2008 Buick Enclave

The 2008 Buick Enclave

Motor Trend Says “It’s the type of paradox that makes General Motors’ number of divisions such a dilemma. Buick sells 72 percent of its cars in North America through dealerships shared with Pontiac and GMC. GM hopes to have all those dealers selling all three brands someday soon, so the last thing Buick needs is a rebadged GMC. And yet, to reestablish itself as an aspirational marque for buyers (well) under 65, the first thing it needs is something with the style and elegance of the new Enclave. Success pretty much depends on whether the Enclave’s unique sheetmetal and interior convince buyers to choose it over the likes of Mercedes-Benz R-Class, Lexus RX 350, and Audi Q7. As with other modern unibody SUVs, this living-room luxury-along with market demand for three rows of seats, every type of stability and traction control, and every possible airbag iteration known to man-has offset the weight advantages these new car-based SUVs intend to offer. The 2008 Enclave is 8.4 inches longer than the 2007 Buick Rainier (a two-row SUV) with a six-inch-longer wheelbase. The Rainier tows up to 2200 pounds more than the Enclave and is about 450 pounds lighter. Compared with the three-row V-8 GMC Yukon, though, the Enclave is just 0.2 inch shorter and 600 pounds slimmer. At the $3.50 gas pump, this means plus-2 mpg city and plus-3 mpg highway versus either the Yukon or Rainier six, based on 2007 EPA numbers. The 2008 Enclave uses the new EPA calculation, which drops fuel mileage 1 mpg city, 2 mpg highway for AWD models and 2/2 mpg for FWD models. The real advantage these new things have over trucky SUVs is that they can legitimately be called cars. Tall as it is, with its length and proportions, the Buick Enclave melds SUV and minivan into a modern station-wagon shape, heir to an early 1950s Roadmaster Estate or a 1971 Estate Wagon. Squish one of those wagons at both ends to make it not quite so long, but taller for good interior space, like watching a wide-screen movie on a small, square TV, and you’ve got the Enclave.”

Related posts:

1. GM says Cash for Clunkers increased sales in July
2. Autodealers’ hopes riding on new models
3. 2010 Buick LaCrosse