Buick Enclave Generation 1 (2008–2012)

Buick Enclave Generation 1 (2008–2012) — production years, market prices by model year, NHTSA recalls and owner complaints, and live listings for sale on VehiSales.

Buick Enclave — body generations

Generation Produced Facelift
Generation 1 2008–2012 —
Generation 2 2013–2017 —
Generation 3 2018–2024 —
Generation 4 2025–present —

Vehicles within one generation share the same platform and body style.

Engines used in the Enclave

Engine families this model shipped with, by NHTSA VIN build data — each links to every model that shares it.

Engine Years in this model Also used in VIN builds ⓘ
Buick 3.6L 6-cylinder 2008–2024 6 models 135

Buick Enclave fuel economy: every year & engine (EPA) →

Used Buick Enclave prices by year →

About this generation

The Enclave has seating for seven passengers, with an optional second row bench seat instead of the standard two captain chairs which increases the seating to eight. It comes standard with front-wheel drive with an option of all-wheel drive. The Enclave shares powertrains with its Lambda siblings. For its first year of production, the Enclave was powered by a 3.6 L High Feature V6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

For the 2009 model, an upgraded power boost for the 3.6 L V6 Spark Ignition Direct Injection VVT produces and of torque standard (also standard on other 2009 Lambdas). The latter direct-injection engine offers a broader torque curve, and brings fuel economy to / for FWD models and / for AWD models, according to the new United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates. The Lambda vehicles are built at GM's new Delta Township Assembly plant near Lansing, Michigan, and production of the Enclave commenced on April 11, 2007, with the first vehicles reaching certain dealers by the end of the month.

The Enclave debuted with a starting price of $32,790. In its first year of production, the Enclave was often criticized for its 6-speed transmission, which was "hesitant to downshift." The powertrain was improved for 2009. For its entire production, it has been regarded as overly heavy, weighing nearly with all-wheel-drive. Buick's VentiPorts have reappeared at the Enclave's introduction, a styling feature unique to Buick dating back to 1949.

Initial sales of the Enclave far exceeded production capacity, forcing GM to add a third shift to the Delta Township plant. With the arrival of the Buick Envision (which is slotted between the Enclave and Buick Encore) to North America in 2016 (for the 2017 model year), the Enclave became larger after Envision's debut, and the 2017 model year Enclave was the last under the first generation platform. GM unveiled the 2013 Buick Enclave on April 3, 2012, one day before its official debut at the New York Auto Show.

The 2013 model features revised exterior styling including a new chrome waterfall grille, xenon headlights with LED running lights, LED Foglights, and LED taillights. Interior updates include a redesigned dashboard with more soft-touch materials, wood and chrome accents, blue ambient lighting, and touchscreen IntelliLink infotainment display. Among safety features are seven standard airbags, including an industry-first front center airbag, and available blind spot monitoring.

Sales in the United States and Canada began in 2007 during the 2008 model year. In 2008, General Motors began exporting the Enclave to China, to be sold through Shanghai GM's Buick network. The Buick brand has been relaunched in Mexico for the 2010 model year, bringing the Enclave to that market. The 2008 Enclave was awarded "Top Safety Pick" by IIHS.

Source: Wikipedia — Buick Enclave — First generation (2008), CC BY-SA.

Recalls & complaints by year (NHTSA)

Year Recalls Complaints Most reported
2008 6 536 Power Train, Air Bags, Steering
2009 8 220 Steering, Engine, Power Train
2010 6 275 Steering, Engine, Power Train
2011 6 211 Steering, Power Train, Air Bags
2012 6 132 Engine, Structure, Air Bags

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.

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