AFSCME 3357-HOF'S BLOG

2008 Buick Enclave Premieres in L.A.

The 2008 Buick Enclave, Buick's new 3-row crossover, has officially premiered at the Los Angeles Auto Show. This link shows the Buick to have a very impressive interior, with rich-looking materials and impressive versatility. Although I haven't seen the Buick in person, it appears to have Lexus-like interior accommodations. The Enclave features a 270 horsepower 3.6 liter V-6, but at 4900+ lbs., it's not going to be a hotrod. Despite the power and weight, Buick promises minivan-like fuel economy numbers around 17/24 city/highway. That's quite good for a vehicle this size, about the same as the outgoing Buick Rendezvous, which is up to 1000 lbs. lighter, almost a foot-and-a-half shorter, and five inches narrower.

Speaking of size, the exterior dimensions of the Enclave may be its Achilles heel. Spec sheets say the Buick is 202.3 inches long, that's 2 inches longer than my Dodge Grand Caravan minivan. When I close my garage door, if I position my van just right, I have two inches clearance for the garage door to come down. At 79" wide, it's an inch wider than my minivan. If I park perfectly, we can just barely open the car doors enough to get in the car next to the van. An extra inch might be an inch too far. There might be a lot of new Buick Enclave owners who have to break it to their spouses that one of them is going to have to park outside.