The 2017 New York International Auto Show is now in full swing, and Buick isn’t wasting any time in introducing a new premium sub-brand it’s calling Avenir. If the name sounds familiar, you’re probably remembering the full-size luxury four-door concept car Buick brought to the 2015 North American International Auto Show. At the time, we liked it, praising its classy good looks and well-executed interior, and hoped dearly that Buick would see fit in bringing it to production. And while we have yet to see the potential new flagship sedan get the green light, the Avenir name just got tagged on the new 2018 Enclave, ushering in a new premium sub-brand for Buick in the process.

Fittingly, the word Avenir is French for “future,” so it stands to reason the Enclave Avenir is just the first of many more top-quality offerings to come. All in all, the Enclave Avenir looks promising, bearing many of the same qualities as the concept sedan we enjoyed so much, albeit with a glaze of production-friendly tweaks laid on top.

So what kind of goodies can we expect from future Avenir products? Read on for our take, as well as the new Enclave Avenir’s various standout features.

Continue reading for the full story.

Why It Matters

To start off, let’s look back at the Avenir concept to get a solid baseline –

Nice looking, ain’t it?

Motivating the concept is a V-6 engine with start/stop and cylinder deactivation tech to keep it eco-friendly, plus AWD and a nine-speed automatic transmission. Inside is a touchscreen measuring 12 inches in the diagonal, plus luxurious seating for four, LED lighting, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Under the skin, the Avenir was built on the same GM Omega platform as the Cadillac CT6.

Meanwhile, the Enclave Avenir continues many of the same themes as the concept, but in an SUV package. It’s got copious LED lighting, luxurious seating for seven passengers, plus comfort and convenience tech like a rear-view camera, and an air ionization system to keep the cabin nice and fresh.

The powertrain and drivetrain also look familiar, starting with a 3.6-liter V-6 making 302 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, plus a standard start/stop system. Sending the power to the ground is a nine-speed automatic transmission feeding an AWD system with an active twin-clutch rear differential.

Buick also contends that Avenir is distinguished by “unique styling cues and an extensive set of standard features and premium materials throughout the vehicle.”

To our eyes, the exterior styling looks somewhat similar to the concept, albeit with the usual crossover cues added, such as a flat-black lower air skirt and a more upright appearance. The interior is also decked out with the usual leather and wood trim, an 8-inch display in the gauge cluster, and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Avenir is surely a solid upgrade for crossover shoppers looking for that premium look and feel, and will likely attract a fresh crowd of buyers looking to try something new. But most of all, we’re excited to see the sedan flagship that dropped in 2015 come to life. Get on that, Buick.