Now in its fifth model year, the 2012 Buick Enclave sits atop General Motors' full-size crossover lineup at the top dog, lined with available leather seating and Buick's own recipe of noise-reducing technologies. Whether choosing the standard seven-passenger configuration or the optional eight-passenger layout, the Enclave offers one of the biggest crossover experiences on the market.
The Range
Bodystyle: Crossover SUV
Engine: 3.6L V-6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Model: Enclave
What's New
In mimicking other luxury makes, Buick is starting to drop the names of its option levels, starting with the CX and CXL packages on the 2012 Buick Enclave. While the badges will no longer be displayed on the rump of each crossover, Buick is equipping Enclaves with three different optional packages: Convenience, Leather, and Premium. Also new on the Enclave is a standard electronic gas pedal override in addition to new hues of red and gray for paint colors.
Exterior
With soft lines and sculpted creases in the sheetmetal, the Enclave was the first vehicle to fully adopt Buick's international design language that was developed in overseas markets. The 2012 Buick Enclave carries on the elegant look, with its traditional touches like the hood-mounted portholes combining with a modern and evocative design that has carried through the LaCrosse and Regal sedans. It's a large vehicle, but with some clever creases in the bodywork, Buick was able to hide much of the visual heft.
Interior
Cloth seats come standard in the 2012 Buick Enclave, but leather is optional for seven- or eight-passenger seating configurations. For the additional coin beyond GM's other full-size crossovers, the Buick has better-quality soft-touch interior plastics, Quiet Tuning sound-deadening technology, an available in-dash navigation system, and rear-seat DVD entertainment system. For those who opt for the seven-passenger configuration, the Enclave will come with bucket seats in the second row that are patterned after the driver and front-passenger units.
Performance & Handling
With added noise cancellation, acoustic-laminated windshield, laminated front door safety glass and triple door seals, the 2012 Buick Enclave cossets passengers. Its ride is smooth and supple, and handling is pretty good for such a large, plush crossover. Its direct-injection V-6 provides 288 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque and towing capacity is 4500 pounds.
Safety
Standard on the 2012 Buick Enclave are StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation, a rollover sensing system, four-wheel antilock disc brakes, tire pressure monitoring and traction control. Enclave's six airbags include two side curtains that cover all three rows.
EPA Fuel Economy
FWD: 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway
AWD: 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway
You'll Like
- Styling
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Elegant interior
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Spaciousness
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Cargo space
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Quiet ride
You Won't Like
- Weight strains V-6
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Parking it
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Largish blindspots from wide pillars
Sum Up
A luxurious crossover worth a look.
If You Like This Vehicle
- Lincoln MKT
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Acura MDX
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Volvo XC90
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Audi Q7
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GMC Acadia Denali
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