Enclave’s interior is flexible and easy to rearrange to accommodate any combination of cargo and passengers. The Enclave is also outfitted with SmartSlide technology allowing easy entry to the third row with the pull of a handle.
The sophisticated interior of the 2020 Enclave showcases Buick’s QuietTuning technology, which is the engineering process they use from bumper to bumper to design a quiet and distraction free cabin. Features like the active noise cancellation technology, which includes triple door seals, acoustic laminated glass, and noise-reducing rear suspension all came out of the QuietTuning program.
Another notable features include the remote car start which activates the seat heaters to help you feel at ease when you enter the car. As you drive, the heating feature will automatically adjust to the exterior temperature by increasing or decreasing the amount of heat. Also, the Enclave is outfitted with an in-vehicle ionizer, which helps to keep the air inside the vehicle fresher for the driver and passengers.
PERFORMANCE AND DRIVE
In the 2020 Buick Enclave, you can expect the perfect mix of smooth handling, responsiveness, and efficiency. The Enclave sports a 3.6L V6 engine that delivers 310hp and is paired with a 9 speed automatic transmission. This power helps haul around the Enclave with ease and allows for a quiet ride. Despite the higher hp rating, the Enclave still manages to achieve a respectable fuel economy, clocking in at 13.0L/100km in the city and 9.1L/100km on the highway.
The optional Intelligent All-Wheel Drive pairs with an active dual-clutch which automatically activates when you require it most, ensuring the delivery of optimal power and traction to the wheels with good grip in slippery conditions. On dry roads, the system will help to improve cornering and acceleration. Handling is further improved by the innovative five-link rear suspension system, which also helps to ensure a smooth and quiet ride.
If you’re planning to haul things around, the 202 Enclave comes with a Trailering Package, making the Enclave capable of towing up to 5,000 lbs. To help you hook up the trailer, the High Guidance feature will add a dynamic reversing grid line to the rear camera display.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, the 2020 Buick Enclave is a sophisticated mid-sized SUV that claims the segment where customers are starting to look for a luxury vehicle. A sleek exterior and refined interior design meet with an agile, quiet and responsive ride to deliver a well balanced SUV, packed with useful features and modern technology.
