The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Sleek lines for a big SUV
- Luxurious interior
- Approachable infotainment
- Supple ride
Dislikes
- Can get pricey
- So-so fuel economy
- Never fully disguises its heft
Buying tip
features & specs
The 2023 Buick Enclave serves up a luxurious ride for passengers in all three rows.
What kind of vehicle is the 2023 Buick Enclave? What does it compare to?
The 2023 Enclave is Buick’s biggest model, a three-row crossover SUV that does battle with the Mazda CX-9 and Subaru Ascent as well as the Acura MDX.
Is the 2023 Buick Enclave a good car/SUV?
Polished, comfortable, and well-equipped, the Enclave is held back only by lousy fuel-economy ratings. It scores a 6.2 out of 10 on the TCC scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2023 Buick Enclave?
The Enclave moves into 2023 with few tweaks aside from a couple of new paint colors. Sold in Essence, Premium, and Avenir trims, the Enclave comes in either front- or all-wheel-drive configurations. A smooth 3.6-liter V-6 rated at 310 hp sends power to the wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission. Comfort-oriented suspension tuning helps make the Enclave a road warrior worth coveting, though 20 mpg combined with all-wheel drive will spell lots of fuel stops.
Inside, the Enclave is spacious and luxurious, especially in range-topping Avenir guise. Though there’s no three-seat middle-row bench available, the Enclave stands out by being able to accommodate three adult passengers in the third row.
All models use an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone projection, and standard safety tech includes automatic emergency braking and active lane control.
In what crash tests have been performed, the Enclave has earned good marks overall.
How much does the 2023 Buick Enclave cost?
The 2023 Buick Enclave starts in the mid-$40,000 range, though we’d spend up for the Premium trim with its heated and cooled front seats, leather upholstery, and power tailgate.
Where is the 2023 Buick Enclave made?
In Lansing, Michigan.
2023 Buick Enclave Styling
Subtly stylish, the 2023 Buick Enclave is a good-looking big SUV.
Is the Buick Enclave a good-looking SUV?
Though its two-box profile is nothing new, the 2023 Buick Enclave wears its curvy bod with pride. We rate it at 7 out of 10, with points above average for interior and exterior style.
An update last year brought fresh styling to the Enclave lineup, including a broad grille flanked by narrow headlights that almost disappear into the fenders. That shield-style grille gets split by a single rib of chrome, which is pinned down by a Buick badge like a tasteful piece of jewelry. Swoopy styling from the side makes its way to a more conventional, but almost sporty rear end, with a boomerang of chrome that echoes back toward the cabin and its likely Boomer-age occupants. Avenir trim drips on more chrome, though not necessarily to great effect.
Inside, the Enclave is understated and simple. A dramatic, asymmetrical band of trim sweeps across the dash, circling the touchscreen and tapering to a close on the passenger side of the cockpit. Subtle an elegant, it wears quilted leather in the Avenir edition. Its prime appeal may lie in the gorgeous combination of colors, plus a wide array of upscale materials not necessarily expected at this price point.
2023 Buick Enclave Performance
The 2023 Buick Enclave pampers but doesn’t entertain.
Is the Buick Enclave 4WD?
It can be, though front-wheel drive is standard. The Essence trim uses a simple all-wheel-drive system, while Premium and Enclave trims swap in a high-tech twin-clutch system that delivers excellent slippery road traction and even aids cornering grip.
How fast is the Buick Enclave?
While not a natural athlete, the 2023 Buick Enclave delivers good moves over the road. The 310-hp V-6 teams well with the 9-speed automatic transmission, though the gearbox lever can frustrate. This big 3.6-liter V-6 may lack the turbocharger seen on some rivals, but it furnishes linear acceleration and a refined, upscale feel. All that sound deadening helps, too.
The Enclave’s real trick is in its ride quality, which helps even models with big 20-inch wheels swallow up big bumps without disturbing passengers. Avenir versions swap in adaptive dampers that do an even better job filtering out bumps and potholes. Responsive steering and excellent highway composure further its road-trip credentials, though winding roads reveal considerable body lean.
Properly equipped, the Enclave can lug up to 5,000 lb of trailer, too.
We land at a 6 out of 10 on the TCC scale thanks to the Enclave’s ride.
2023 Buick Enclave Comfort & Quality
The 2023 Buick Enclave has a top-notch cabin.
With the Enclave, Buick has created a spacious three-row people mover with upscale intentions. It’s an 8 out of 10 on the TCC scale thanks to its comfortable cabin and luxurious amenities.
It should be spacious, since it stretches nearly 205 inches long. Measure your garage before parking an Enclave in it. Power-adjustable buckets up front can add heating, cooling, and massaging for an extra cost, and Buick will wrap them in several grades of upholstery topping out with ultra-soft leather in the Avenir..
Wide doors make for easy access to the second row, which has two captain’s chairs (but no three-seat bench option) with nearly 39 inches of leg room. Even the third row can comfortably accommodate three adults in a pinch, without too much pinching.
The cargo area expands from about 24 cubic feet behind the third row to a maximum capacity of nearly 98 cubes.
All Enclave trims have nice trim inside, but the Avenir is a clear step above with its softer leather and gorgeous hues. It should be nice considering how much it costs, anyway.
2023 Buick Enclave Safety
We’re still waiting on a full range of crash-test results for the 2023 Buick Enclave.
How safe is the Buick Enclave?
It’s well-equipped with crash-avoidance tech, but we only have limited crash-test data. For now, the 2023 Buick Enclave scores a 6 out of 10, with room to grow.
The IIHS has conducted some testing and found mostly “Good” scores. The NHTSA gives it four stars overall in front-wheel-drive form and five stars overall with AWD.
Standard tech earns its extra point here; it includes automatic emergency braking, active lane control, blind-spot monitors, rear parking sensors, and automatic high beams, while adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, and a surround-view camera system are optional.
2023 Buick Enclave Features
The 2023 Buick Enclave pampers with its luxurious interior.
The 2023 Enclave lineup starts at $46,195 in Essence trim, which buys leather seats that are heated up front, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and 18-inch alloy wheels, plus a host of crash-avoidance features.
A 3-year/36,000-mile warranty is bolstered somewhat by 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage.
Those assets bring the 2023 Enclave to an 8 on the TCC scale.
Which Buick Enclave should I buy?
We’d spend the extra $7,000 for the Enclave Premium, which adds a ton of extra luxuries including Bose audio, a head-up display system, cooled front seats, heated second-row seats, a rear camera mirror, and an HD backup camera.
On all versions, all-wheel drive adds an extra $2,000.
How much is a fully loaded Buick Enclave?
The Enclave Avenir runs $58,865, which buys adaptive cruise control, a huge sunroof, automatic windshield wipers, a more advanced automatic emergency braking system, and 20-inch wheels. If you’re spending that much, you might as well add the Technology package for its adaptive dampers, which do a nice job canceling out the choppier ride provided by those bigger wheels.
2023 Buick Enclave Fuel Economy
We’d like to see a hybrid version of the 2023 Buick Enclave.
Is the Buick Enclave good on gas?
It’s not bad for what it is—a big, heavy SUV with decent power. Figure 17 mpg city, 25 highway, 20 combined with all-wheel drive, or 18/26/21 mpg with front-wheel drive.
Still, an Enclave hybrid would certainly bring things closer to the mid-20s in the Explorer Hybrid, or even the mid-30s seen in the Toyota Highlander.
