Enclave replaces three discontinued Buick models.

ERROL, N.H.

WE are hunting moose in northern New Hampshire, a predatory band of three adults and two children in the new Buick Enclave.

Nicely equipped in all other respects, our 2008 Enclave lacks a gun rack, but that is not a problem on this hunt. While this state does allow moose hunting — a pursuit that strikes me as presenting all the challenge and peril of bagging a dairy cow — we are just hoping for a moose sighting to amuse a pair of visiting nephews from the suburbs of Cleveland.

The newest member of the Buick family, the Enclave went on sale in the spring, in part to fill the void created by the dismissal of the Rainier, Terraza and Rendezvous models, Buick’s entries in the S.U.V., minivan and crossover market segments. Expecting one vehicle to replace three might seem like a daunting assignment, but the Enclave is intended to attract buyers who spend more and are import-minded. In any case, the combined sales of the three pink-slipped Buicks amounted to only about 71,000 last year.

The name Enclave suggests upper-class luxury, peace and quiet. Frankly, I prefer the name suggested by a colleague — the 2008 Buick Gated Community — because that seems even more protective and exclusive. Whatever you call it, the Enclave is quite good, though not perfect. But it certainly provides quiet and soothing family transportation and is a pleasing alternative to a trucklike S.U.V.

The Enclave shares its car-type mechanical underpinnings, including a six-speed automatic transmission and 3.6-liter V-6 engine, with two cousins in the General Motors family, the GMC Acadia and the Saturn Outlook. The Enclave has three rows of seats, is available in seven- or eight-passenger configurations, and is aimed at competitors like the Acura MDX and Lexus RX 350.

Prices begin at $32,790 for a front-wheel drive CX; the fancier CXL starts at $34,990. All-wheel drive adds $2,000.

The Buick is the most expensive of G.M.’s crossover triplets, although the amount of standard equipment varies among the three. The Acadia starts at $29,845 and the Outlook at $28,340. The fanciest Outlook, with all-wheel drive, is $150 less than the least-expensive front-drive Enclave. The front-drive Enclave CX I tested had options that included a Bose stereo and a DVD player ($1,980); the total on the window sticker was $36,260.

As dusk enveloped our hunting party, we cruised through Errol here in the northeast corner of the state, an area with a reputation as a moose-rich environment. Some 30 miles of roaming had not resulted in a single moose sighting, but we traveled in comfort. The Enclave’s suspension provides a splendid buffer against rough two-lane roads and the cabin is quiet.

The Enclave gets more soundproofing than its cousins. This reflects G.M.’s idea that a quiet interior should be a virtue of all Buicks; noise isolation has become a main selling point for Lexus, a brand Buick hopes to compete against.

We also had a pleasing amount of room. During our week in the Enclave we routinely carried five adults and two children on hourlong drives without anyone being uncomfortable, even when two adults shared the third row with a child. There was enough room behind the third row (19 cubic feet) to carry duffel bags and a small cooler.

The cabin’s design showed that G.M. was successful in its effort to upgrade its interiors, apparently after concluding that this is where people sit and it should look nice. But there were some minor problems.

Rear visibility wasn’t good because of the huge roof pillars in the back. A “smart slide” feature for moving the second-row captain’s chairs forward (to allow easier entry to the third row) was balky. A strap used to release the seatback and allow it to fold forward proved a real hazard; pulling it sent the seatback slamming forward at great speed, whacking anybody in its path.

The good news for families is that all Enclaves have curtain air bags to provide head protection in a side-impact crash for all three rows and skid-correcting electronic stability control.

There is also OnStar, which now offers turn-by-turn route guidance, a feature I found easier to use than many traditional navigation systems. Call OnStar and give the operator an address, and audible and written instructions are sent to the vehicle. The system worked well even in Boston, one of America’s great navigational challenges.

Toting all this around is an independent suspension that is quite a trickster. During my first miles around town it seemed as if the steering was a little too light and the suspension too soft. It was easy to conclude that the Enclave was sloppy. But my attitude changed as I drove New Hampshire’s zigzag two-lanes, steadily increasing speed as I gained confidence in the Buick’s handling. Yes, the body leans a little, but the Enclave corners quite well for such a big vehicle.

G.M.’s engineers get no points for being weight-watchers. With all-wheel drive, the Enclave weighs about 5,000 pounds, a considerable load for an engine rated at 275 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque. The six-speed automatic was developed with Ford, which uses it on vehicles including the Edge and the 2008 Taurus.

With seven people on board, the powertrain did an adequate job, though at times the transmission was slow to downshift, leaving the driver waiting for acceleration. Ford seems to have done a better job of programming the transmission for its vehicles.

For the front-drive model I tested, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates fuel economy at 16 miles a gallon in the city and 24 on the highway. Those figures were calculated under the new 2008 formula, which is intended to be more realistic than previous estimates.

The Enclave has four-wheel disc brakes. Initially, the brake pedal seems firm and reassuring. But it loses some resistance about midway, slightly undermining confidence.

A dozen or so miles north of Errol, as dusk fades to darkness, we admit to failure in our moose hunt and decide to head home. A small dirt road looks like the perfect turnaround spot, and I pull in.

There, maybe 100 feet away, chomping on some greenery, is a moose. The moose looks up and continues its buffet, assuming we have come in peace. See what I mean about the challenge of shooting a moose?

Clearly the moose is not impressed with us or the Enclave. I, on the other hand, have grown to like it, and it has been so long since I liked a Buick that the experience is slightly disorienting. This big wagon offers families comfort, competent handling and a solid package of safety features.

Our hunt successful, the nephews wonder whether they may turn on the DVD player, and if there is a shortcut home. No, the house is a couple of hours away, but in the Enclave that’s not a bad thing.