I think it is safe to say that there are certain expectations or opinions when it comes to certain types of vehicles and certain manufacturers. I admit that there are many brands that I thought I would never really want to drive and Buick was one of those. It has the perception of being an “older persons” car brand. My grandfather owns one and I hate that I had a stigma about it, but sometimes it just happens. The 2016 Buick Enclave came close to my expectations, but in some ways changed my views on the brand. It is considered a Mid-Size Luxury SUV.
The exterior look of the vehicle is nice and had great lines. Very similar to many other SUV’s of its size. Inside is where I wasn’t as happy with the look and styling. I am not one that likes brown leather very often unless it is a deep brown. The Buick Enclave just seems to have too many different types of textures and materials in the interior. The door alone had about 8 between different leather colors, to plastics, to chromes. There was also a light feature that extended from the rear doors all the way around the dash that was quite distracting. At night it glowed green and was an annoyance. The part along the dash could be turned off, but I couldn’t find where to turn it off on the doors. My kids liked it, but it is not good while driving. The placement of some of the buttons and functions was awkward as well.
I did appreciate the luxury of the leather surround and seats. The spacing in the Buick Enclave is very comfortable and I was surprised of the leg room even in the third row. The interior is way bigger than it would seem on the outside, with a moderate amount of cargo space behind the third row. The seats are very easy to put down if you don’t need them with just a push of a button from the cargo area. Even the second row goes down with just a button which is a great feature if you are trying to load cargo and need more space.
Not every brand will appeal to all buyers. Even certain vehicles within a brand can be loved by some and not others it is just a matter of personal preference. My husband didn’t mind the interior and the styling. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. Other than that it was a nice smooth ride and handling. I could see it being great when you are a family of 4 or less and need the occasional extra seating and wanting more luxury type features. My kids did love the dual sunroofs. They are always fascinated when they can see out the top of the vehicle!!
2016 Buick Enclave in White Frost Tricoat- MSRP $53,835
- Onstar 4G LTE with WIFI
- Rearview camera system
- Waterfall grill
- Heated and cooled front seats
- 3.6L V6
- Brake assist annd hill start
- Remote keyless entry
- 7 passenger seating
- Leather wrapped and heated steering wheel
- Tuscan pacckage- 20″ Chrome clad wheels with bronze accents
- Universal tablet holders
- Bose premium audio system
- Direction adaptive headlights
- Colortouch navigation system
- Roof rack and side rails
- Rear liftgate, power
- Forward collision, rear traffic, blind zone alerts
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