2020 Buick Enclave

As you'd expect from an SUV that advertises itself as a rival to more refined luxury brands, the Buick Enclave is a composed driver. Even without the available adaptive suspension, the crossover delivers a soft and quiet ride that puts it a step or two above run-of-the-mill rivals. Almost all road imperfections are absorbed in the portly Enclaves stride.

Following the same trend of comfort and convenience over performance, the steering is light and precise, tuned towards stately town driving, with capable highway cruising abilities. Don't expect much communication from the wheels, though - they are just as silent as the ride quality. The brakes are more than powerful enough to stop the hefty SUV, and pedal inputs are well-modulated.

For such a bulky vehicle, the Enclave handles itself quite well, with body roll managed without much notice at everyday speeds. Push the wanna-be luxury family car a bit, though, and its limits come clearly into focus, alarmingly quickly. This is no road athlete. But, so long as you drive like an average Joe, the Buick will make you feel like royalty on the road. Just don't look too closely at your throne and you won't notice the fool's gold.

In review, there is not much overtly wrong with the Buick Enclave. It has a capable powertrain, plenty of standard features, ample passenger space, and quite a bit of cargo space compared to similarly-sized rivals. And yet, it doesn't score that well in most critics' opinions.

This is because Buick once again does as it always has: it packages the same features and characteristics you can find on its cheaper brands in the more premium veneer of the luxury nameplate, expecting buyers to pay more for the sake of status.

The Enclave's cheaper sibling, the Chevy Traverse, can give you everything the pricier Buick can, including the same levels of power and utility, at significantly less cost. But, looking outside the family, there are far more popular midsize SUVs on the market in the USA, like the eminently capable Honda Pilot. Spec these crossovers up, and they can match the Enclave in terms of luxury and comfort, and usually surpass it since they don't cut corners like Buick does in terms of materials and build quality.

Still, the Enclave's handsome cabin and comfortable, quiet ride have helped keep the near-luxury SUV in the running. But savvy buyers will see Buick for the snake-oil salesman it is, and look elsewhere to find value for their hard-earned money.

Sharing almost everything in common with the more 'premium' Buick Enclave, the Chevrolet Traverse is naturally a direct competitor to its sibling. In terms of features, both SUVs draw from the same list. Moving up the trim levels, all that really sets the two apart is the choice of materials and styling. That's not to say the Traverse is less attractive than the Enclave, but it doesn't try to hide its hard plastics from view. In fact, the Chevy actually matches its sibling crossover in every performance metric while managing to beat it in utility by offering more cargo capacity. You can pick up the top-tier Traverse at a lower cost than the Buick Enclave Avenir, so it's clear which brand offers better value for money. Still, Buick represents the illusion of exclusivity, and that's what many buyers are willing to pay extra for.

A cousin of the Buick Enclave, the GMC Acadia is a particularly affordable alternative when shopping for a midsize SUV. It offers two powertrains, the standard 193-hp four-cylinder and a six-cylinder that matches the 310-hp one under the hood of the Enclave. But, while the Acadia is a bit quicker than the Buick, it isn't quite as strong, towing a full 1,000 lbs less. It also supplies less cargo capacity as a result of its slightly smaller overall dimensions. Nevertheless, the GMC looks good inside, and comes with many, if not all, of the same features as the more premium Enclave. However, only buyers who are willing to sacrifice overall utility and a bit of passenger comfort for a cost-saving will consider the Acadia over the more capable Buick.