The GM triplets tow trailers with ease.

One of the vehicles that our customers are selecting to tow their trailers is the new Buick Enclave, also marketed in similar form as the GMC Acadia, and the Saturn Outlook.
            Attached is a pair of e-mail messages from a customer who just returned from a trip to Florida, towing a 31’ Airstream travel trailer with their Buick Enclave. They are experienced RV’ers, who have been towing for the last ten years with two different Toyota Sienna vans. They are using a Reese straight-line hitch, which is of coarse set up properly for the Buick.
            The first e-mail came to my attention, and the second is a copy that Bill and Diana sent to their friend Lawrence, who has been considering the purchase of a similar vehicle.

Hi Andy.
            Diana and I just returned from a trip to Florida with the Enclave and our 31’ Airstream.
            We are really pleased with the Enclave and wish to pass along our thanks to you for getting us to consider it as a tow vehicle, I did not have a problem with the Sienna but just wanted something different after driving vans for so many years. I thought that you might be interested in some of my thoughts as outlined in the attached e-mail to Lawrence A. below.
            If I hadn't recorded the actual information from the gas pumps and the odometer, I would be skeptical of the mpg. But I have the receipts.
Talk to you soon.
Bill

Hi Lawrence
            Here is the info on the Enclave.
            We clocked 1,490 miles from Paradise Park to Tillsonburg, right up I-75, and we averaged 12.1 mpg US or 15.2 mpg CDN. The 2004 Sienna would probably have returned 14.5 mpg CDN so the 15.2 mpg looks better than I thought we would get with the new Buick. Our calculations are based on recording of actual data from the gas pumps, and we used regular gas all the way. The computer in the Enclave was really accurate showing 12.3 mpg US for the trip.
            The Enclave is about 450 lbs. heavier than our 2004 Sienna, both have AWD, but the Sienna has a 3.3 L engine rated at 225 HP compared to the Enclave’s 3.6 L engine rated at 275 hp. Both engines provided their maximum torque in the 2900 to 3800 rpm range, which is great for towing. So bigger engine, heavier vehicle, but 6-speed transmission vs. 5-speed - the bottom line provided more power for the hills and better gas mileage. Who can complain?
            The 3.6 litre engine was running in "tow haul" mode and locking out the 6th gear, which is overdrive. The Enclave’s gauges provided the following RPM readings: 60 mph at 2200/ 2300 rpm in 5th gear; 60mph at 2800 rpm in 4th gear.
            I didn't like the way the cruise control was set-up because it does not allow the vehicle to slow at all without downshifting, so even at an overpass it would shift to 3rd gear. I would touch the brake to cancel the cruise control just before a small hill, and then hit the resume button on the other side. That probably contributed to the 15.2 MPG.
            In northern Tennessee we were going up a fairly steep mountain and I recorded 3700 rpm in third gear at 56 MPH. Down the other side it was about 4 miles with my foot off the gas pedal and no braking, we were doing 60 -62 mph at 1500 rpm. I assumed that this was in 5th gear. So it goes without saying that I was pleased with these results. By the way, the enclave never got down below 3rd gear when towing.
            How did it feel towing?  Very good indeed. The passing transports did not cause any sway. What feedback I got through the steering wheel was a gentle nudge pushing both vehicles out and then sucking them back in as the trucks came alongside. Power and braking were both great. MPG was a pleasant surprise.
            If I could change anything on the Enclave it would be the tires. They were selected by GM for their quietness - not for their towing prowess. I bumped the tire pressure up from the recommended 35 lbs. to 40 lbs. to offset the soft sidewalls. These are 18 inch 255/65 aspect ratio tires on the CX but GM has a 19 inch tire with a lower profile on the CXL (255/60) which would be an improvement for towing. I would guess that you could exchange the tires on the 18 inch rims to 265/60 but I'll ask Andy for his advice. Right now I am content to leave these tires as they are.
            The Enclave is a full-sized SUV, same length and width as the Yukon, but less height and weight. The wheelbase is longer than the Yukon and it has independent rear suspension. My guess would be that the Enclave has less storage at the back with the 3rd seat down. This is probably due to the shape of the vehicle: the sides come in at the top. It has less storage than the Sienna.
            I thought that I would receive less attention towing with the Enclave. But people still came up to me surprised that I was towing a 31 ft trailer. I even got lots of attention when I wasn't towing. Ride, quietness, and comfort of the Enclave is superb.
            If you have any questions please get back to me.
Bill

            As you can see, Bill is very pleased with the Enclave, and I find the new Buick mid-size SUV to be smooth and quiet with a very solid body structure. A nice step between the small crossover SUV’s and a full size. The layout is almost identical to a front drive van but with SUV styling. Solo fuel economy, handling and ride are all better than most full size SUV's.
            With regard to the tires, I would suggest a 235/60 x 18” tire. These tires still have plenty of load capacity but would be far more precise handling than the 19” alternative that Bill mentions. They would give 6% more engine RPM so there would be some additional power, but I would not anticipate any loss in fuel mileage. With a trailer less aerodynamic than the Airstream, the 5th gear ratio is a little too tall, so most towing would have to be done in 4th gear. By changing to the 235/60 tire 5th gear would handle most of the more aerodynamic "lite" trailers and even some of the more streamlined conventional models.

            A small wrinkle that we have encountered with an Enclave belonging to one of our customers is an overly sensitive electronic stability program (ESP) that activates quite aggressively any time you make sharper turns at a moderate speed. I think this is something that we will resolve, as this is the only one of the nine Enclaves that we have equipped that is acting this way.
            It is interesting to note that the hitch receiver on the Enclave is relatively solid but does require strengthening for higher hitch weights over 400 lbs. The reinforcement goes forward up the center of the chassis above the spare tire. This results in the spare sitting approximately 1.5” lower, but this is hardly noticeable.
            All in all, a pleasant and very versatile tow vehicle.

Andy