Here is what I got to see at the Toronto show, a red 2008 Buick Enclave CXL. The red looks really good on it.

CXL rims...

Yes this is the CXL. The badging admits that. Apparently those are the CXL rims and then you can upgrade to the ones on the show vehicle we have been seeing.

Wow... the lower plastic bumper screams cheap.

Oooohhh! I like that two-tone exterior.

Wow... the lower plastic bumper screams cheap.

It doesn't look like un-painted plastic to me. It looks like a dark-gray/ash color.

I like it a lot.

I wish the Enclave was monochromatic. Two-tone makes it look too much like a rugged vehicle, and not a luxury vehicle.

It doesn't look like un-painted plastic to me. It looks like a dark-gray/ash color.

Unless it's a flat dark gray/ash... I highly doubt it's painted. It's not shiny...

Unless it's a flat dark gray/ash... I highly doubt it's painted. It's not shiny...

if this is CXL trim, I can't see how it wouldn't be painted.

if this is CXL trim, I can't see how it wouldn't be painted.

Me neither, but it doesn't look like paint.

Im going to the show today. Will take lots of pictures and video. :AH-HA_wink:

It's an SUV, to some extent you expect unpainted surfaces at the lower extremities. It's functional.

Nobody will take an Enclave further off road than the grass in their yard on those rare occasions that they need to unload the latest Home Depot purchase in the back yard. Hell, most Enclave buyers will probably avoid gravel roads.

uhh...I'll take the concept Enclave thank you...

Yeah...let's bitch about the Enclave. Can't tell you how many times I've seen XC90s going mud-boggin'.

Yeah...let's bitch about the Enclave. Can't tell you how many times I've seen XC90s going mud-boggin'.

And they'd all look better painted.

Take the SRX for example. When it debuted, it looked like this:

But, before it was released, it ended up looking like this:

I'll take the second one everytime over the first one.

Ok so different cars look good monochromatic, the Enclave looks fine either way, yes the SRX looks a lot better mono' but the XC90 wouldn't IMO.

Yeah...let's bitch about the Enclave. Can't tell you how many times I've seen XC90s going mud-boggin'.

It looks bad regardless of the vehicle. So yes, let's bitch.

Whether it looks bad or not obviously doesn't matter since it has been selling well on the RX300, 330, and 350, however the latter two do not have as much as the RX300 did.

Yeah...let's bitch about the Enclave. Can't tell you how many times I've seen XC90s going mud-boggin'.

None of them look good IMO, and something such as the Enclave should be mono at least on the CXL. But I'll reserve final judgement until I see the optional wheels and a darker color...mainly black. I know its not offered but I'm hoping the General changes that.

I'll let TED confirm that it is a CXL. I am absolutely sure it was. I should've gotten a picture of the badging.

I don't think the plastic bumpers work either. It's a cost cutting measure that all (as has been shown) automakers use. A monochromatic Enclave is definitely a nicer looking vehicle, IMO.

Beauty or lack thereof is in the eye of the beholder!

Whether it looks bad or not obviously doesn't matter since it has been selling well on the RX300, 330, and 350, however the latter two do not have as much as the RX300 did.

The Lexus brand name blinds people to some faults.. The Buick name? Not so much.

Beauty or lack thereof is in the eye of the beholder!

I friggin' love your avatar.

It's almost hypnotizing...

Though I do think the plastic bumpers look somewhat cheap, they are also somewhat good looking, at least in these photos. I'll wait to see the professional pictures and the Enclave in person to make a concrete judgement. It does not look as bad as the other vehicles posted.

It is unpainted plastic, but it doesn't look that bad in person.

Now Ted, is it squishy plastic?

Honestly, it doesn't look that bad to me, but I'm just upset because I can already hear the complaints from critics.

I like it, still my wife prolly wants a Torrent GXP and I want a G8 GT or pre-owned DTS.

IMO, it looks very bad in the front. Envision the plastic cladding going up to the top of the lower air dam, about six inches below the chrome strip. Ahh, that's much better.

This is my least favorite Lambda... it's far too gaudy. I can imagine a black Acadia Denali being very nice though...

