USED: The Rugged Luxury of the 2016 Buick Enclave
Rene Syler
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Editor’s Note: This article was written by Rene Syler
Discovering the 2016 Buick Enclave.
My route to the discovery of the 2016 Buick Enclave was not the norm. A couple of years ago as I was staring at the half-century mark of my life I decided to get serious about my fitness. No more endless cardio sessions on the treadmill or steps to nowhere. Nope, I decided I wanted something different, a real challenge that would transform my body and mind.
So I became a warrior. Well, sort of.
I entered my first mud run, known as The Warrior Dash in July of last year; to date I have run five and have no plans to stop now.
So when my training / business partner, Nicole Sanders and I decided to make the Florida race part of our itinerary this year, we were looking for a vehicle that could haul luggage for a weeklong trip as well as handle the taxing event (and our tired bodies).
Enter the 2016 Buick Enclave.
This was not my first experience with the Buick Enclave. In fact, I recently drove the vehicle from New York to South Carolina. But the Florida trip really reminded me of the things I liked about it.
Tackling the Warrior Dash. Credit: Rene Syler for AGirlsGuidetoCars.
Size matters
Nicole and I were spending a week in Florida but we had several stops we needed to make. That meant we needed to carry all of our luggage and equipment to more than one location. The flexible seating options allowed us to fold down the seats, which meant there was room for our large suitcases. The Enclave has three rows of seating and unlike a lot of vehicles the third row is actually big enough for adults to sit in comfortably. As a bonus, we were actually able to lay in the back and change out of our race attire when all was said and done.
Plenty of cargo space for the warriors. Credit: Rene Syler for AGirlsGuidetoCars.
Safety and handling matter too
I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by the smooth, responsive ride for this size vehicle. The Enclave also has state-of-the art safety features, including front side airbags, three row curtain airbags, integrated turn signal mirrors and one of my favorite features, OnStar. With that we could get directions or summon help at the touch of a button, speaking to an OnStar rep.
Luxury interior of the 2016 Buick Enclave. Credit: Rene Syler for AGirlsGuidetoCars.
Luxurious interior, seamless technology and fuel efficiency – all good things
Sliding into the driver’s seat of the 2016 Enclave is akin to being enveloped in a cockpit of luxury. Leather seats, wood grain finish, and great attention to detail. Heated and cooled seats and a bumpin’ sound system (Bose system anyone?) meant cruising into the Florida sunrise was that much better!
As for technology, it’s nice to have a vehicle that fits in seamlessly with our plugged-in lives. The Enclave’s Intellilink means apps and music are within reach at all times. And built-in 4G LTE turns your vehicle into a roving hot spot, so entrepreneurs like us were able to check in with the office on the road.
And lastly, the Enclave’s 17 city/24 highway MPG helped keep us driving up and down the state without blowing a hole in our budget too!
All in all it was the perfect road trip car for these two warriors.
What I Loved
- Great technology
- 4G LTE WiFi hotspot
- Heated and cooled seats
- Lots of flexible space
What You Need to Know
- Base price: $39,065
- Fuel economy: 17 mile per gallon in the city, 24 on the highway
- Takes regular gasoline
- Truly seats 7
Thumbs up for the 2016 Buick Enclave. Credit: Rene Syler for AGirlsGuidetoCars.
Note: Buick provided the Enclave for the purposes of this review. Opinions and athletic ability are all my own.