BUICK ENCLAVE RESETS THE BAR FOR THE LUXURY CROSSOVER SEGMENT
07/01/2012
Buick
The new 2013 Buick Enclave advances the award-winning design, craftsmanship and technology that ushered in Buick's renaissance and reintroduced the brand to a new generation of customers. The industry's best-selling three-row luxury crossover features fresh styling, new safety technologies, in-vehicle connectivity and a more refined driving experience.
Buick sold a record 57,783 Enclaves in 2011, making it more popular than the three-row crossovers from Acura, Audi and Lincoln. Nearly half of all Enclave buyers switched from non-General Motors brands.
An updated, sculpted exterior design builds on the sophisticated elegance of the original Enclave, and the cabin is defined by luxurious amenities and high-quality materials. Enclave is designed to comfortably accommodate three rows of adults and provides more third-row-seat leg room than the Infiniti JX, Acura MDX, Lincoln MKT, Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90.
LED daytime running lamps and accent lamps, along with LED taillamps that seamlessly transition into the rear gate, complement the more sculpted exterior design. The interior is more contemporary, with ambient lighting and Buick's IntelliLink in-vehicle infotainment system with touch-screen control and available navigation.
The industry's first front center side air bag system, available Side Blind Zone and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and new dual-flow front struts highlight safety and performance enhancements.
Enclave is offered in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations. The trim levels are: Convenience (1SD), Leather (1SL) and Premium (1SN). Enclave is powered by an efficient, direct-injected 3.6L V-6 that delivers an EPA-estimated 24 mpg on the highway (FWD models) and an updated six-speed automatic transmission that contributes to a more refined driving experience.
Sculpted exterior advances Buick's design language
Enclave's sculpted styling redefined Buick's design language when it was introduced five years ago. The 2013 model adds new signature cues, including:
New front fascia with LED daytime running lamps
New headlamp design, with standard Xenon high-intensity discharge lamps (HID) and LED accent lighting. Articulating headlamps are available
New hood and black-chrome waterfall grille
New rear fascia design with integrated exhaust outlets
New LED taillamps
New 19-inch and 20-inch aluminum wheel designs
Monochromatic exterior appearance with chrome accents.
The Enclave's new appearance is instantly recognizable as a modern Buick, and the LED lighting elements enhance its technologically advanced presence. The blue translucent rings around the Xenon HID headlamps are Buick design cues found on other models, adding distinction across the brand's lineup.
A chrome finish within the rear fascia frames the exhaust outlets, for an integrated appearance that exemplifies Buick's attention to detail. New LED taillamps provide a safety benefit by illuminating more quickly than conventional bulbs when the brakes are applied.
For 2013, Enclave is available in these colors: Quicksilver Metallic, White Opal, Cyber Gray Metallic, Carbon Black Metallic, Crystal Red Tintcoat and White Diamond Tricoat. New colors are Mocha Bronze Metallic, Champagne Silver Metallic, Atlantis Blue Metallic and Iridium Metallic.
Harmonious interior environment
The 2013 Enclave's interior is defined by luxurious amenities and high-quality materials, with changes that create a more contemporary ambience and support the integration of Buick IntelliLink.
Rich, saturated tones and new color combinations reflect Buick customers' lifestyles and enhance Enclave's sense of fashion. A new Cocoa interior color was developed specifically for the Enclave, adding a higher degree of visual warmth. It is complemented by the soft feel of the Nuance sandstone leather, which has characteristics similar to leathers used in premium home furnishings.
The new center stack is designed for easy, intuitive interaction with the new IntelliLink LCD touch screen display. The tri-zone climate system's new controls are designed to be more intuitive, too, with easier, at-a-glance operation, bold digital temperature readouts and larger controls that are easier to operate.
Cabin highlights include:
New ice blue LED ambient lighting around the dash highlights Enclave's flowing lines, emphasizing the cabin's spaciousness
Eight-way power front driver and passenger seats with four-way adjustable head restraints
Available memory presets on eight-way power driver's seat include easy-exit driver's seat, power outside mirrors and power tilt and telescopic steering column
Available heated and cooled front seats
Soft-touch materials and real stitching throughout the cabin, as well as true chrome accents
Available power, tilt-sliding sunroof
Standard storage system under the floor in the rear cargo area
Standard power windows with driver and passenger express up/down feature
Four interior color combinations with complementing wood tones
Enclave offers three rows of seating, available in seven- or eight-passenger configurations. The second-row seats feature the popular SmartSlide system. With the pull of a single handle, SmartSlide allows easier entry to the third row.
There is 23.3 cubic feet (660 liters) of cargo space behind the third row and a maximum of 115.2 cubic feet (3,263 liters) of cargo space available behind the front row of seats. That's more than the Mercedes-Benz R Class, Infiniti JX, Acura MDX, Lincoln MKT, Audi Q7 and the Volvo XC90.