That Enclave is HOT! Too bad the mechanicals are not as pretty.

Hey ALL, first post!!

I'm a little confused here, will the Enclave be available in CXS trim right away, or is CXL top of the line for now? Also, if CXL is top of the line will it be available without the black cladding? ( not that I don't like it, I don't think it looks bad at all)

Hey ALL, first post!!

I'm a little confused here, will the Enclave be available in CXS trim right away, or is CXL top of the line for now? Also, if CXL is top of the line will it be available without the black cladding? ( not that I don't like it, I don't think it looks bad at all)

First, welcome to the board! Hope you enjoy it here!

For the Enclave, it will debut at first in CX and CXL trims both powered by the 3.6l VVT (275hp) with AWD optional on each. The CXS version will likely be available late-'08/early-'09 as a 2009 model alongisde a GMC Acadia Denali. They will probably boast more standard equipment, unique features, and the first application of a UV8 eight-cylinder DOHC engine with around or more than 300hp.

if you have no place to park an suv or car but on the streets, then i think those rubber bumpers left unpainted would be great in cities like chicago where i live. right now, i drive a jeep grand cherokee with bare bumpers... i cannot tell you how many friggin times my bumpers both front and back have been dinged due to cars needing to get out of the parking space out on the streets. thank god mine isnt painted cause my suv would really look like total $h! as compared to the cars and suvs here that do have mono colors.

In my mind, to say the lower bumper is unpainted implies it is unfinished. The lower bumper was intentionally designed that way. The AUDI Q7 has the exact same design and I don't believe anyone would say it looks down market. Granted, the Q7 is at a different price point, so the execution may be different, but at the end of the day the Enclave's look in very much in keeping with it's peer groups.

Ugh, they really need to paint that. Having the very lowest part below the front air damn and the area in the rear that has the exhaust cutouts would be ok to have unpainted, but the rest is unacceptable, and makes a great design look mediocre.

Reminds me of the 05 Equinox LS' without the color keyed bumber option.

I think it'll look better in black, which, btw, isn't available on either the Acadia or Outlook.

The Enclave's lower bumper/fascia, wheel lips and rocker are a PAINTED "low gloss" flat with a tone matched color to the upper. This is a much more preimum look thant the typical flat molded in color (usually black) plastic used on many SUV's and crossovers.

I think it's plastic...I touched it at the show and it didnt exactly feel paint smooth....

Painted or not, it still looks rather ugly, IMO.

The two-tone with the tupperware color is something Buick has been doing for years. There are positives to it.

On my Regal the same gray color is on the bottom of the car, it's a plastic and it's not painted and is something Buick has made optional with its vehicles for years, this isn't new with the Enclave. The Rendezvous lived off of it for the first half of its lifespan (and sold far beyond anyones expectations) and the Regal specifically has been doing it for probably almost 20 years.

The plastic will not be eroded by salt and in the long run will give your Enclave a higher resale value since it helps prevent rusting in some of the most common cosmetic problem areas of the vehicle. If you plan on driving through salt or sand this tupperware color is a great protective seal. Also it removes some of the elegance and gives the vehicle a bit sportier of a look which I personally like with my Buicks, and I'm 23. It would be nice to see them expand on this and give multiple different colored two-toned colors with the same protection of this gray moulding (it can't be that hard for a multi-billion dollar corporation, can it?), but there is definitely functionality in it and for me personally it doesn't ruin the vehicle.

Really it's what you care more about- protecting your investment or looking more elegant, I suppose it depends on your opinion. However as the Rendezvous proved, it's not a deterrent.

Edited March 12, 200718 yr by Cananopie

Here is a brief video of the Enclave on the last day of the show. Was running low on battery power, so its 16 seconds though.

I have to say the Enclave looks very good in person. The interior was a bit of a letdown, though.

Here is a brief video of the Enclave on the last day of the show. Was running low on battery power, so its 16 seconds though.

Ugh, I HATE those wheels.

Here are some pictures from the Minneapolis show

The plastic is actually in 2 parts, an upper color matched piece which goes between the sheet metal, and the bumper. The bumper and rockers are a 2nd tone, which is contrast painted.