The Borg of Star Trek fame are one of the best TV/movie villains ever. An amoral, impersonal collective that obliterates both individuals and worlds, it really strikes at all of our primal fears. They don’t usually kill you, they erase your identity and assimilate you into their collective to become a drone in a fate worse than death. They are kind of a cross between an invasive species of fish and Communists. The crossover SUV has likewise come onto the scene and assimilated both individual car lines and in some cases entire model lineups. They started small but now threaten to take over the entire automotive world. Click through if you dare, just know the Borg are out there…
The Borg spaceship is a giant box. Hmm…
I knew I wanted to end my SUV series on a crossover. There are many I could have chosen to represent the breed but I landed on the Buick Enclave because it’s something of a flagship like the others we’ve looked at, it’s had a profound effect on its division and I am just generally a Buick man.
If you’ve caught any of the previous articles in the Give Them What They Want series, we’ve examined some of the early flagship SUVs from Lincoln, Cadillac, Ford and GMC. In their ways, they were all groundbreaking in terms of expanding market segments and putting more car buyers into SUVs. When they were introduced, large SUVs were truck-based: separate ladder framed, big engined, rear or all wheel drive. Those qualities were actually an integral part of the appeal for many folks. They wanted big, rugged, and able to go anywhere, or at least have the image that they could leave it all behind at a moment’s notice and strike out anywhere with or without roads.
The truck platforms were also a limiting factor. A lot of people who might otherwise have wanted many of the features and benefits of SUVs were not interested in driving any sort of truck. This was especially true if we’re talking about Buicks, the buttoned-down banker’s/doctor’s near-luxury cars.
Buick did offer a truck-based SUV for four years: the 2004-2007 Rainier, built on the GMT-360 platform shared with the Chevy Trailblazer and several other models. A 5-passenger vehicle powered by a 4.2L straight 6 or optional 5.3L V8, it didn’t light very many people’s fire despite the adequate power. Its best sales year by far was its first, at 24k, dwindling to about 5k in its last.
For Buick loyalists with a more practical bent, Buick offered over the same time period the 2005-2007 Terraza minivan. Not surprisingly, it turned out a minivan with a Buick grille was not what the world had been waiting for. Like the Rainier, it had a decent first year at 20k but quickly dropped to about 5k by 2007. In case you’re wondering, Terraza means balcony or terrace in Spanish, as inscrutable of a name as was the idea of introducing a Buick minivan in 2005.
Neither of those vehicles were Buick’s first attempt at something that wasn’t a passenger car. That honor goes to the 2002-2007 Rendezvous. Like Gonzo the Muppet, it’s not immediately clear just what the Rendezvous is. It was built on GM’s U-body minivan platform along with its “special” cousin, the shorter two-row Pontiac Aztek. It was front-wheel-drive and carried up to 7 passengers like a minivan, but didn’t have the requisite sliding rear doors. It was clearly going for an SUV vibe, a claim it justified by a higher ground clearance and available all-wheel-drive, but it’s proportions are minivan, only more awkward-looking. FWIW, my uncle’s sister had one and swore it was her favorite car ever!
I always thought of the Rendezvous as an underdog, so I was surprised to see that it averaged over 60k sales a year for its first four years, which was well over twice what the Aztek did and far exceeded GM’s sales expectations. Why? Researching this article, I came to the conclusion that it was probably only the second three-row SUV released that was built on an automotive platform rather than a truck platform. The 2001 Acura MDX beat it to market by about 6 months, but the Rendezvous went on sale about a year before the Honda Pilot. The Toyota Highlander didn’t get a third row until 2004. If you know of any I’m missing, please chime in below. It seems to me that Buick was almost accidentally tapping into the future of the car market, like thinking you’re opening a water faucet and it turns out to be a fire hydrant.
I had to throw this one in. Light metallic tan (Gold Mist) is popular and looks sharp here in the early evening.
By the time GM was conceiving its Lambda-platform SUVs, crossovers were clearly the direction that the market was going. Since the late 90’s, more and more SUVs were being built off car platforms. These had started with the smallest SUVs (a.k.a. the Cute Utes) like the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4, and slightly larger ones like the Lexus RX. The Lambda SUVs were a big step up, as they were the largest crossovers to date, seeking to offer the interior capacity of a full-size SUV with the driving dynamics of a passenger car [“Your technological distinctiveness will be added to our own…”].
