2021 Buick Enclave Review

Name: 2021 Buick Enclave
Brand: Buick

Price Range: $18,900 - $31,525

2021 Buick Enclave Avenir 4dr SUV Exterior

Good

7.7

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

The 2021 Buick Enclave is a close cousin of the Chevrolet Traverse but slightly dressed up. It's a well-rounded three-row SUV with plenty of power and space, but it's also one of the priciest choices, even if it doesn't appear so from an interior-quality perspective. There are certainly more compelling SUVs in this segment, but the Enclave is worth a look if you fancy a quiet and comfortable ride that's easy to wheel around town.

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Buick Enclave model years

Buick Enclave for Sale

Pros

Generous cargo and passenger room
Quiet and smooth ride
Plenty of standard features
Lots of device charging solutions

Cons

Many advanced safety features only available on top trim levels
Pricier than non-luxury rivals, but cabin materials aren't much nicer
Thirstier than V6-powered competitors

What's new

No significant changes for 2021
Part of the second Enclave generation introduced for 2018

Overview

Written by automotive expert Mark Takahashi

9/29/2020

The 2021 Buick Enclave is a midsize three-row SUV that's positioned somewhere between mainstream and entry-level luxury brands. That means it's more expensive than models such as the Chevrolet Traverse (which it's related to) and the Honda Pilot but not as expensive as an Acura MDX or Audi Q7.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Ashburn, VA

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2021 Buick Enclave
Avenir 4dr SUV
$18,900
great price
$3,146 below market
- 95,613 miles
- 7 Seats, 17 City / 25 Hwy MPG
- 53 mi away
- Home delivery*
- AWD/4WD
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
- Sunroof/Moonroof
Close
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
** OVER 30,000 VEHICLES SOLD, TWO LOCATION TO SERVE YOU, 400+ VEHICLES IN STOCK, visit www.AlphaMS.com to view our inventory, BEST PRICES IN TOWN ** N...
Features and Specs:
20 Combined MPG (17 City/25 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN:
5GAEVCKW4MJ196570
Stock:
S196570
Certified Pre-Owned:
No
Price Drop
2021 Buick Enclave
Essence 4dr SUV
$21,791
good price
$1,399 below market
- 80,245 miles
- 7 Seats, 18 City / 26 Hwy MPG
- 106 mi away
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
- Sunroof/Moonroof
Close
Located in Richmond, VA
The 2021 Buick Enclave Essence is a sophisticated and versatile SUV that combines premium style, advanced technology, and impressive capability. With ...
Features and Specs:
21 Combined MPG (18 City/26 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN:
5GAERBKW3MJ201241
Stock:
J260933A
Certified Pre-Owned:
No
Listed since:
06-23-2026

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You do get a quiet and smooth ride, which you expect from Buick. The Enclave's interior is also quite large and can hold plenty of cargo, even with its third-row seat in use. But overall we don't find this big Buick SUV offers quite enough to make it a compelling alternative to our top-rated SUVs such as the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. Read our Expert Rating to learn more of our take on the 2021 Enclave.

Edmunds Expert Rating

edmunds TESTED

by the Edmunds Experts

Good

7.7

out of 10

We drove the 2021 Buick Enclave on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.

Performance

8/10

How does the Enclave drive? The Enclave is one of the quicker-accelerating midsize SUVs around, needing only 7 seconds to scoot to 60 mph. The transmission is responsive yet operates smoothly and seamlessly, which makes for a very nice combination. The Enclave also handles quite well for a big three-row SUV, never feeling ponderous or unwieldy. Its steering provides easy maneuverability at parking lot speeds and good highway stability, while the brakes make it easy to come to a smooth stop.

Comfort

8/10

How comfortable is the Enclave? Most three-row SUVs offer good comfort in the first two rows, and the Enclave is no exception. There's nice seat and armrest padding throughout the cabin, and although the third row isn't quite as comfortable, it can accommodate adults, unlike the back rows of some competitors. Air vents for every row are a plus.

