Of course you CAN still buy European or Japanese, but you sure don’t have to anymore. Buick’s Avenir line is one example why.

And perhaps Buick’s finest example of the Avenir is its’ Enclave, a worthy competitor to Lexus’ RX 350. The Avenir is the top of the Enclave line. It’s a big, comfy, well-powered three-row SUV. For comparison, it’s almost a foot longer than the Lexus RX 350 and a couple inches wider.

Power comes from GM’s proven 310 HP, 3.6 liter V-6 running through GM’s new 9-speed automatic. The combination is good for 18 city MPG and 26 Hwy. Subtract one MPG for AWD. Keep it at the speed limit and you can beat those Hwy numbers, but around town, the EPA’s 17 is pretty accurate.

Luxury, though, is what Buick’s Enclave Avenir is all about. Lots of wood and leather. Front heated and ventilated leather, of course, and heated leather in the rear—your choice of Chestnut or Ebony.

You will be riding on 20” alloys, and listening to a 10-speaker Bose system while your passengers enjoy the 4G WiFi hotspot and wireless charging.

But while Buick’s Avenir is all about luxury, that doesn’t mean that it’s just a big ol’ softie. Not at all. In fact, goose it a little bit and you will light up your tires every time. And your ride quality is superb, thanks to GM’s race-car-developed continuously variable real time suspension that “sees” the road ahead and can make adjustments in just a fraction of a second.

Enclaves will start in the $40’s, and Avenirs up the ante by another $10 - $12,000 or so. Take your high-end European or Japanese-driving friends to lunch in your Enclave Avenir and they are going to feel right at home.

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