Obviously, we're translating fairly loosely here. But it's clear that USA Today car reviewer James R. Healey is no fan of Buick's new luxury CUV. Although Healey's article pronounces the badge-engineered Enclave "a truly different vehicle" than the near-identical GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook, he concurs with this writer's opinion that it's one ugly ass vehicle. "The styling is overdone and the details undercut what appeal it has. Enclave tortures the slim, straight elegance of Outlook and Acadia. Enclave's detailing — the faux portholes, the overlarge grille (so thin and flexible on the test vehicle that it twisted in your hands when the hood was raised), the sloping side windows and inexplicably ovaled rear window — harass the eye and reduce what already was limited rear visibility." And THEN the Enclave's power seat moved in fits and starts, the autobox hunted for gears like a truffle-crazed pig with a cold (as reported on TTAC) and the fuel economy sank to 14mpg. (All the The General horses and all the General's men couldn't raise the Enclave's fuel economy again.) Despite his obvious distaste for the model, Healey couldn't quite bring himself to deliver the coupe de grace: "Overall: Poor rear visibility and overwrought styling make the mechanically identical Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia seem like better machines." And in comparison to its REAL competition? Or is that it?
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“Enclave tortures the slim, straight elegance of Outlook and Acadia”
That’s like saying Larry made Moe and Curly look bad.
Does any of this matter since nobody’s buying?
I thought the Outlook/Acadia/Enclave vehicles were selling well, but at the expense of their full-size, truck-based SUVs. They weren’t stealing many sales away from Honda, Toyota, etc.
Unfortunately, it looks like a case of good landing, wrong airport.
I must have opposite tastes to everybody, because I really dislike the looks of this vehicle. When it was dropped, everybody said, ooh, ooh, finally a beautiful vehicle from Buick. All the cooing kind of made me like it a little at first, I’ll admit, but it just looks entirely fatass. On the other had, I still think the new Jaguar XF is a real sharp vehicle…
I must have opposite tastes to everybody, because I really dislike the looks of this vehicle.
No Kazoomaloo, you are spot on! It’s horrible. It will undoubtedly appeal to some but I cannot see this vehicle being a hot seller. The Outlook is an order of magnitude more handsome vehicle.
I actually like the look of the Enclave (and yes I like fat asses).
Moot point since I (and 33% of America) refuse to ever purchase GM again, but still I think it looks good.
Odd. NY Times didn’t show such a severe distaste with this vehicle.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/automobiles/autoreviews/16AUTO.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
“INSIDE TRACK: Wow. This is a Buick?”
This coming from a publication that has an apparently marked distaste for cars in general.
Tiger Woods drives one, what could be wrong with it?
“Don’t worry dear… I’ll have your Enclave, I love it!”
I don’t understand the styling of this Buick but I am not the target market for this CUV. To me it looks cartoonish with the big headlight eyes and mouth like grille.
It drives me crazy the way GM is doing things. There is no good reason of Earth for Buick to be selling this POS.
The need for the Chevrolet and Cadillac brands I understand. The rest of the GM brand lineup is wasted energy.
No disrespect intended – but that was one man’s review. The overwhelming consensus is far more positive and the Enclave is selling well.
The results for August 2007 are:
Enclave:
August 07: 3,796
Outlook: 3,227
Acadia: 5,870
Enclave YTD: 12,401
GM, much through its own fault, is easy to pile on, but they seem to have a winner with the Lambda platform including the Buick. A 2nd shift to handle the demand was recently started.
I realize that any form of large CUV/SUV vehicles are an anathema to many on this forum but there remains an obvious demand.
kjc117 :
September 17th, 2007 at 10:29 am
I don’t understand the styling of this Buick but I am not the target market for this CUV. To me it looks cartoonish with the big headlight eyes and mouth like grille.
I think you hit the nail on the head. I suppose it might appeal to the same demographic of folks who like the Escalades and 300Cs, but there doesn’t seem to be a sense of subtlety.
Jimmy 2x, If GM has sold around 12K of these vehicles this year, divide that into the number of Buick dealers there are in the U.S. and I think you find that most Buick delaers dont sell, on average more than one or two Enclaves per month. Hardly an “overwhelming consensus and selling well”.
The other statement that someone made that Tiger Woods drives it so it must be good, I think Mr. Woods has several million reasons why he drives it. I would drive a Yugo if paid that kind of dough to do so.
