2009 Buick Enclave By ALAN GELL www.CarColumns.Net It was introduced as a 2008 model by General Motors.  For 2009, it has been given a little more power and a few new features.  It’s the Buick Enclave.  What is the Enclave?  It reminds me of a station wagon, but that is a term from the past.  It’s not a cool term to use in today’s world.  A mini-Van?  Horrors.  That is something the younger generation avoids.  So, is it a Crossover?  The term crossover is being used excessively in the car industry.  Crossovers use a car-based platform but have a large SUV or Van type body.  Actually, the Buick Enclave is an 8 passenger SUV that is truly a crossover that shares the basic design with several other GM vehicles.  It’s categorized as a Mid-Sized SUV The GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook, and Chevrolet Traverse are first cousins to the Buick Enclave and generally, they are all alike.

The Enclave appears rather large.  It actually is a good-sized vehicle, designed to carry people or cargo or both.  Buick has a history of being considered a very large vehicle.  I remember my grandmother’s 1950 Buick.  It was dark black with a dark gray interior and really, really big.  It was big inside and outside.  That is how the Enclave appears – big, both inside and outside.  There are enough curves to have that subtle appearance of not being a boring car.  There is adequate chrome, especially around the front end and grill.  The tailgate is sculpted nicely.  This is an attractive vehicle.

Inside, there is enough luxury and distinctiveness to set Enclave slightly ahead of the competition.  There is a satiny metal trim, mahogany wood, a steering wheel wrapped in leather and wood.  The center console is a large armrest that can move forward and backward.  There is a large under-the-floor storage area in the cargo space.  The seats can fold down for hauling more cargo when necessary, rather than the eight passengers.  In all, the marketing folks say that the Enclave can carry 115 cubic feet of stuff.  Seating configuration is either for 7 or 8 passengers, depending upon the second row being a bench or bucket seats.  The third row is a bench seat.

The 2009 Enclave is powered by a 3.6 liter V-6 engine, matched with a six speed automatic transmission.  It produces a respectable 288 horsepower, which is slightly more than last year’s model.  It is rated to tow 4500 lbs, which is adequate for most small trailers or boats.  It comes standard with front wheel drive, although an All-Wheel Drive is available. 

The navigation system in the 2009 Enclave includes real-time traffic updates.  If you have never experienced this feature, it is really special, and comes on many of today’s cars. It announces, verbally, when a lane is closed ahead, you are approaching a traffic jam, or roadwork is causing delays.  This is great for high-volume city driving, but is less a convenience in rural areas.  Heated and cooled front seats have been added since last year, as has a 110 outlet inverter.  A rearview camera is available, which I have also come to appreciate.  It is amazing all the new safety and help features that are available in today’s vehicles that we never thought about when I started driving years ago.

So, whether you want to call the Buick Enclave a Mini-Van, a Station Wagon, an SUV, or a Crossover really doesn’t matter.  It is a terrific vehicle.  It is stylish in appearance, can carry a lot of people or a lot of cargo, and handles well on the road.  Check out the 2009 Enclave at your Buick or General Motors dealership.  In spite of the pressing problems in the car industry today, this might be just the vehicle you have been looking for to meet your family’s needs, wants, and wishes.

(Alan Gell is an experienced journalist, specializing in the automotive industry.  He is an active member of the National Newspaper Association and several auto press groups.  In addition to his newspaper columns and CarColumns.Net website, he produces two radio programs a week, for which he has received several awards.  Alan can be contacted by email at Yelped50551@MyPacks.Net)