2013 Buick Enclave vs. Its Competition

Martin Padgett Editorial Director

The Buick Enclave offers shoppers a stepping stone between mass-market minivan replacements and upscale luxury crossovers.

As such, it's drawn into a dogfight with vehicles like the Lexus RX, a popular five-seat crossover with a luxury owner experience and an available hybrid model.

The Dodge Durango's another viable alternative--not on a taste scale but on a raw capacity scale, and it tows more thanks to available HEMI V-8 power.

The Acura MDX is a direct competitor, without the Buick's suave good looks but with a bulletproof reputation for durability and a vast, flexible interior.

Finally, the Audi Q7 and Lincoln MKT represent the opposite poles of the luxury-crossover market that brackets the big Buick: the MKT's a bodacious crossover with polarizing looks and sky's-the-limit technology, while the Q7 offers a demure German take, with less interior space but tighter road manners and an available diesel model with good highway fuel economy.