The Lambda line was planned as a major part of GM’s lineup strategy. It replaced all GM minivans (including the Astro/Safari) as well as all truck-based midsize SUVs. As a key vehicle line, GM wisely sought to distance itself from its well-deserved reputation for badge engineering. The GMC and Saturn were most similar, which turned out OK since the Outlook died with the rest of Saturn in 2010. However, the GMC, Buick and Chevrolet versions all had individual sheetmetal and even their own greenhouses except for a shared windshield.
Buick received swoopy fender lines, two-tone body cladding (not matte black!), and portholes, projecting well a traditional Buick image [“Your biological distinctiveness will be added to our own…”]. Reviews at the time all had good things to say about the Buick’s styling. Putting aside the question of whether a traditional Buick SUV is an oxymoron, it’s hard not to like the looks of the Enclave. It’s an attractive vehicle, though I personally can’t avoid the qualifier “for an SUV”.
GM’s quest for differentiation continued inside. Each model’s interior was about as unique as it could be while still sharing general layout, switchgear, steering wheel hubs, etc.
The Enclave got the most woodgrain seen this side of either the R.M.S. Lusitania’s first class smoking lounge or possibly a 1983 Electra. Like the Electra, it is of the simulated variety, except for the steering wheel, which received genuine mahogany that would make the Cunard Line proud.
Also like the 1983 Electra, the Lambda SUVs have a 119 inch wheelbase. However, with modern front-wheel-drive space efficiency, much taller height and 3 inches more width, interior space is significantly more commodious than even that C-body beast. Rear bucket seats were standard with a bench optional.
As a successor to the Buick Estate Wagon, the Enclave at least proves its worth by being able to take 4×8 sheets of plywood with its seats down, a neat full-size wagon trick that many minivans and crossover SUVs haven’t been able to pull off.
Lambdas were the largest crossovers to date when released and are still among the biggest. At 4,800lb with 2WD, they outweigh that 83 Electra by about 1000lb and are only one inch shorter and 400lb shy of the 2WD Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon. Still, it’s EPA rating of 16/24 (2WD) is quite close to the 83 Electra and probably beats it in real world gas mileage.
The model differentiation was only skin deep. Mechanically, the Lambdas are all drones [We are the Borg…], virtually identical with a 275hp, 251 lb⋅ft 3.6L naturally aspirated “high feature” V6 assimilated from the Cadillac CTS and available “intelligent” automatic all wheel drive (the engine received direct injection and 13 more horsepower and 19 more lb-ft for 2009). However, Buick spent more effort than its sister divisions on sound dampening. It got acoustic laminated glass, extra underbody insulation, triple door seals and unique engine mounts.
When releasing the Enclave, Buick teased the idea that a “Super” version, probably with a V8, would be available in the near future. Sadly, that never happened. The 2021 model still has a mildly updated version of the 3.6L V6 as the only choice.
At the time of its introduction in spring 2007 as an ’08 model, it was a welcome addition to the showroom. As mentioned earlier, it replaced three different SUV and minivan models with an undeniably superior product, joining the Lucerne, Lacrosse (and soon the Regal) to give families and anyone else needing a high capacity vehicle a very pleasant alternative, much like the Estate Wagon did in years past. Buick stated at release that they anticipated the Enclave would represent 20% of Lambda sales, to the tune of 20k or more a year. As it turned out, it averaged 58k over its first generation through 2017. In its first long model year of 2008 it sold over that, which is not bad at the beginning of a recession from an automotive corporation that was soon to go bankrupt (though 2009 was its slowest year at 43k sales).
Dk Green-Regal; Lt Blue-Encore, dot on ’20 is Encore GX; Lt Green-Envision; Purple-Cascada
By 2009, the Enclave was outselling the Lucerne, which would depart after 2011. By 2013 it was outselling the LaCrosse and Regal and selling more than both of those combined in 2016, by which time it had been joined by the cute little Encore SUV, which sold more than its big brother. In making the chart above, I forgot all about the memorable forgettable 2012-17 Verano sedan, which sold around 40k for a few years, then dwindled. Yet another SUV, the Chinese-built midsize Envision, joined the lineup in 2016. The second gen-Enclave came out for 2018.
The assimilation was complete in 2019, at which point Buick’s North American lineup became SUV only [“Resistance is futile…“]. Who can blame car buyers for not offering much resistance? The crossovers drive about as well as passenger cars, except at the limits, where most people don’t generally drive. They hold lots of people or things, have all-wheel-drive available if you live where that’s useful, are well suited for roadtripping on America’s highways, and gas has been cheap enough the mileage penalty isn’t that much. There’s not a lot of sacrifices with a crossover (full disclosure, our family car is a Highlander).
