{"id":28917,"date":"2022-03-21T12:14:15","date_gmt":"2022-03-21T16:14:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=28917"},"modified":"2022-03-21T12:14:15","modified_gmt":"2022-03-21T16:14:15","slug":"payne-buick-updates-enclave-with-even-better-looks-fewer-quirks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2022\/03\/payne-buick-updates-enclave-with-even-better-looks-fewer-quirks","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Buick updates Enclave with even better looks, fewer quirks"},"content":{"rendered":"

You date them for their good looks, but you stay with them for their character.<\/p>\n

The Buick Enclave has always been a looker, from its boat-bow rear window to its big front kisser and winged mustache. And for 2022, it gets even better looking with a bigger smile, bigger mustache, and \u2014 ooooh, sexy new eyebrows. Enclave has led\u00a0the brand\u2019s transformation over the past decade from tired sedans to hip SUVs by\u00a0attracting\u00a0moms again \u2014 not just grandmoms.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s like the women say in the ad: \u201cThat\u2019s a Buick?\u201d<\/p>\n

But when it came to living with Enclave day-to-day, well, it had its problems. Am I right, ladies? There was that annoying engine START-STOP tick in the 2018 model that you couldn\u2019t turn off. Like him snoring at night \u2014\u00a0HUNGGHNK! HUNGGGHNK! HUNGGHNK!<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 it would just drive you craaaazy after awhile. And then the lack of standard features … seriously? On a premium automobile? Adaptive cruise control wasn\u2019t available until the top-trim Avenir package?<\/p>\n

The good news is that Buick listened to you (now, that\u2019s an admirable quality in a relationship). So for its 2022 mid-cycle refresh, Enclave owners can turn off the snoring \u2014 er, auto START\/STOP \u2014 with a button located prominently at the top of the center console next to the infotainment screen. Hallelujah!<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
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And starting at $45,920 with all-wheel drive (a must for Michigan winter), you get a boatload of standard features: lane-keep assist, forward collision alert, rear cross traffic alert, auto high beams, blind-spot assist\u00a0and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.<\/p>\n

That latter bit is satisfying \u2014\u00a0and not just for the convenience of getting into your car and having it wirelessly recognizing where you set your destination on your phone. Wireless smartphone apps also mean you don\u2019t need to upcharge to a redundant car navigation system. For those who do prefer in-car systems, I\u2019m happy to report the system in my loaded\u00a0$60K\u00a0Avenir top trim responded to my voice commands as accurately as a phone.<\/p>\n

Adaptive cruise control is inexplicably\u00a0still<\/em>\u00a0not standard on a road tripper like this \u2014 even with the $2,500 price hike over the \u201921 model. But at least it’s available from the base\u00a0$45K\u00a0Essence trim. Mainstream competitors like the stylish\u00a0AWD Kia Telluride and Mazda CX-9 offer it standard for less. Heck, even the Honda Civic comes standard with blind-spot assist\u00a0and<\/em>\u00a0adaptive cruise for $23K.<\/p>\n

\"Handsome<\/p>\n
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I picked up my son up at the airport and he had no problem spotting the Enclave. This ute has presence. Expanding on its familiar good looks, Buick did some clever work for \u201822 with the wider, wing mustache and a smoldering \u201ceyebrow\u201d running light atop the grille.<\/p>\n

That space used to be occupied by the headlights, but headlights have been moved, subtly, to the mid-fascia. The location is optimal for not annoying vehicles traveling in front of you with headlight glare \u2014 and it also echoes the Enclave\u2019s attractive smaller sibling, the Envision.<\/p>\n

Typical of the GM family of vehicles these days, Enclave\u2019s chassis has spent quality time in the gym. The body is lean for its size \u2014 a couple hundred pounds lighter than a Lincoln Aviator \u2014 and the suspension well-tuned, with my Avenir model also benefiting from adaptive suspension. My son and I both drove it with verve through Oakland County\u2019s lake country twisties, where the big bus was surprisingly nimble. It confidently hugged turns while the 310-horsepower V-6 roared happily under my cane.<\/p>\n