“Is this a minivan?” someone asked as they climbed into the 2008 Buick Enclave.  The second-row captain’s chairs do give that impression, but the Enclave is not a minivan.  If anything, it’s the vehicle that killed the minvan, or so Buick would like you to believe.

They’re going to shove the “crossover” designation down your throat, but what the Enclave ought to be called is a station wagon.  That’s what it is at heart, never mind the current marketing unpopularity of the term.  If the third-row seat faced backward and there was wood paneling down the side, this would be a perfect retro Estate Wagon.  New for 2008, the Buick Enclave is the biggest vehicle in the portfolio, and it effectively replaces two vehicles–the Terraza minivan and the Rainier SUV.  Sharing a new body-frame integral platform with the Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia and upcoming Chevrolet Traverse, the Enclave is a people and cargo hauler as well as a bad-weather and rough-road handler.

With so many roles to fill, it’s no surprise that the Enclave is as big as it is.  The extravagant, curvy styling harkens back to classic Buicks, in a very subtle and modern way, and makes the vehicle look even larger.  This definitely isn’t your typical boring people-hauler; it can trace its DNA to the extravagant Buick show car of the same name shown in 2006.  Voluptuous curves catch the eye and the light nicely.  It’s got a toothy chrome Buick grille up front, too.  The high-intensity discharge headlamps are surrounded by a distinctive blue ring that makes the Enclave stand out even at night.  Active headlamps that turn with the front wheels are available.  At the rear, the tailgate is handsomely sculpted and flanked by elaborate taillamps. All those curves and details give the Enclave a distinctively zaftig feel.  This is a large vehicle—it competes with Ford’s just-introduced Flex, as well as the Mercedes R-Class, but the Enclave looks considerably larger than either of those vehicles, though their measurements are about the same.

The interior is one of the best Buick cabins in recent memory.  Mahogany wood and satiny metal trim bisect the dash, which features a handsome dome-shaped analog clock front and center.  GM’s familiar navigation system is available.  The steering wheel is also wrapped in wood and leather.  The second-row seats provide easy access to the third row by collapsing and sliding forward with a single motion.  The mechanism feels rough, even unfinished in its workings, but it definitely provides plenty of space for climbing in.  Other convenience features are also welcome:  the center console’s armrest adjusts fore and aft, the climate control can be adjusted over three different zones, the tailgate is power-operated, XM satellite radio is standard and there is a sizeable under-floor storage cubby in the cargo area.  In fact, there are over twenty storage cubbies hidden throughout the Enclave.  Safety is provided by full side-curtain rollover protection airbags for all three rows of seats, and security is courtesy of the latest-generation OnStar system, which includes a free year of “Directions & Connections” service and automatically calls for emergency assistance if an airbag fires.  A park-assist system combines ultrasonic sensors and a backup camera, and comes in handy considering the Enclave’s visibility-challenged back end.  The people-oriented interior is as comfortable as it is practical; with all of the seats folded, it’ll swallow up to 115.1 cubic feet of cargo.

On the road, the Enclave isn’t always as graceful as its design language.  The five-speed transmission is frequently in too high a gear, and downshifts are slow in coming.  The resulting lackadaisical acceleration heightens the sense of bulk.  The Enclave feels bigger than a minivan, sometimes.  The massive nineteen-inch wheels feel heavy and the steering is slow to react.  On the positive side, it’s got a very comfortable and silent ride, thanks to extensive “quiet-tuning” on the part of Buick’s engineers.  The Enclave may be big, but it definitely doesn’t feel like a truck.  MacPherson struts in the front and an independent rear suspension with linked “H” arms that provide good freeway stability while offering a flat load floor with decent cargo capacity.  StabiliTrak stability control with rollover mitigation is standard equipment.

The Enclave is nicely positioned to seduce disillusioned buyers out of their full-size SUVs, especially the ones who don’t need to tow or haul, but aren’t ready to give up the convenience of all-wheel drive and the security of having a lot of sheetmetal along for the ride.  The 16 city/24 highway fuel economy betters that of most big sport-utes and other eight-passenger vehicles.  A 275-horsepower 3.6 liter V6 engine provides power, and it’s connected to a six-speed automatic transmission that’s geared for maximum fuel economy and smoothness.  The Enclave has an annoying habit of hunting for gears under low-speed acceleration, resulting in irritating surges of not enough power followed by too much.  The gearbox is durable enough for a 4500-pound towing capacity.  The engine itself is smooth, with variable valve timing improving its efficiency and quiet operation that makes this new engine a pleasure to work with.

The Enclave is a nice vehicle, but for a category-busting rethinking of Buick’s corporate philosophy it’s surprisingly mundane.  The excellent, eye-catching styling and comfortable interior are good places to start building a Buick brand for the future, and they’re pleasant reminders of the nameplate’s storied past.   By contrast, the mechanicals aren’t too different from the General Motors and Buick standard, and while they’re modern and in keeping with the times, the Enclave doesn’t exactly break any new ground.  That said, with competition like the Audi Q7, Lexus RX and Volvo XC90 bringing their own brands of luxury, the Enclave’s size and American style enable it to stand out.  Pricing starts at $32,790 for the Enclave CX with two-wheel drive, and goes up by $2000 for all-wheel drive.  My test vehicle was a top of the line CXL with all-wheel drive, a navigation system and a rear-seat DVD player, and the MSRP was $44,055.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2008 Buick Enclave
Length:  201.5 in.
Width:    79.0 in.
Height: 72.5 in.
Wheelbase: 119.0 in.
Curb weight: 4780 lb.
Cargo space: 115.1 cu.ft. (all seats folded)
Towing capacity: 4500 lb.
Engine: 3.6 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain:  six-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive
Horsepower:  275 @ 6600
Torque: 251 @ 3200
Fuel capacity:    22.0 gal.
Est. mileage: 16/24