2019 Buick Enclave AvenirDerek McNaughton / Driving OVERVIEW Large SUV with seating for seven PROSQuiet and comfortable ride, cargo space CONSExpensive, not very powerful, depreciation VALUE FOR MONEYPoor WHAT TO CHANGE?Drop the Avenir sub-brand altogether HOW TO SPEC IT?Premium trim The exodus of minivan buyers is all but complete. GM and Ford stopped building minivans so long ago, it’s hard to remember what the Venture or Windstar looked like. Toyota hasn’t significantly updated the Sienna since Wii became a thing, and the ink is almost dry on the eulogy for the Dodge Grand Caravan. Where did all those minivan buyers go? To the large SUV, of course — a segment that, much like the minivan era 15 years ago, is itself beginning to look as old as Clint Eastwood. As families grow smaller and fewer in number, and as the population in general ages, it’s hard not to wonder how much longer the sun will shine on the large SUV segment when so many small and compact utilities are filling the void of their bigger siblings. Never mind the rising price of fuel: people are just not moving that many people anymore. It’s into this sea that GM has set sail the seven-passenger 2019 Buick Enclave Avenir, a sub brand meant to demarcate this as Buick’s “highest expression of luxury.” Problem is, the Enclave Avenir is much more modest than a Mercedes, Infiniti, BMW or Audi with which it competes in the three-row, people-mover market. The Enclave Avenir feels and looks more like a finely-tailored GM — which is not to say the Enclave itself isn’t worthy of consideration, because this SUV has some genuine strengths. But at $62,100 to start for the Avenir, the value equation doesn’t square with a category filled with so many luxurious marque players. So, what do you get for all that money? For sure, there’s a long list of unique styling bits and plenty of standard features, including Evonik Acrylite exterior lighting technology, with bi-functional LED projector headlights and LED taillights and turn signals. A rear camera mirror (which can be disorientating) reveals a broad, clear view of anything behind the Buick. In-vehicle ionization is supposed to make cabin air cleaner and fresher, which could be especially useful on road trips after a dinner stop at Taco Bell. An exclusive chestnut and ebony interior comes with embossed leather seats, unique leather-and-polished steering wheel, and plenty of soft touch materials. Outside, a mesh grille, 20-inch polished wheels and Avenir badges further set the Buick apart. Buick’s “QuietTuning” incorporates so much sound-deadening, thicker glass and door sealing throughout the body that, with active noise cancelling on board, the quietness of the ride is not much louder than a sleeping baby. Buick suspensions use coil spring isolators, which also iron out ride imperfections, and the brand’s shock absorbers work to stabilize the ride over potholes craters in the road. Indeed, ride quality might be this Buick’s biggest draw next to handling that feels surprisingly good for something slightly larger than a Beluga. Body lean is minimal and steering is light but accurate, with a tight turning circle. Even though the Avenir is not terribly powerful, it feels fun to drive. Indeed, highway cruising is so silent the SUV almost feels electric. Some tire noise was evident because of the winter treads, but wind and engine noise is greatly contained. It’s easy to talk to a passenger in one of the two, middle row seats. (There is no middle bench seat in the Avenir). The engine, a 302-horsepower 3.6L V6 paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission, is largely free of vibration and coarseness, though it lacks the inherent smoothness of a V8 or straight six. The transmission is impressive, though, shifting cleanly and smartly and not hunting too long for downshifts, and there is a tow mode, although the optional tow package is required to raise max towing from 1,500 lbs to 5,000 lbs. Not everyone will like the electronic shift lever with a push button for Park, but it didn’t bother me. Considering its size, average fuel economy was respectable at 11.9 L/100 kilometres — most of that achieved in very cold weather. Heated and cooled front seats, heated second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel are standard on Avenir. The seats are wide and comfy. Middle row seats, which can slide fore and aft, also get auto-climate control. Third-row access is good with a passenger side seat that can, like Nissan’s Pathfinder, fold forward even with a child seat in place. As it was winter during the test, the Enclave was kept in AWD, but it might have sipped a little less fuel by uniquely becoming a front-wheel-drive vehicle via the push of a button on the dash. The button disconnects all but the rear half shafts from the transmission, effectively transforming it from AWD to FWD. In AWD, an active twin-clutch rear differential can also help in the snow. Equipped with winter
Origin: SUV Review: 2019 Buick Enclave Avenir