None the less, traditionalists like many of us here at CC shed some tears when Buick cars were no longer available since the division has made so many sleek, handsome, and dignified automobiles over the decades. When better cars were built, Buick built them. Car companies are in the business of giving people what they want, however, and it seems what they want is SUVs (and trucks). It’s hard to find a passenger car model that isn’t in danger of cancellation. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Did the Enclave kill the Buick we knew and loved, or did it save the division? Let us know what you think!
2012 Enclave photographed 4/7/21 in Houston, TX. I wasn’t settled on doing the Enclave for the finale until I spotted this vehicle. It was in such fantastic condition for being 9 years old and it looked resplendent in white, the color of all the other subjects in the series (except GMC Denali; catch J.P. Cavanaugh’s fantastic articles on white cars if you haven’t already). 2012 was the last year before a minor facelift, 2008-12 being visually indistinguishable as far as I can determine.
Postscript– I brought up the 1983 Electra because my great uncle, Gene Curry, used to own one. Uncle Gene always had Buicks, which probably has a lot to do with my preference for them. He was a role model for me as a teen when I knew him as a vibrant and engaged septuagenarian who always had an easy smile, interesting conversation and a sense of fun. When I got my learners permit and later license, he would let me drive the Electra. It had the 4.1L V6, which he always said was a fine engine as long as you didn’t need to pass on the highway, or climb a hill. This grainy photo is of his actual car, taken shortly before he traded it in on a new 1991 LeSabre. If he were alive today, I don’t know if I could see him driving an Enclave. Possibly.
Previous articles in the series:
Curbside Classic: 1999 Lincoln Navigator – Give Them What They Want, Pt.1
Curbside Classic: 1999 Cadillac Escalade – Expansion Team, GTWTW pt.2
Curbside Classic: 2004 Cadillac Escalade – Assault With A Gilded Ladder, GTWTW pt. 3
Curbside Classic: 2000 Ford Excursion – Big America, This SUV Was Made For You And Me; GTWTW part 4
Curbside Capsule: 2000 GMC Yukon Denali – Denali All Things, GTWTW pt.5
I’ve never been a big fan of the Enclave, though I see why people like them. Nothing to do with the fact that it’s a crossover, I just think they look like a bloated whale.
I did own one of the GM crossovers, a 2008 Saturn Outlook. Actually a nice car. Though if you have one, I hope you don’t ever need to change headlight bulbs. GM procedure is to take the front bumper off. What a pain. Eventually found a workaround where you could go through the wheelwell and feel around for the bulb. Also, the battery for these cars is under the front passenger seat. It’s kind of at an awkward angle to get grip and it’s a very heavy battery.
I ended up replacing it with a Suburban. The V6 in the Outlook was kind of taxed with it being such a heavy vehicle. The Suburban and Outlook ended up getting almost equal gas mileage. The Outlook really needed a V8, or a turbo.
Taking the front bumper off to change headlight bulbs is not unique to Enclave. My Lucerne had the same issue, although I never had to change a light bulb during the time I had it. Honda Civics also have the same design concept, and I’m sure many other cars do too.
Such PITA service issues are not new – I remember being amazed that I had to remove the grille of my 85 Crown Victoria in order to remove the plastic assembly that surrounded the headlights so as to replace a burned-out sealed beam.
What year Civics have this GM-emulating design flaw? I’ve yet to encounter one, and I’ve changed my share of headlight bulbs. Back in the day, a friend had a late ’90s Camaro Z28. One of his fog-light bulbs needed replacement. The owners’ manual, the internet, and possibly the Chilton’s 1993-1998 Camaro & Firebird book were no hope in replacing the bulb.
The Enclaves and other Lambdas I’ve crossed paths with have suffered alternator failures that will probably be sufficient to take them off the road when they have some miles and cosmetic issues. The labor hours are bad enough, but the replacement alternators from GM are the worst Chinese junk with warning notes in the boxes saying to test them before installing. When the alternator fails, the entire car’s electrical system starts manifesting the voltage fluctuations as a combination of symptoms that are often interpreted as an ECU or BCM.
It’s funny to me that the consumer websites blacklist the Enclave because of frequent transmission failures and timing chain issues, since I don’t recall seeing those problems. I’ve been out of the business a couple of years though, so maybe they’re getting towed in for engine and transmission replacements instead of alternators now that they’ve got some years in the field.
