Drove the Enclave Today

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by likearock00

I was thinking the exact same thing.

Remember our beloved Buick only 4-5 years ago? The Enclave was the first good thing to come to Buick in a long time. It was cherished by all for it's top notch quality and high class. Now it looks like a sore spot in the lineup. I applaud GM for it's stunning work done with the Lacrosse. It is truly high class, but is now getting close to Cadillac territory. I hate to say it, but Buick may need to hold the Lacrosse as it's flagship and work on Cadillac a bit more.

It would appear as though that's what they're doing. Buick's future products all slot below the LaCrosse. Perhaps GM is using Buick to pull in some cash so they can properly work on Cadillac.

[bradyholt]

Originally Posted by chevyman1973

When are people going to be happy with gm's interiors? They are so much better than they use to be, and are only getting better!

Everyone's interiors are improving. To stay competitive, you can't just improve, but you have to improve faster than everyone else.

[HoeyHimself]

Originally Posted by chevyman1973

When are people going to be happy with gm's interiors? They are so much better than they use to be, and are only getting better!

I know what you are saying, but is that the best way to look at it? I mean, I am not cross-shopping new GM cars with 10 year old GM cars. The LaCrosse creeps up to $40k..interior looks great..but it needs to strive to be far better than the competition, not settle for just being better than its outgoing model.

[Simon says]

Originally Posted by HoeyHimself

The LaCrosse is lightyears better than the Enclave, but it could still benefit from better materials. I wish General Motors would go to school and takes notes from Professor Audi...piano black trim, aluminum touches around vents and the controls (rather than plastic chrome..eww), along with alcantara headliners and pillers would be a nice start..

That sounds very much like professor Ford too . . . just saying.

[maxim5928]

Gawd, you people fry me. The Enclave is beautiful, quiet, smooth riding, luxurious, etc. etc. There's NOTHING wrong with the interior. Stop nit-picking! Geesh!

[Extreme4x4]

Why thank you for your contribution, Mr Good enough is good enough.

I hate to tell you this, but as others have said, the competition is not sitting still. Hopefully GM has a MCE planned, to correct some of the flaws in the Enclave.

If they just sit around patting themselves on the back, they will be back to see the judge, before you know it.

[CadiEldo67]

I never realized how old the center stack looked until you pointed this out. Of course if someone inserted a pic of a Rendezvous... the Enclave would look amazing.

[Ed753]

At least show the upgraded Rendezvous interior, it does look much better than the base model.

A couple of my bug-a-boos, with GM's interiors:
1) Door handles, if I have to strain to jam, just 2 of my fat fingers into it, its too small, if it feels like it about to break-off, even worse.

My Rendezvous has some large and meaty, metal (chrome) inside door handles.

2) The "across the board" GM steering wheel, That Enclave steering wheel is the same as how many other GM cars?

While it nice that the radio buttons are familiar to me, because its the same as my Sierra (sans the center logo) The steering wheel is what you see when your driving. (Am I driving a $20K Chevy W/T or a $40K Enclave)

[goochman]

As an owner of an Enclave it has nothing to apologize for. There is alot of goodness in the Enclave vs the competition in the same price range. We like to compare the Enclave to the Lexus RX series however price wise is comes in lower.

I would also hope the Lacrosse interior is nicer than the Enclave since it is coming out 3 years later.

Having said all that - GM cannot sit on the current interior another 3 years without an MCE. Outside the design still works well - inside the center stack and maybe some new gauges would be on tap for freshening.

[civilzues]

Take a minute to realize what I am saying, isn't it great that we get to complain about the Enclave! I think its awesome...

[jkr2106]

Originally Posted by goochman

As an owner of an Enclave it has nothing to apologize for. There is alot of goodness in the Enclave vs the competition in the same price range. We like to compare the Enclave to the Lexus RX series however price wise is comes in lower.

I would also hope the Lacrosse interior is nicer than the Enclave since it is coming out 3 years later.

Having said all that - GM cannot sit on the current interior another 3 years without an MCE. Outside the design still works well - inside the center stack and maybe some new gauges would be on tap for freshening.

Also as an owner I can say this is a phenomenal vehicle. Whenever I come home from school I swipe it from my grandparents. At the same time, I fully agree with the OP. This car is good enough but if Buick and GM are serious about turning the brand and company around, it's going to take being class leading. The LaCrosse is class leading in the entry-level lux marketplace (regardless of vehicle class). And unless we're getting a new Enclave by 2012, the spirit and attention to detail of that LaX interior needs to be in the Enclave by the 2011 model year (which will be the fourth year).

[Michael_S]

Originally Posted by donbanjo

Nice! hope they start turbocharging the V6 3.6 engine to 450HP like ford ecoboost but much better and higher HP

It's a nice dream, but it won't happen.

GM has rear wheel drive and rear wheel drive-based four wheel drive setups that can handle monstrous amounts of engine power.

GM does not have any front wheel drive and front wheel drive-based four wheel drive setups that can handle that much power. The Buick Enclave and LaCrosse have front wheel drive engine setups. They won't be getting 350 horsepower, let alone 450, any time soon.

GM discontinued its most powerful front drive vehicle, the Impala SS. It had 303 horsepower and 323 foot pounds of torque, and the rumor is that they canceled it because transmissions didn't last long. Right now the most powerful is the Cadillac SRX turbo, with a relatively disappointing 300 horsepower and 300 (or is it 295?) foot pounds of torque. That's not awful, but it's not going to run with an Ecoboost Lincoln MKT.

[HoeyHimself]

Originally Posted by Simon says

That sounds very much like professor Ford too . . . just saying.

If I sat in a Lincoln with alcantara I would have a heart attack...that is another 20 years from making it in to domestic cars at large..at least 20 years.

[goblue]

I would agree it needs an MCE on the center stack.

[ARCANGEL]

Originally Posted by HoeyHimself

If I sat in a Lincoln with alcantara I would have a heart attack...that is another 20 years from making it in to domestic cars at large..at least 20 years.

I do not believe that it is 20 years away! You could see it soon in ford products maybe just Lincoln at first. Who knows about GM