I actually like the look of the Enclave. In fact, all three variations look sharp. I’ve only seen one Acadia and one Enclave around, though. Not a single Outlook.
I have seen a surprising number of Buick Enclaves on local roads. I think it’s on its way to being a success if it proves to be a quality piece and customers are treated well. Unfortunately Healey’s column confirms GM quality control is still substandard.
I am in the camp that likes the looks of this vehicle. I do prefer the boxier sheet metal of the Enclave’s siblings (I like the details of the Outlook over the Acadia), but Buick’s design is a success in my book.
What matter more, I think, is that Buick needs to run with this curvy, feminine look on it’s future models. If GM wants Buick to come back (as they seem determined not to kill it off) they need to keep the curves coming on the next Park Ave, a Velite ragtop (Vette-based?), a new Lacrosse successor, etc.
The curves would work perfectly in combination with Buick’s signature plush ride, and would be a great counterpoint to Cadillac’s Art & Science/sport sedan direction.
If Buick could do that while investing the same amount of effort that is now going into Cadillac, Buick could turn itself around. But, I’m not holding my breath…
In the review Healey kept hinting about the Mazda CX-9, but maybe not enough?
Any TTAC reviewer out there game for a CX-9 review?
14mpg? You mean 1 mpg less than my dads T-bird got from it’s 302…in the city?
I think you have to actually try to get mileage that bad out of a modern vehicle.
“Jimmy 2x, If GM has sold around 12K of these vehicles this year, divide that into the number of Buick dealers there are in the U.S. and I think you find that most Buick delaers dont sell, on average more than one or two Enclaves per month. Hardly an “overwhelming consensus and selling well”.
As I recall, the earliest deliveries of the Enclave took place in May and that was only a few hundred. It probably will not outsell the Acadia, but is selling well. Most are being ordered with an 8-10 week delivery.
If you do a Google for reviews, I believe that my phrase “overwhelming consensus” for positive reviews is well substantiated. Not sure if I am permitted to provide a link here, but there is a site that provides direct links to virtually all existing reviews of most vehicles.
NickR :
September 17th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
14mpg? You mean 1 mpg less than my dads T-bird got from it’s 302…in the city?
I think you have to actually try to get mileage that bad out of a modern vehicle.
I have the privledge of having a friend who’s at a high enough level at GM to get a new company car to “test” every couple of months. 6 months ago he got an Escalade and we averaged an appalling 14mpg average on the highway (like driving a barn against the wind). City driving drove it down to 8mpg. Overall average was about 11mpg, in real-world miles.
He recently got an Acadia and we were looking forward to seeing some better milage numbers (among other things). Results were 12 mpg city, 18 mpg highway, 15 overall. So, the review’s 14 mpg sounds about right.
A disjointed vehicle with a disjointed marketing campaign from a disjointed brand built by a disjointed manufacturer.
The Enclave is a CUV which happens to be the size of a SUV. Its engine is easily overpowered by a decent load of passangers and cargo, yet the gas mileage sucks, WTF? That is NOT LUXURY. I bet that new aluminum 5.3l v8 would have been a better more Luxurious engine choice. No, GM knows best and the target (whoever that is) for this vehicle must have multi-valve engines.
The styling is strictly a matter of taste, you love it or hate it. Like most GM vehicles it looks rather “cheap” in anything but top of the line trim. Remove the leather and extra features and you have your standard GM rental special, which equates to NOTHIING SPECIAL!
Buick, what the hell is a Buick anyway? To me and the majority of folks my age (under 40) a Buick is a nothing more than a “mid-range rental” (a cheap, poorly built car pretending to be luxurious, and failing badly). If not a rental than a Buick is a car that a low level government official drives around in on county time.
Tiger Woods??? One of the richest atheletes in the world and a fairly young man at that! Do you really believe this guy drives around in or even gives a damn about Buick outside of his lucrative contract with GM? Honestly outside of the new wannabe golf crowd Tiger does not register with “youth” in anyway nor does he do much to entice the country club set (he is so NOT old money). Again, WTF! Someone please explain GMs marketing campaign to me because I just don’t get it!
Arcadia, Enclave, AND Outlook?????
GM as a company is like a parent that just loves to see his/her children fight each other over the last scraps on the diner table. Why at least offer different engine choices between these three? That transverse 5.3l V8 looks very good in this company.