The timing chain and tranny issues are very much a thing the the Lambda’s (or anything with the original gen 3.6). With the 3.6 V6, they would pretty much have a timing chain every 60-90k. My 2008 Outlook had 181,000 miles on it when I bought it. It had just received it’s third set of chains when I bought it. The CarFax said it had received it’s second at 99,000. So the original set went 99k, then the replacement went 82,000 and the third set was still going at 230,000 when the car was totaled.
My car never had tranny issues, but my understanding is the issue was a fragile 1-3-5-R waveplate.
I’ve had a few “take off the bumper to change a bulb” cars. They are a pain but not that bad once you dive in. While you have the bumper off, change every bulb and headlight, burnt out or not. This significantly reduces the likelihood of having to remove the bumper again in just a few months.
I agree that although it’s a pain, but not bad once you get into it, to me it’s just unnecessary. For something as consumable as a light bulb, (especially on the Outlook, as it used the low beam as the running light) it really should be a lot simpler to do. I know on the Equinox, GM ended up putting an access port in the wheelwell for the bulbs. That seems like a decent compromise to me.
With replacing the bulbs at once, that’s exactly what I did, because I didn’t want to replace them again. Unfortunately, the Sylvania Silverstar bulbs that I used died on me a month and a half later. Replaced them, did the same thing. So I replaced them with a cheaper bulb in the middle of a Michigan winter. Never had to do it again.
I’m sure Daniel Stern can elaborate as to why, but those “upgrade” bulbs are designed to run hotter in order to change their spectral output to look less yellow than standard halogen bulbs. They therefore have a shorter lifespan. Spend more on them and replace them more often, taking off the bumper each time if need be according to the car’s design. Makes sense to some people, I guess.
TINFL…There Is No Free Lunch.
“The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long, and you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy.”
Nitpick moment: The proper acronym is TANSTAAFL. There Ain’t No Such Think As A Free Lunch. Courtesy of Robert Heinlein.
New cars do so many things well and are generally reliable in ways that older cars weren’t, but it’s things like removing a bumper cover to change a headlight that highlight just how ridiculous those new cars can be!
First gen Lambdas had different dashes, yet the seats are all but identical (and they don’t fit me). Their biggest defect was the 2nd row seat-sliding mechanism raised the floor, making it difficult to climb in and uncomfortable for the long-legged (knees too high). I remember those hints about a V8 to come. I guess they saw how the DI 3.6 killed Northstar Cadillac STS sales, and canceled it.
I drove a Rendezvous with the 3.6 DOHC engine, and it was a completely different animal from the 3.4 or 3.5 OHC models. Drove like a Buick should. If that was too expensive, they should have offered the 3.9 OHC from the minivans, because the standard engine wasn’t enough.
The Enclave, around here at least, seemed to be the one vehicle in Buick’s portfolio that spoke to the relocated middle-aged moms of some (but not unlimited) means and brought some new life into their showrooms. Flashier than most of the imports, definitely roomier (ok, at least bigger), and instantly recognizable – really, it’s surprising that the shape wasn’t more polarizing, most seem to at least grudgingly not mind it.
Kind of the perfect middle ground between a minivan and a full on Suburban, at least until the often Dr. Husband got to the second tier of his partnership agreement and then it was ditched for a Yukon Denali to tow the boat to the new (shared ownership) weekend cabin.
The second generation cleaned up (made blander) some of the styling but didn’t seem to sell as well and the third (current) looks even better, i.e. more modern, to me but also more anonymous and isn’t seen as often.
We looked at one for about five minutes before we got I think the Touareg, it was nice but a bit too traditional and fussy inside than we wanted.
Well, unfortunately, GTWTW works, or at least it works better than GTWTN (Give Them What They Need). If it were the other way around, the Enclave would be a thing of the past and the Regal TourX would still be in production. Full disclosure, I’m a Regal TourX owner and a wagon traditionalist. I don’t actually hate the Enclave. It’s just way too much vehicle for the weekly Trader Joe’s run. Yes, the TourX only has two rows of seats, but how many people buy three-row cars and never use that third row?
I hear you, I am a wagon traditionalist, too. It’s why I struggle with whether to hate SUVs or not. Crossover SUVs are very functional, but a vehicle like the TourX is so much more attractive and does everything better, except where interior volume is needed. And most people don’t need all that interior volume most of the time anyway (like us with our Highlander, which sees the third row used a couple times a year). But yet, the TourX is a niche vehicle on the endangered species list from day one while the Enclave and the other SUVs are big sellers.
