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Buick’s “That’s a Buick” campaign focused on a younger market. The company portrayed itself as producing cool, sleek cars that would make you forget all about that drab sixth-generation LeSabre your grandmother had that was probably beige. With the “Avenir” sub-brand Buick is extending on that premise, recasting itself for a wealthier (but still young and hip, we swear) customer.
Avenir is the French word for “future.” I had the chance to drive the future’s flagship, the Buick Enclave Avenir luxury SUV, in all its chestnut leather-clad glory, to Northern Michigan and back. The future does not come cheaply. It’s a $60,000 ($59,435 as tested) Buick. After driving it around for a week, that price point does not feel so unreasonable.
The Good: This is for an affluent, multi-child family. The parents want the practicality and the seating capacity of a minivan but swore a blood oath together never to buy one.
Who They’re For: The styling is sharp for a three-row SUV, with more defined lines than the previous generation Enclave. The drive, for a three-row SUV, is eager and agreeable. The responsive 3.6L V6 delivers 310 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. The nine-speed automatic transmission was spot-on during casual and aggressive driving. The Enclave proved itself nimble around the corners on winding backroads. The interior, in the first two rows, is spacious. Six USB ports, a power outlet, and wireless charging should meet all device power-related needs. Climate control was excellent. I’m not sure how I have survived so many summers without ventilated cooling seats.
Watch Out For: The “Avenir Technology Package” – adaptive cruise control, automatic front braking, premium suspension – is a must have. It costs an extra $2,095. Rear visibility checks in somewhere between poor and non-existent: The small rear window tilts upward at an angle; third-row headrests obscure what little you can see (essentially semi-trucks and crossover rooftops); the B-pillar is more of a “near total eclipse” than a “blind spot.” You are mirror dependent. Combine the poor visibility with a wonky, over-engineered PRND shifter with multiple buttons and a proximity warning butt buzzer, and even routine parking becomes a nuisance.
