The industry's best-selling three-row luxury crossover has received a serious makeover, with new styling, safety technology, gadgets and improved handling. New signature styling cues of the 2013 model include a new front fascia with LED daytime running lights, and a new headlamp design with Xenon HID lamps and LED accent lighting. The blue translucent rings link the new Buick to other models across the brand's lineup.
Other new styling elements include a new hood and black-chrome waterfall grille, new rear fascia with integrated exhaust outlets and LED taillights, new 19- and 20-inch alloys, and a smattering of chrome accents. "The 2013 Enclave advances the award-winning design, craftsmanship and technology that reintroduced Buick to a new generation of customers," said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick Marketing. "We evolved the interior and exterior design, increased luxury amenities and materials, and engineered purposeful technologies that will make the Enclave continue to resonate with luxury crossover owners."
Offered in FWD and AWD, power comes from a 3.6-liter V6 mated to an updated six-speed automatic transmission. The fuel-saving six-speed design should help the three-row Enclave to deliver 24mpg on the highway for FWD models. Responsiveness and handling have been improved with all models featuring independent front & rear suspensions, which get revised dampers, springs and shocks; and variable-effort power-assisted steering. A teaser shot of the new interior was revealed last month, and it's obvious now why Buick was so keen to highlight this area of the 2013 Enclave.
Ice blue LED ambient lighting surrounds the dash, while soft-touch materials and live stitching features throughout the cabin. Up front there are eight-way power driver and passenger seats with four-way adjustable head restraints and a new center stack with standard IntelliLink LCD display, touch control and navigation system. True chrome accents also adorn the cabin; while four interior color combinations are on offer with complementing wood tones, including a new Cocoa leather combo. The Enclave also offers plenty of space: 23.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and a total of 115.2 cubic feet when rows two and three are collapsed.
That beats the Audi Q7, Mercedes R Class, Infiniti JX and Lincoln MKT. A front center airbag - an industry first - is one of seven in total and comes as standard, as does StabiliTrak, traction control, panic brake assist, rear-view camera, side blind zone alert, and rear cross traffic alert. Also coming as a standard feature on the 2013 model is a power liftgate and remote start.
