2009 Buick Enclave CX

Not your father’s Buick (and that’s a good  thing)

By Nina Russin

2009 Buick Enclave

When I was a kid, the coolest car on the block was a  Buick Wildcat that one of the neighbors owned. Its Nailhead V-8 engine roared like a tiger; the air filter was the size of a landing strip. When I looked under the hood of that car, I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.

As time passed, Buick lost its path: sporty Invictas gave way to milk toast sedans. As a result, the circle of Buick loyalists aged and shrank: a subject of justifiable concern to company execs. Buick needed a clean sheet of paper. The Enclave cross-utility vehicle is just that.

With seating for up to eight passengers, the Buick Enclave is an affordable cross-utility vehicle for young families on the go. Available with either front or all-wheel drive, the Enclave has the features active buyers look for: a V-6 engine with good gas mileage, and a versatile interior.

Available all-wheel drive improves the Enclave’s all-weather performance. Towing capacity is 4500 pounds.

Standard OnStar automatically notifies police and emergency medical personnel when the airbags deploy. Other standard safety features include antilock brakes, stability control, front, side and side curtain airbags.

While the Enclave’s base price of $34,130 puts it in our luxury class, the car is less expensive than other vehicles in its competitive segment. GM’s powertrain warranty covers any repairs due to manufacturing up to 100,000 miles. Read the rest of this entry »