Buick's signature QuietTuning engineering process, which uses laminated glass and extensive sound blocking and absorbing materials, makes Enclave's cabin quieter than a Lexus RX350.
Additionally, customer convenience features such as a power liftgate and remote start are standard.
IntelliLink gives customers infotainment choices
Buick's IntelliLink color touch radio is standard on all models and enhances the driving experience with a higher level of wireless connectivity and customized options - all while building on the safety and security of OnStar.
IntelliLink is intuitive and easy to use, and includes the capability of setting up a "home page" for favorites. It integrates online services such as Pandora (R) internet radio and Stitcher SmartRadio (TM) using hands-free voice and touch-screen controls via Bluetooth-enabled smartphones. This builds on the voice-activated Bluetooth hands-free calling capability offered in other Buick models. Additional features:
Seven-inch diagonal high-resolution color display with touch-screen control
Bluetooth with hands-free (for phone calls) and A2DP audio-streaming protocol support
Address book download and hands-free calling
USB port
Auxiliary audio input port
Steering wheel controls
Enhanced voice recognition powered by Nuance
AM/FM/HD Audio CD/MP3 CD
SiriusXM Satellite Radio and data services, including available NavTraffic
Selected smartphone apps can be controlled through the IntelliLink interface via the touch-screen, steering wheel controls or voice commands. The first apps to be supported are Pandora and Stitcher
Supports playback of MP3 files stored on flash memory drives.
IntelliLink is standard on all Enclaves, including those with the available navigation system and DVD capability. The IntelliLink screen also serves as the display for the standard rearview camera system. A premium 10-speaker Bose audio system is available, and is optimized for the Enclave's refined interior acoustics.
For passenger entertainment, a rear-seat DVD player with remote control, overhead display, two sets of two-channel wireless headphones and auxiliary audio/video input jacks is available.
Industry-first front center side air bag highlights comprehensive safety package
In 2012, every Buick model was named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, underscoring the brand's commitment to safety leadership. The 2013 Enclave builds on that distinction with the industry's first front center side air bag - a standard feature.
The front center side air bag was developed to help protect drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes. It deploys from the inboard side of the driver's seat and positions itself between the driver and front passenger, delivering a more comprehensive occupant restraint system. No other air bag in passenger vehicles today offers this type of protection in the front seat.
Standard safety features also include StabiliTrak, traction control, panic brake assist, rearview camera system and a total of seven air bags - including head-curtain side air bags covering outboard occupants in all three passenger rows.
Two crash-avoidance systems are available for the first time on the 2013 Enclave: Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. They use radar to watch spots the driver may not be able to see, and provide visible and audible warnings to help the driver avoid a collision.
Efficient, proven engine and updated transmission
Powering all Enclave models is a fuel-efficient 3.6L direct injected V-6 engine with continuously variable valve timing that blends power, smoothness and efficiency for an SAE-certified 288 horsepower (215 kW) and 270 lb.-ft. (366 Nm) of torque.
Because the direct injection engine sprays fuel directly to the combustion chamber to create a more complete burn of the fuel/air mixture, less fuel is required to provide the equivalent horsepower of a port-injection combustion system.
EPA-estimated fuel economy is 24 mpg highway on FWD models and 22 mpg on AWD models.
The Enclave can tow up to 4,500 pounds (2,045 kg) when properly equipped, and can be flat-towed in both FWD and AWD configurations.
Revised controls in the next-generation Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic transmission also contribute to Enclave's smoother feel behind the wheel, improving shift feel and overall driveability.
A smoother, more controlled driving experience
The Enclave's engineers improved its carlike driving experience with revised front and rear dampers, for greater smoothness and an enhanced feeling of control.
In the front suspension, new dual-flow dampers and rebound springs help reduce the jarring feel of bumps, and provide a quieter and smoother ride. In the rear, new, low-velocity control shocks help reduce road bumps that might otherwise be felt inside the passenger compartment.
All models feature independent front and rear suspensions, with variable-effort power-assisted steering. A direct-acting stabilizer bar on the front MacPherson-strut suspension helps provide a more immediate feeling of responsiveness during turns. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard and 19- and 20-inch wheels are available.
OnStar details
Six months of OnStar Directions and Connections service is standard on Enclave. OnStar is the global leading provider of connected safety, security and mobility solutions and advanced information technology.
OnStar's RemoteLink Mobile App allows smartphone users to control vehicle functions, access vehicle information and send directions directly to the vehicle. A new, opt-in service called FamilyLink allows subscribers to stay connected to loved ones by checking the location of their vehicle online or by signing up for vehicle location alerts.
Enclave will also come with new OnStar button icons. Drivers will notice an updated look for the Hands-Free Calling button, blue OnStar button and red Emergency button.
More information about OnStar can be found at www.onstar.com.