If they were going to offer low volume vehicles like the TourX, I would have loved for Buick to offer in NA the Euro-spec Regal wagon, which was just like the TourX except with standard 2WD and none of the silly SUV pretensions seen in the TourX’s body cladding and higher ride height.
I rented all Lambda variants in my frequent business travel days (minus the Saturn, which was extinct by the time I was frequently renting cars) and I surprisingly quite liked them. Had I kids I might have even considered a used one. Pre-facelift, I think the GMC Acadia was the best-looking of the bunch, while the Traverse was the worst-looking with its goofy headlights and taillights.
GM did keep the first gen around too long, and these could’ve used a more powerful engine option like even a turbocharged V6. But like MadHungarian I’d prefer the Regal TourX anyway.
I always thought the first-ish crossover vehicle, if we discount the early RAV4s was the Chrysler Pacifica of ’04 – ’08 as it approached small van capacity, but drove more cae-like.
Good call – the Pacifica was a 3 row, at least optionally.
Good one. The Pacifica would seem to be the largest crossover to date when it came out, but as a candidate for first three row crossover the Rendezvous came out 2 years earlier.
Uh…make that CAR like. My ’07 Pacifica Touring has three rows of seats, but I didn’t know it was an option. Perhaps the base model lacked them?
Jon
Great write-up. I always thought that these looked Supine when viewed from the rear in traffic, and I like the ’83 Electra reference.
The Mauretania was the Cunard liner with ample woodwork, whereas the Lusitania was largely plastered ( in more than one way!). Mauretania first class dining room attached.
Lusitania
Absolutely amazing to think of this interior being inside a ship.
Nice! I am not enough of a ship buff to have known that difference. I’ll bet the Lusiitania’s first class smoking room, the man-only refuge, was all woodgrain. I choose the Lusitania because it was from the era of wood-heavy interiors and is a famous ship, without being so obvious as being the most famous liner in history and never having Leonardo DiCaprio sail on it.
The plaster continued into the Smoking room too. Seems that they thought plaster and lighter tone wood was not only less expensive to furnish, but they also allocated the decoration of both liners to different artist’s. White Star Line went the other way and all three Olympic class liners were only slightly different inside ( lots of woodwork, though). Lounge of the Lusitania attached.
Mauretania
That is interesting stuff, I love those old liners! It looks to me like even the Lusitania has a lot of woodgrain in there in a lighter tone than the Mauritania, at least more than the Enclave or 83 Electra! To carry the theme, the Enclave has pretty light tone to their woodgrain, too:)
Agreed! Looks like my ’82 LeSabre, but no trees were harmed in the manufacture of that dashboard.
Man, that looks nice! I know the wood is as fake as could be, but I have always liked that dash. Maybe it’s just due to my great uncle. I love the big round clock, the round gauges (which unfortunately have only speedo and fuel, when you could get a full gauge package on Olds’), the center section that sticks out and down, the chrome accents, even the thin, hard steering wheel rim with a woodgrain strip because you just can never have too much woodgrain. The big chrome trimmed gas pedal is crying out to be pressed. And just in case you didn’t get enough wood on the dash, the upper 1/3 of the door is all woodgrain!
I had an 87 LeSabre wagon with the same dash, just didn’t have the wood on the doors. I loved that car apart from the leisurely acceleration.
I have yet to drive (navigate?) a Lambda-class. I have wondered if I would like them – so many modern GM efforts I have found either uncomfortable or not very appealing. These were a solid effort, or at least seemed so from the sidelines where I sat.
I do recall the Rendesvous having a bit of popularity among those in carpool life when we were there.
And I love your references to the Borg.
I considered one of these, as well as an Arcadia Denali. After test driving both, I came to the realization that I’m a “car guy.” I have no need for a SUV (as I’m single and have no kids.) I went with a low mileage, fully loaded 2018 LaCrosse, simply because it’s a full size sedan and that’s what I wanted. I did driver a Chrysler 300 (being a Mopar guy) but found it’s interior reminded me too much of a college friend’s Neon, so Buick it is.
I would also looked at a Regal TourX, but the prices are too high for them
I think those late LaCrosses are pretty sharp. I photographed a nice one recently, was thinking about doing a short article on it as the last Buick sedan (in America).
