The History and Evolution of the Buick Enclave

The Buick Enclave was first produced by General Motors from 2007 and continues through the present. It's the first large crossover SUV produced by Buick and the first model year introduced for sale to the public was the 2008. The vehicle came out in a 4-door body style and replaced the Buick Rainier and the Terraza minivan. It joins other SUVs including the GMC Acadia and the Chevrolet Traverse with the Lamda platform. Spectators were given their first real viewing of the new Enclave at the North American International Auto Show held in 2006. It was based on the concept car the Centieme which was previewed in 2003 at the Detroit Auto Show.

The first generation Enclave 2008-2017

The first generation of the Buick Enclave enjoyed a successful run with a few changes throughout its era. It offered generous seating accommodations with a 7 passenger layout and configuration. You could choose between an optional bench for the second row or two captains chairs. The bench increased the passenger capacity to 8 persons. The SUV came with front-wheel drive as the standard equipment and the option of getting it in an all-wheel driver version. It was powered with a 3.6-liter V-6 engine that generated 275 horsepower and the power plant was mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 2009 model was tweaked to produce 288 horsepower which gave it a little boost thanks to a direct injection engine with a broader torque curve. The fuel economy for the first generation Enclave hovered between 17 mpg for city driving and 24 on the highway.

The first face-lift

The Enclave remained relatively unchanged aesthetically until the 2013 model was produced. GM held back on releasing any details until the day before it made its official debut at the 2012 New York Auto Show. Fans of the model were pleased with the revisions made to the exterior styling. It was given a brand new waterfall style grill in chrome with LED running lights, fog lights and taillights and Xenon headlights. It also received a refresh of the interior with new materials that were softer to the touch, a redesigned dashboard and accents of wood and chrome. It also received a new IntelliLink infotainment display and touchscreen along with classy blue ambient lighting. A few new safety features were also installed including seven standard airbags and a blind spot monitoring system was made available.

The second generation Enclave 2018 to present

The official revelation of the second generation Enclave was made in 2017 at the New York Auto Show. The vehicle was produced in Delta Township, Michigan. It comes in a front engine transverse layout with the option of either front-wheel drive or all wheel-drive. It's offered with a 36-liter gasoline engine that is matched with a GM 9-speed automatic transmission. The unveiling of the second generation came precisely ten years after the first edition of the vehicle was produced. It was first offered for sale to the public in late 2017 but marketed as a 2018 model.

Changes for the second generation

The egg-shaped design was done away with an although the second generation bears some familial traits to its previous version, the new breed offers a more aerodynamic and sleeker aesthetic. The roof line is noticeably lower and the three dimensional mesh grill with chrome wings is a brand new feature.

The engine is still a 3.6-liter V-6, but it offers 310 horsepower along with 266 lb ft of torque. The 9-speed automatic transmission is also new for the Enclave. A new twist on the AWD system has also been added. It comes with an Intelligent version that features active twin clutch rear differential making it the first switchable AWD system. The new Enclave is offered in three level of trims with a new sub-rand premium model called the Avenir. The Enclave continues with the 2019 model currently available.