Jimmy 2x: I apreciate your appreciation of the vehicle, at 3k a month sales means about one or so a month being sold by each Buick dealer on average. GM has huge troubles, a new vehicle selling 3k units a month, even with discounts is not going to help turn the ship around. Unfortunately, there may be many positive reviews, but one negative USA Today review (in the nationwide publication that it is) as just happened kills many potential future sales. It may be a fine vehicle, but the Buick line of cars are comatose, they are part of history and at times a proud part of history. The horrible fuel milage alone will sink the vehicle. Oil hit $80.00 a barrel late last week.
According to GM, the Enclave has a MSRP “from $32,900.00” I understand there are discounts, but I am presuming well equipped models of this car will go over $35K. Who would spend $35K for an Enclave? In California, one would also get the privilege of paying about $3,000.00 more for just sales tax. That would make it a $38K vehicle. The depreciation will be murder. Better be some HUGE rebates and discounts.
This is about as ugly as the Lexus RX, Acura MDX, or Infinity F series. Either you like it or you don’t – I don’t think there’s a middle ground. Personally I think the GMC looks better.
Maybe they can stick a TDI in there to boost the mileage up to the low 20s…..
Remember these are new large 7-8 passenger vehicles being sold against long standing competition. Don’t expect sales to go through the roof.
hitguy
Please do not misunderstand me. I hold no particular brief for the Buick Enclave, but it should be noted that GM delivered 10,400 of the Lambda platform vehicles in the month of August, which I suspect would at least give them the label of a qualfied success.
So far as the price goes, they fall in the same bracket as Highlander, and I suspect what the new Pilot will cost. Obviously, they are all expensive, especially the “loaded” models.
Mileage on any of these (except hybrid versions) is not very good, but better than the the Trailblazer/Explorer type SUV’s that they will replace for many people.
Personally, I am looking for a retirement vehicle that will be able to take the wife and I across country in reasonable comfort with plenty of room for traveling gear and that will do well in a variety of weather and terrain conditions. Likely will be a 4Runner – and it is not cheap either.
Reality check for GM Canda:
Model:2008 Buick Enclave AWD
Engine:3.6l Dohc V6 Vvt Engine
Transmission:6-speed Automatic Transmission
$55,655.00
This is straight off GM Canada’s site for my local dealer.
Do they honestly think I’m taking 55 grand into the Buick dealer when there’s real competiton out there? I can drive away in a competitor’s (read far better import) vehicle with money left over?
Good grief.
Not my kind of vehicle, but the USA Today review doesn’t make sense. With the singular exception of the 1963 Riviera, every Buick in my lifetime has been stylistically overwrought. That’s a Buick! So why make it an issue, especially in the context of knowing that GM has other, more visually restrained versions for other tastes. Similarly lame is making an issue of the Enclave’s more isolating ride relative to the Acadia and Outlook. No kidding: it’s a Buick! Quiet and cushy is the brand imperative. If you want incisive, get one of the others. Isn’t this exactly the kind of brand specialization people here have been clamoring for?
Oval rear window. My Dad’s first car of my remembrance was a ’49 Buick. It had an oval window and it had overwrought sheet metal too. Guess they reached back for inspiration. Also, while GM wants to pull down the median age of its Buick customers, no one is targeting the brand to youth. Younger people looking for a big CUV are going to gravitate to the Acadia or Outlook, or to the bigger of the two Mazdas, and for good reason.
Yep, the transverse 5.3L would be imperative if Buick were targeting the TTAC demo. But they’re not. The modern femme focus of Buick argues against that, at least in the launch year.
If the transmission behaves anything like the 6L80 in my Cadillac when it was new, it is quite smart and settles in to its groove after some time learning the driver. The software update appears to have addressed the problem, but I’d expect review vehicles that are shunted around between radically different drivers to improve shifting behavior on the second or third day. I’d also expect to see mileage improve. I’ve found GM EPA ratings to be quite achievable. Sustained 80mph freeway mileage in my Cadillac improved from 20 to 24.5 in the first four months I owned the car. But something the mass of this Enclave motivated by its 3.6L six is going to have to be soft-shoed a bit if driven for maximum mileage. Keep your foot out of it if 14 mpg offends you.
I think you can expect to see many more lightweight, flexy grills that can be twisted or deformed in your hands. This is part of the higher sensitivity to reducing pedestrian injuries in vehicle/person accidents.
This CUV thing is still an evolving segment…
Phil