I can tell you, in the three weeks that I’ve owned it, its an excellent car. It’s a shame the Buick stopped building what it was always good at… a large, luxurious full size sedan.
Why is it GM products have had a cheapish vibe for so long? To me these look very
cynical, ie, put the least amount of effort to have another model. I am in agreement that the
TourX is a great looking vehicle, and I was interested in one for our “good” car. The Mrs.
only liked small SUVs. Since she would be the primary driver, we went that
direction. It is a perspective I can understand, with so many tall vehicles on the road, it is
intimidating to be dwarfed in traffic with poor visibility. A secondary factor is the
increasingly poor state of roads, having a bit more ground clearance helps
I had the same issue. I would never have prevailed in trying to convince my wife to go with any wagon or sedan for the vehicle she primarily drives. Tough to be a purist when you’re married!
Seeing the little circle picture made me think this Lambda looks like a Lancia/Chrysler Delta, just inflated to a different psi.
The big CUV is the product of evolution. My own personal journey took me from an old ’66 Ford F250 to my ’07 F150. The new truck has a quiet, smooth, spacious, comfortable, cabin and great handling and ride. It does not have a lot of accommodations for passengers, it’s really just for two. I went through two minivans over almost twenty years, very practical for family use and I don’t hate driving them, even rented a new Grand Caravan last Summer to drive on vacation, still a very nice vehicle. I had my dream car, a 94 Cadillac Seville STS, a great driving, powerful luxury car. I bought my first SUV an old ’97 5.0 Explorer several years ago. I liked the versatility and functionality of the design. I finally bought my own CUV, a Flex, it is an improvement in space and utility, over the old Explorer, with a much quieter smoother ride with much better fuel economy. I still like sporty cars but for a family vehicle, I don’t think that I would ever want to buy another sedan.
I rented a several Lambda variants when they were still in their first generation. In all cases, they were roomy for 4-5 adults and their luggage and rode well, but seemed a little underpowered when fully loaded. The best one was a brand-new Chevrolet Traverse, which was well-equipped, handled like a smaller vehicle and had a very plush and composed ride that smoothly traversed potholed winter Cleveland roads. Another time, I rented a GMC Acacia in Indy, a bottom of the line rental-spec model, that looked and felt cheap inside and was not nearly as impressive, though admittedly, it was in poor condition and had nearly 50k miles on the odometer. The last was an Enclave rented in Las Vegas, which I actually kind of liked, but the window sticker in the glove box showed the MSRP to be something like $55k, which seemed awfully high in comparison to some better alternatives.
Your writeup reminded me of the Buick Rendezvouz. A brother in law had one, that he had bought used, and he only kept it a short time. He said it was too thirsty for him, and he sold it to the first buyer, for not alot of money. Certainly less that he had paid for it.
The Rendezvouz always reminded me that it was the (“special”, as you said) cousin to the Pontiac Aztek, which was not a good reminder, image wise. They both came out at the same time, and though the Buick did not have the same features as the Pontiac, it was, I understood, based on the same platform. (Rereadng your article, I found the reference to U-body platform).
I take it the Enclave was the successor to the Rendezvouz. After Tiger Woods’ sponsorship of the Rendezvouz ended, they must have decided to get rid of the name altogether.
Excellent piece!
Thanks! As I understood it, GM purposefully consolidated their minivans and midsize SUV’s into the Lambdas. They probably could have justified keeping the Rendezvous as a junior model to the Enclave, but it was getting on in years, sales were lower the last couple of years, it would have been the only vehicle left on that platform, and I’m guessing Buick wanted to simplify their lineup with one more premium product.
They would have had to reengineer it for higher crash standards. I believe the Rendezvous had more total interior space than the Enclave (less behind the 3rd row), which would have been embarrassing, since it was smaller outside and cheaper.
Human, you have been assimilated and just don’t realize it, bwahaha!
I really find it hard to believe that a Buick Enclave will be considered a future classic. I leave that title to my 95 Camaro Z-28. I will say that as a co-owner (wife car) of a 2013 Buick Enclave it’s a really nice vehicle to have when everything is working correctly. It currently in the shop for a transmission issue at 111,565 miles. I’m also concerned about the timing chain issue after doing research about common problems with the 1st generation Enclaves. Yes the platform GM created may have changed the public view for what a crossover really is , but I don’t think Hagerty will look at a 20 year Enclave the same way I would look at other cars from the same time period.