2018 Buick Enclave Avenir
Just ahead of the New York International Auto Show, Buick held a ritzy launch for the all-new Enclave Avenir at New York’s Pier 59.
The redesigned Enclave promises a level of luxury never before seen in the seven-passenger SUV. The level of premium features will rise to new heights because according to the American automaker, 90 percent of Buick customers opt for the top two trim levels when ordering a new Buick.
This newfound lavishness will be identified by Buick’s new sub-brand, Avenir. The Enclave will be the first of several new Buick models that will brandish the Avenir name, and the added opulence that comes with it.
The Enclave Avenir will include several detailing touches, including premium exterior and interior colours, embroidered front headrests, a steering wheel with wood accents, and a 10-speaker Bose sound system among several other high-end features.
Cabin serenity will be assured through the extensive use of sound deadening materials, as well as active noise cancelling.
The interior will also feature an air ionizer that reduces odours, dust, pollen and other airborne contaminants by producing negatively charged particles that will attract and break down these contaminants to provide cleaner air.
But it’s not just about luxury, because the Enclave Avenir will also be laden with technology. Among several other things, the Enclave will include standard and available features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, bi-functional LED projector headlights with automatic high beams, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and assist, and a unique rear camera mirror that can be used as a conventional rear-view mirror, or as a monitor that displays a rear view that is unobstructed by rear seats or body pillars.
Power will come from a 3.6-litre V6 that is said to produce an estimated 302 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. It will be mated to a nine-speed automatic, with available intelligent all-wheel drive that will utilise a twin-clutch rear differential.
The redesigned Enclave features new proportions, with a lower roofline, swept-back windshield, and a longer wheelbase. The interior boasts 10 percent more space, with 668 litres of cargo space behind the third-row seats. There’s also a 91-litre storage compartment hidden beneath the floor.
For families that require more storage space when travelling to the cottage for the week, the Enclave can tow up to 5,000 lb when equipped with the towing package.
According to president of Global Buick, Duncan Aldred, Buick is now the fourth biggest luxury car brand in the U.S., ahead of several of its European counterparts. The Avenir sub-brand promises to bolster that position for Buick, and the Enclave seems the ideal first step towards this new level of luxury.