Used 2018 Buick Enclave Premium SUV Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2018 Buick Enclave Premium SUV.
Most helpful consumer reviews
In the shop!
Disgusted, Manteno, IL, 10/29/2018
2018 Buick Enclave Premium 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 9A)
Bought the 2018 Enclave last month. 2 days after purchase, vehicle would not engage out of low. Called and dealership immediately sent a tow truck to pick up the vehicle. Did not find out the cause, even though 8 error messages were recorded. Was told the vehicle was reprogrammed and had no problems when they drove it. 232 miles worth. Went 2 weeks without an issue. 3 days ago I could … not back the vehicle out of the garage. After repeating putting the vehicle in reverse, then park 5 times, I decided to put the vehicle in D with my foot on the brake then transition to R. This procedure worked. I backed out of the garage and drove straight to the dealership. That was Thursday morning. This is Sunday. No solution yet. Both issues have to do with the transmission. I will NEVER buy a GM vehicle again.
Update-Received a call from the dealership today. (Monday). GM engineers gave them instructions on what to look for. Dealership could not fix the problem. Engine light still displayed. Sent those results back to GM. Have to wait on GM for next step. Talk of putting me in a new vehicle because if they can’t fix the problem, the “Lemon Law” will take effect. Will update with final result.
Gas gauge and transmission problem
Todd, Ashburn, VA, 01/05/2019
2018 Buick Enclave Premium 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 9A)
Just ran out of gas for the second time in 4 months. The gauge reads over 1/8 of tank and digital reading over 65 miles till empty. First time thought it was a fluke as it happened with less than 2000 miles. Today same thing again with 7000 miles. Clearly a factory setting problem. Bigger issue is old behavior of transmission. Went into neutral going down the road. Would not engage … several times into drive or reverse and required multiple attempts.
Screwed in Kutztown
Carl T., Kutztown, PA, 04/01/2018
2018 Buick Enclave Premium 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 9A)
I had the 2013 Enclave. It was everything as advertised. I loved that car. The shaft bearings went on it and I should have paid the $5k to fix it. However, I thought why not just buy the new designed for 2018. Big mistake. I thought it was just an outside design. However, they changed the design of the front seats (and I guess the back). Made them smaller and you sit on the … structural member of the outside bolsters. Structure pressure point creates pain in the legs and the Lumbar does not completely retract which causes back pain. I can not drive this car for more than 15-20 minutes without having to get out. I wanted to travel cross country with it. Not now. My better half complains about the passengers seat also. I am presently trying to figure out where to position seating pads to prevent different back and leg pains. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR if you are not young and narrowly skinny. Pretty automobile but everytime I look at it I see pain. Kinda like the first snow fall to the painful shoveling of the 10th. However I am very pleased with our Dealership. I traded in the 2018 Enclave "even-up" for a 2017 leftover XT5 Caddy. Nice people.
Not a van but plenty of room for moving
Maurice Lab, New York, NY, 08/13/2018
2018 Buick Enclave Premium 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 9A)
This replaced a 2005 Buick Terazza minivan that had 198765 miles on it. Being we are moving to the mountains of North Carolina, was not sure how many more of the 6 to 8% mountain grades the Terazza was going to be able to take. Purchased the Enclave new and have currently made 2 trips back and forth to the mountains, each time filling the cargo area full. While on the flatland from … Illinois to Kentucky, kept it in FWD and upon hitting the mountains, put it into AWD and turn on towing mode. This works great for keeping the brakes from over heating when going down an 8% mountain grade. Last trip, which we just completed, averaged out to 27.5 MPG, for full trip. High we achieved was 34.9 MPG, while basically coasting down the mountains with towing mode on. Only issue currently, is I've noticed what seems to be transmission slippage between some of the gears.
Edmunds Summary Review of the 2018 Buick Enclave Premium SUV
What’s new
- The Enclave is fully redesigned this year
- Part of the second Enclave generation introduced for 2018
Pros & Cons
- Pro:Generous room for passengers in all three rows
- Pro:Quiet and smooth ride quality
- Pro:Plenty of standard features
- Con:Some advanced safety features only available on the top trim level
Which Enclave does Edmunds recommend?
To take advantage of the luxury positioning of this new Enclave, we recommend the Enclave Premium . It includes low-speed forward collision mitigation, driver seat and mirror position memory, and an upgraded Bose audio system. Front-wheel drive is standard, but get the optional all-wheel drive if you live in snow country.
Full Edmunds Review: 2018 Buick Enclave SUV
Driving
The extra horsepower and reduced weight, along with new transmission, should improve upon the previous generation's somewhat ponderous performance.
Comfort
Active noise canceling reduces extraneous wind, road and powertrain noise. Automatic three-zone climate control is standard, and all trims, aside from the base, benefit from an air ionizer. The available adaptive suspension should further help smooth out the ride.
Interior
Buick's seven-seat configuration should provide ample room for second-row and third-row passengers. Getting in and out is further helped this year by a tilt-up second-row seat that can provide quick access to the third row, even with a child safety seat installed.
Utility
With all rear seats folded down, you have a very large load floor. Standard roof rails can handle optional crossbars to load bulky and large items on the roof. Maximum cargo space is less than last year, but it's still healthy at 97.6 cubic feet.
Technology
Smartphone integration is standard, and advanced driver assist functions are only available in higher trim vehicles. The Essence and Premium can be optioned with a Bose speaker system, and the Avenir can be equipped with stop-and-go adaptive cruise control.
Edmunds Insurance Estimator
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2018 Buick Enclave in Ohio is:
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