The Enclave offers stellar ride quality, even without the optional adaptive suspension, and the cabin is very well insulated from outside cabin noise. Our only complaint stems from some interior squeaks as materials rub against each other when the body flexes over low-speed bumps.

Interior

8/10

How’s the interior? The Enclave's simple cabin layout may be a bit boring, but it also makes it easy to use. Its abundance of room and ability to slide the second-row captain's chairs make for a very comfortable cabin when you're not carrying a full load. Getting in and out is a cinch with the Enclave's relatively low ride height. Another benefit of the standard captain's chairs is an easy path to the third row.

Visibility is good, though we might appreciate sideview mirrors that are slightly larger. Otherwise, the square windows leave little hidden, and the optional comprehensive camera system helps you avoid fixed objects when parking or backing out of spaces.

Technology

7.5/10

How’s the tech? Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have become necessities for many shoppers nowadays, and the Enclave includes them as standard equipment, along with a total of six USBs strewn throughout the cabin. The optional Bose audio system delivers the quality sound you'd expect at this level. And although there's less of a need for it, the onboard navigation is easy to use, if not a little dated-looking.

For those who need to be connected beyond their smartphones, a 4G LTE hotspot is still available if you sign up for a data plan, as are the app-controlled telematic functions (e.g., remote locking/unlocking, engine start). There are some advanced driver aids available, but hardly any are standard equipment.

Storage

9/10

How’s the storage? If cargo space is what you need, then the Enclave is your class champion. By the numbers, it has a huge cargo area (23.6 cubic feet) behind the rear seats and a whopping 98 cubic feet with all the rows folded. Our tester featured electronically folding third-row seats, which is a nice convenience.

The cabin features a decent amount of small-item storage throughout, with the most usable space probably the two-tier center armrest bin. The bonus storage compartment underneath the shifter is made possible by Buick's fully electronic shifter. There's plenty of room for car seats. And the car seat anchors on either of the captain's chairs are fairly accessible but not as easy to find as they are on some other Buick vehicles.

Fuel Economy

6/10

How’s the fuel economy? At an EPA-estimated 21 mpg combined with all-wheel drive, the Enclave is a little less efficient than the competition. Kia's Telluride returns 21 mpg, and a Toyota Highlander gets an estimated 23 mpg with AWD.

Value

6.5/10

Is the Enclave a good value? Value is where the Enclave falls flat, pricing itself out of the hunt especially in our tester's high-end Avenir trim. There are nice aspects to the cabin but too many other things — such as trim, switchgear and panels that squeak as they rub against each other — make it feel cheaper than others costing thousands less. The absence of adaptive cruise control at this price doesn't help either.

The Enclave is also one of the least efficient vehicles in this segment, which is a trade-off for being the most powerful. As far as warranty and ownership, Buick is better than average, though not as strong as Kia or Volkswagen.

Wildcard

7/10

The Enclave is a bit of a dark horse. It's surprisingly well rounded. But it doesn't strike us as a vehicle people are aspiring to own, especially not at the asking price. It's not a fun vehicle, but it is a pleasant one.

If Buick could spruce up the interior, spice up the exterior, and bring the price down to a more competitive figure, it would definitely catch the attention of more shoppers.

Build Your 2026 Enclave

At a Glance:

6 Colors
3 Trims
4 Packages
$45,200starting MSRP

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The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price excludes destination freight charge, tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment. Dealer sets final price. Click here to see all Buick vehicles' destination freight charges.

2021 Buick Enclave trim level differences

The 2021 Buick Enclave is offered in four trims: Preferred, Essence, Premium and Avenir. All models receive a 3.6-liter V6 engine (310 horsepower, 266 lb-ft) that's paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The base Preferred trim is only available with front-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive is available on other trims. The Enclave can accommodate seven passengers, with the second row featuring two captain's chairs and a three-seat 60/40-split folding bench in the third row.

The base Preferred trim comes well appointed with feature highlights that include: Compare the 2021 Buick Enclave trim levels in-depth.

