| Between the Cocoa-colored interior that was a dead ringer for my great-uncle's den and the kid at the drive-through calling me, "ma'am," I was a little hesitant about driving the mature-looking 2013 Buick Enclave. After spending some time behind the wheel of this classy three-row crossover, I decided maturity has its plus side, including the 2013 Enclave. This crossover has been restyled for 2013, with a curvier exterior and an attention-grabbing upright grille. The Enclave's 3.6-liter V-6 engine makes 288 horsepower, and I was impressed with how luxurious it felt to drive. It has such a smooth ride that at times I forgot I was driving a three-row crossover. At first, the multiple shades of brown that drenched the interior caught me off guard, but after a look around the cabin I was quite impressed. With a leather-wrapped steering wheel, contrast stitching and mahogany faux wood accents, the interior had an overall classy feel to it. In other words, it was a complete departure from my usual utilitarian people-mover, aka my minivan. Between the interior's relaxing ambient blue lighting and Buick's QuietTuning technology, which blocks out exterior noises, my hectic errands were made serene (well, the kid-free ones, at least). When it was just the mister and me, the Enclave was dreamy. However, once we piled in the entire Ahara clan of five, this seven-passenger crossover became a little snug for our liking. The second-row captain's chairs slide to accommodate any long-legged passengers or bulky rear-facing child-safety seats. That versatility gave my family the legroom we needed. If you need room for eight passengers, a second-row three-seat bench is a no-cost option, and it's something I'd consider if I could fit my three child-safety seats across it. One thing to note with the seven-seat Enclave: There are only two sets of lower Latch anchors in this crossover. It would be helpful if there was a third set in the third row. 2013 Buick Enclave: Car Seat CheckThe size of my family (two adults and three small children in various types of safety seats) means we always use all three rows of seats, leaving us a less-than-desirable amount of cargo space. At 23.3 cubic feet, the 2013 Enclave's cargo area behind the third row handily beats its competitors: The 2014 Acura MDX has 14.8 cubic feet, and the 2013 Volvo XC90 has 8.8. But I wasn't able to fit my double stroller in the Enclave's cargo area. I had to disassemble it and store one of the seats in the third row with my preschooler. After loading up and buckling three wiggly kids, the last thing I want to do is play Tetris with my cargo. If we were a family of four and only had to use the first two rows of seats, the cargo space would be more than enough for my stroller as well as groceries.
While I never wanted to experience it during my test drive (and I didn't), I'm a fan of the Enclave's new front center airbag. It's deployed from the driver's seat to create a barrier between the driver and front passenger; it keeps them from colliding in a crash. It's standard in the Enclave and its GM twins, the Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia. Who doesn't like a little more safety when driving? Related  from KickingTires http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/ | |||
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