It's unfair to expect economy-car efficiency from a hulking three-row such as the Enclave, but rivals such as the Volvo XC90 simply outshine the Buick in our testing. Buick Enclave Is Enhanced and Restyled for 2022.Tested: 2022 Buick Enclave Fights for Relevance.For those who need towing capacity, the Buick can tow up to 5000 pounds when properly equipped. The steering provides an appropriate amount of feedback for a crossover, with crisp responses and moderate effort. Instead, the Enclave trades on comfort with a luxurious ride that glides over pockmarked asphalt and barely registers harsh impacts. A well-damped suspension helps the three-row SUV hide its mass, but it never feels as athletic as, say, the Audi Q7. It's not the quickest crossover, but the Enclave is fast enough that there's never any cause for anxiety when merging onto the highway, and the engine goes about its business while leaving the passenger cabin undisturbed. At our test track, our loaded Avenir test vehicle made it to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. It powers either the front or all four wheels via an unobtrusive nine-speed automatic transmission. Under the hood of every Enclave is a 3.6-liter V-6 making 310 horsepower. We would recommend splurging on the Sport Touring package, which replaces the Essence's 18-inch wheels with more attractive 20-inch ones and adds body-colored door handles for a more streamlined look. It's a well-equipped family vehicle with plenty of features-such as Wi-Fi, leather seats, and six USB ports-that will keep passengers happy. Spending big bucks on the top-spec Avenir model doesn't quite get you the lux environs we expect from a premium SUV, so we'd save the money and go with the entry-level Essence. The only other change to the Enclave is a new exterior color: Moonstone Gray Metallic. The Enclave’s Sport Touring package-available only on the entry-level Essence trim-swaps its polished 20-inch wheels for gloss-black painted ones for 2023. The generous list of standard features also helps the Enclave make a case for itself, but buyers who are cross-shopping similarly sized SUVs from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo will find the Enclave’s presentation lacks the polish that makes those European offerings more desirable. All models come with a smooth 3.6-liter V-6, and Buick has taken extra steps to create a hushed cabin that’s relaxing on long road trips. Viewed through the lens of premium rather than outright luxury, the Enclave finds its footing among a set of rivals that straddle the same line, including the Acura MDX and the Infiniti QX60 as well as high-end versions of the Kia Telluride and the Jeep Grand Cherokee L. Its handsome styling and value-oriented packaging notwithstanding, the Enclave simply doesn’t measure up to luxury-branded rivals, many of which cost only a few thousand dollars more. The 2023 Enclave is Buick’s entry into the ultra-competitive mid-size luxury SUV game, and it comes up short.
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