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It was 2006. The Detroit\u00a0Auto Buick hit it out of the park.<\/p>\n The sexy Buick Enclave \u2013 yes, I just used sexy and Buick in the same sentence \u2014 was proof that the struggling brand had a pulse. Retiring the Rendezvous and Rainier dinosaurs, Buick took the opportunity of GM\u2019s new, unibody Lambda platform to redefine the SUV. The result was a head-turning crossover as the Enclave lit up the Detroit stage like a Baroque beauty out of a Paul Rubens painting: Big-boned, athletic, drop-dead gorgeous.<\/p>\n This was not your grandma\u2019s SUV, but a sensual chassis that inspired future Buicks like the cop-magnet Regal RS and the sassy Buick Encore crossover.\u00a0Buick\u2019s daring<\/a>\u00a0was rewarded (isn\u2019t it always?) as Enclaves flew off the showroom floor faster than a Rubens painting at Sotheby\u2019s. But it\u2019s one thing to wow the world with a new bod \u2014 and another to stay fit year after year. Just ask Kirstie Alley.<\/p>\n I recently drove a 2015 Enclave wrapped in $54,185, premium trim. Does it have what it takes to compete over time? The big SUV is still gorgeous, but a closer look reveals cause for concern.<\/p>\n Let the record show that Enclave had its best sales year ever in 2013 with 60,534 units sold. After a 2013 update, the Enclave\u2019s looks are still fresh. Despite its size, the 4,700-pound SUV is beautifully proportioned with firm shoulders fore and slinky hips aft. Standing tall on 20-inch heels \u2014 er, wheels \u2014 the Enclave beckons you to follow it down the road.<\/p>\n The evening gown competition doesn\u2019t end there. The waterfall grille is flanked by big, almond-shaped headlights. The grille carries a little too much chrome jewelry for my taste. Forget the lights, this bauble is blinding. Around back, the Enclave\u2019s plunging v-shaped window line is exquisite (it is a design shared by the lovely Chevy Traverse, which can be confusing).<\/p>\n Yes, the old dame still has it. But why do I have to say \u201cold\u201d?<\/p>\n Now in its seventh model year, a second generation Enclave redesign is not soon on the horizon. The 2013 refresh is nicely done, but in a competitive mid-to-full-size SUV herd, it\u2019s not enough for the Enclave to rest on its laurels. The\u00a0Acura MDX, for example<\/a>, just unveiled its stunning, third generation model after six years.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/images.intellitxt.com\/ast\/adTypes\/icon1.png\")
<\/a>\u00a0Show. Buick was pulling the wraps off a large SUV. Granny gets a truck. I\u2019ll take a truck-full of NoDoz, please. What happened next was entirely unexpected.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n