General Motors Corporation has introduced the third-generation Buick Enclave large crossover for the North American market; it will go on sale next summer.
The third generation Enclave is a direct technical relative of the Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia crossovers; they entered the third generation last year, but retained the same C1XX platform with a transverse power unit. The same platform underlies the Chinese Buick Enclave, which is more compact than the American one. Whether the Chinese Enclave will have a new generation is still unknown, because the Chinese Enclave is selling many times worse than the American one, although the main market for the Buick brand is Chinese.
In the US, Enclave is also not enough stars from the sky; it has never been a hit here, but last year its sales grew by 29.1% (compared to sales in 2022) to 39,411 units. Buick's flagship crossover is still far from being the leader in the mid-size SUV segment: the Jeep Grand Cherokee sold 244,594 units in 2023. (+10%), Ford Explorer – 186,799 units. (-10.1%), Toyota Highlander – 169,543 units. (-23.7%). The strong drop in sales of the Highlander is partly explained by the launch of the larger Grand Highlander crossover on the market last summer – its sales by the end of the year reached 48,036 units, in total with just the Highlander there are 217,579 cars sold.
GM has not yet revealed the dimensions of the third generation Buick Enclave; for reference, let’s say that the overall length of the related “third” Chevrolet Traverse is 5235 mm, the wheelbase is 3070 mm. Just imagine, by American standards, such cars belong to the mid-size segment. In Russia and Europe, the Enclave would, of course, be considered a full-size crossover by its peers.
Large sizes today do not mean a big engine: the new Buick Enclave, like the new Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia, replaced the previous 3 .6-liter naturally aspirated petrol V6 (314 hp, 361 Nm) to a 2.5-liter turbo-four (333 hp, 442 Nm). The gearbox is an 8-speed hydromechanical “automatic” instead of the previous 9-speed, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Permissible towed trailer weight: 2268 kg.
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On the outside, the Buick Enclave has become squarer and more muscular in appearance with the change of generations – even the wheel arches are now angular rather than round. The massive trapezoidal “grill” on the front end is a common feature of all new Buick models, and double-decker optics are the prerogative of all crossovers of this brand, but Buick has not offered sedans and minivans in its historical homeland for a long time.
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The three-row interior is completely new. The front panel has become more elegant in appearance and has a panoramic 30-inch display that combines instrument and multimedia screens. Between the front seats there is a horizontal floating center console with a wireless smartphone charging shelf. In the top-end Avenir trim (the white car in the photos), the new Enclave is equipped with adaptive shock absorbers, 22-inch wheels, a panoramic transparent roof with a curtain, front seats with massagers and a powerful Bose audio system with 16 speakers. For an additional fee, a second-level Super Cruise autopilot is available, allowing the driver to take his hands off the steering wheel.
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The new Buick Enclave will be produced in the same place where the current Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia are already produced – in GM Lansing Delta Township Assembly plant in Michigan. Prices have not yet been announced. The second-generation Enclave, which is still on sale, starts at $43,900.
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