Which Enclave trim does Edmunds recommend?

Go for the Premium trim. You're buying an Enclave because of its slightly more upscale vibe, so might as well make the most of it. The Premium adds plenty of convenience, tech and safety features that are comparable to what the Enclave's competition offers.

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$209/mo

$272/mo

Avg. Large SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

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Reliability

The 2021 Buick Enclave has a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic warranty and 2 recalls. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5, ranks it #25 out of 32 among Midsize SUVs. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

3.5 out of 5 stars3.5/5Above Average

#25 out of 32 among Midsize SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

$574/yr

vs. $485/yr
for Average Midsize SUV

Frequency

1.24x/yr

vs. 1.18x/yr
for Average Midsize SUV

Severity

17.4%

vs. 13.5%
for Average Midsize SUV

Recalls

2 recalls found

Checking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.

If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).

Recall Number:: 22V210000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: N212352140
Number of vehicles affected:: 89
Defect Description:: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse and 2021-2022 Buick Enclave vehicles. The harness connector to the left or right side roof rail air bag may have incompatible electrical terminals, which could prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash.
Defect Consequence:: Roof rail air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Corrective Action:: Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212352140.

Recall Number:: 21V472000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: N212340220
Number of vehicles affected:: 6
Defect Description:: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave vehicles. During service by dealers, certain vehicles may have received incorrect air bag calibration software that may affect frontal airbag deployment.
Defect Consequence:: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury.
Corrective Action:: Dealers will update the air bag calibration software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 29, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N212340220.

Warranty

3 years / 36,000 miles Basic Warranty

Basic Warranty: 3 years / 36,000 miles
Drivetrain Warranty: 5 years / 60,000 miles
Rust Warranty: 6 years / 100,000 miles
Roadside assistance Warranty: 5 years / 60,000 miles
Free maintenance Warranty: 1 years / unlimited miles

Buick Enclave Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.0

41 reviews

5(61%)

4(15%)

3(2%)

2(2%)

1(20%)

See all 41 reviews of the Buick Enclave

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Best SUV I’ve driven...now own

pjkPA, 06/17/2020

2020 Buick Enclave Preferred 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 9A)

This ‘professional’ review cons MPG but I just got a easy 28mpg on a 450 mile trip over mountains to NY ... 310hp .. two people with lots of luggage ... I call that pretty good. I got 23 MPG in a rented new RAV4 last year on same trip. When I hear ‘interior materials’ the red flag goes up that screams .. this reviewer doesn’t know what they are talking about ... I want to hear about …

Luxury at a decent price

Chris, 03/05/2020

2020 Buick Enclave Avenir 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 9A)

VERY quiet ride, loaded with technology that I’m still learning about. I love most every thing about it. I discovered 2 shortcomings that were available in my 2009 Enclave: the shade on the panoramic sunroof over the second row is now manual instead of powered; the front passenger window now does not now have auto up and down. The gear shift is a major departure from what was available …

Is Avenir worth it?

amiller, 09/13/2022

2021 Buick Enclave Avenir 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 9A)

(Sep 2022) In Aug 2021 I traded a 2017 Enclave Premium for a 2021 Enclave Avenir. The 2017 was a fine car but I am pushing 70 and I wanted the safety features (cameras) of the Avenir. I should've bought the Avenir model the first time but I didn't know what I was missing. I'm a bang-for-the-buck shopper. The 2017 was on sale and now so was the 2021. I never see a foreign-built new car … marked down by $10,000 or $12,000 but GM does. The other cars that I was interested in were new to the market, in high demand, and at full MSRP plus a premium. Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, Nissan Pathfinder, KIA Telluride, etc were absent from the lots -- but Buick had cars and deals. So now I've had 13 months and 12,000 miles to drive the Avenir (I don't like to do reviews right off the sales lot). I took it on a 6,700 mile road trip. I traded from a black exterior to white. No real changes in interior/exterior other than more comfortable front seating (maybe GM improved the plumbing for the air conditioned seats) and a built-in phone charger. I gained the camera rearview mirror as well as front and side and trailer hitch cameras. The suspension is smoother and quieter with the magnetic shocks and there is a sport mode added to the tour and trailer modes. Gas mileage is 24-26/highway and 17-19/city. It's a big car but it doesn't feel that big. (I tested the updated 2022 Buick Envision Avenir-- nice, but a lot less car for the same price.) The lane-keeping assist works well without being as pushy as the 2017 model. Enclaves still have the flimsy, manually retractable sunroof shade. Since I rarely open the sunroof, it doesn't matter anymore. I would have liked AWD but GM doesn't seem to ship very many AWD equipped cars to the sunbelt. UPDATE: This is my second Enclave, the first being a 2018 and, if I remember correctly, it was a Premium model. I upgraded to an Avenir because I wanted the surround camera, camera rear view mirror, massaging seats, and a lighter color. It was marked down about $10,000 from MSRP and was used as a loaner but had less than 2,000 miles on the odometer. After 3 years of ownership it now has 33,000 miles of use. I’ve taken it to the east coast 3 or 4 times and it averages 25-26 mpg on the interstate. Overall it indicates 24 mpg for the 33,000 mi. I always used regular octane fuel. The Enclave has had no mechanical or electrical issues and is very reliable. I get synthetic oil with every change and take the recommended updates that the dealer suggests. The brakes and tires are original. The 3.6L V-6 works. I don’t think I would want the 2L turbo that’s in the newer Enclaves. Even the dealer’s service department doesn’t have too high of an opinion of the 4 cylinder engines, even when it’s mounted in a smaller vehicle. 2 of my neighbors quickly traded in their Cadillac XT-4s because of engine/tranny problems. Comfort wise, the Enclave handles smoothly, is quiet, and comfortable. I like the speed control and the way it holds a set distance behind the vehicle in front. I’ve never gotten in a situation to test the automatic braking to see if it will actually bring the car to a stop to avoid a collision. The interior is roomy and the front seats are comfortable enough. I sat in the middle captain’s seats and noticed that position isn’t as comfortable — the seat itself is OK but there is a motion that is more noticeable back there, and maybe more noise, too. There’s plenty of luggage room, even with the third row being used, which is another reason (besides the engine) why I like the Enclave over its shorter GMC and Cadillac sisters. The Chevy Traverse is the same but I think the Buick is more car for the money. The center console is deep with a removable top tray and I added another tray inside so it stores a lot. The one thing I added was a set of WeatherTech no-drill mudflaps. One difference between the 2018 and 2021 Enclave: GM took out the cabin air ionizer. Maybe they found out it didn’t make a difference but when a builder starts de-contenting a product, it just seems like they’re getting cheap. Now, they’ve gone to cheap engines, Next, it’ll be CVTs.

Great car for the price but some features declined

WTI, 02/04/2020

2020 Buick Enclave Essence 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 9A)

Had a 2008 Enclave new. Just bought a 2020 Enclave. Interior items seemed to be diminished somewhat. Rear captains chairs are not as nice. Less standard features this time around. However the engine and transmission is much smoother and better tuned. I got the sport package with 20 inch rims and dark grille. Very nice look and great smooth quiet ride. GM was offering 5 k cash incentive …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Buick Enclave, so we've included reviews for other years of the Enclave since its last redesign.

2021 Enclave Features & Specs

Trim:

Preferred

MSRP (New) Excludes Destination Fee	$40,000
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	21 MPG
Cost to Drive	$209/month
Seating	7 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	23.6 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Enclave models:

Following Distance Indicator: Uses the radar cruise control system to let the driver know if the Enclave is following the car ahead too closely.
Lane Change and Blind Zone Alert: Alerts drivers of fast-approaching cars in adjacent lanes. Also warns drivers if there's a vehicle in a blind spot.
Safety Alert Seat: Warns the driver of a lane departure or imminent collision by vibrating the seat in the direction of the threat.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover16.9%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Acceptable
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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