Buick Enclave sales increased in the United States and in Mexico while decreasing in Canada in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Buick Enclave Sales - Q4 2018 - United States
In the United States, Buick Enclave deliveries totaled 14,420 units in Q4 2018, a decrease of about 16 percent compared to 17,153 units sold in Q4 2017.During the complete 2018 calendar year, Enclave sales increased about 2 percent to 49,647 units.
| MODEL | Q4 2018 / Q4 2017 | Q4 2018 | Q4 2017 | YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 | YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENCLAVE | -15.93% | 14,420 | 17,153 | +2.23% | 49,647 | 48,564 |
Buick Enclave Sales - Q4 2018 - Canada
In Canada, Buick Enclave deliveries totaled 1,027 units in Q4 2018, a decrease of about 26 percent compared to 1,384 units sold in Q4 2017.During the complete 2018 calendar year, Enclave sales increased about 1 percent to 3,522 units.
| MODEL | Q4 2018 / Q4 2017 | Q4 2018 | Q4 2017 | YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 | YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENCLAVE | -25.82% | 1,027 | 1,384 | +0.60% | 3,522 | 3,501 |
Buick Enclave Sales - Q4 2018 - Mexico
In Mexico, Buick Enclave deliveries totaled 307 units in Q4 2018, an increase of about 90 percent compared to 162 units sold in Q4 2017.During the complete 2018 calendar year, Enclave sales decreased about 3 percent to 944 units.
| MODEL | Q4 2018 / Q4 2017 | Q4 2018 | Q4 2017 | YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 | YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENCLAVE | +89.51% | 307 | 162 | -3.48% | 944 | 978 |
Competitive Sales Comparison
Buick Enclave sales had the second-highest percentage decrease in sales volume in their segment in Q4, with only Volvo XC90 sales falling at a faster rate. The performance places the full-size CUV in second place (out of five) in its competitive set in terms of cumulative sales volume, behind the Infiniti XC60 yet (just barely) ahead of the Acura MDX, Audi Q7 (see Audi Q7 sales), and Volvo XC90 (see Volvo XC90 sales).
The premium three-row crossover segment contracted 7 percent in Q4 2018 and expanded 2 percent in the complete 2018 calendar year.
Sales Numbers - Premium Three-Row Crossovers - Q4 2018 - United States
| MODEL | Q4 18 / Q4 17 | Q4 18 | Q4 17 | YTD 18 / YTD 17 | YTD 18 | YTD 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QX60 | +40.52% | 15,575 | 11,084 | +17.12% | 47,370 | 40,444 |
| ENCLAVE | -15.93% | 14,420 | 17,153 | +2.23% | 49,647 | 48,564 |
| MDX | -14.24% | 14,325 | 16,704 | -6.15% | 51,512 | 54,886 |
| Q7 | -12.28% | 10,147 | 11,568 | -2.42% | 37,417 | 38,346 |
| XC90 | -24.81% | 7,957 | 10,582 | +1.98% | 31,609 | 30,996 |
| TOTAL | -6.96% | 62,424 | 67,091 | +2.03% | 217,555 | 213,236 |
For the sake of reference, we are providing sales figures for the Lexus RX below. Though the RX is a premium midsize CUV, it now has a variant called RX-L with three rows of seats, thereby enabling it to compete in the premium, three-row crossover space with the Buick Enclave. But since Lexus does not break out sales of the two-row RX from the three-row RX-L, not all RX sales can be applied to the Premium Three-Row CUV segment.
Sales Numbers - Lexus RX & RX-L - Q4 2018 - United States
| MODEL | Q4 18 / Q4 17 | Q4 18 | Q4 17 | YTD 18 / YTD 17 | YTD 18 | YTD 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX | -1.08% | 32,078 | 32,427 | +3.08% | 111,641 | 108,307 |
| TOTAL | -1.08% | 32,078 | 32,427 | +3.08% | 111,641 | 108,307 |
The GM Authority Take
Q4 2018 marks the first time since the launch of the all-new, second-generation Buick Enclave that the vehicle was outsold by a rival. In this case, the Infiniti QX60 posted a substantial sales increase as the rest of the segment contenders saw sales slip. We believe that the reason for the notable jump in Infiniti QX60 sales is associated to increased deliveries to daily rental fleets and sky-high incentives. The incentive factor, specifically, may have enabled more people to pick the QX60 over the Enclave at the retail level, contributing to the sales decline.
Even so, second place in overall sales volume is not a bad spot to be for the Enclave, especially given GM’s push to drastically curb sales to rental car fleets while keeping incentive spending to a minimum, a strategy vastly different from that of Infiniti and its parent firm, Nissan.
We maintain that heathy Buick Enclave sales are the result of various factors coming together at just the right time, and GM delivering on all levels, including product, marketing as well as execution at the retail level. The product is, arguably, the most important of these elements, and the Enclave hits the mark as a result of a very good, practical, and highly attractive offering that has the right mix of style, comfort, technology, and value. Though the Enclave does not use the latest GM V-6 engine family, consumers don’t seem to mind or notice. The market’s ongoing love affair with crossovers is a significant contributing factor.
Going forward, we expect Enclave to continue leading its segment from a sales volume standpoint due to the following factors:
- An new, highly-competitive second-generation model that is attracting new customers
- A value-laden vehicle that presents an attractive price point, which is about $10,000 more affordable than more expensive rivals such as the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 – which are not only smaller, but also offer less in terms of features and therefore value
- An ongoing change in market vehicle buying dynamics that sees car buyers continue switching to crossover utility vehicles (CUVs) and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) from other vehicle types like sedans
However, we believe that the following two factors will provide headwinds:
- Strong competition from the aforementioned Lexus RX-L – a three-row variant of the best-selling Lexus RX that dominates its segment from a sales volume standpoint, and
- The impending launch of the Cadillac XT6, which is similar to the Enclave in terms of utility, size and seating capacity. Even so, the Cadillac will be offered at a higher price point than the Enclave, which starts at the $40,000
About The Numbers
- All percent change figures compared to Buick Enclave Q4 2017 sales
- In the United States, there were 77 selling days in Q4 2018 and 76 selling days in Q4 2017
About Buick Enclave
The Buick Enclave is a premium full-size crossover utility vehicle (CUV). It is the biggest Buick crossover currently offered, slotting above the subcompact Buick Encore and compact Buick Envision.
The first generation Enclave was introduced for the 2009 model year to replace the Buick Rendezvous. It rode on the GM Lambda platform and was discontinued in 2017. The current, second-generation model was introduced for the 2018 model year. It rides on the extended-length GM C1 platform shared with the second-generation Chevrolet Traverse. A shorter variant of the same platform underpins the second-gen GMC Acadia and Cadillac XT5.
For the 2019 model year, the Enclave receives a new FWD Preferred (1SD) equipment group, the addition of the automatic function for the heated steering wheel and front row heated seats, as well as a new Ebony with Ebony interior accents interior.
Compared to its first-generation predecessor, the second-gen Enclave is an all-new vehicle that is larger, lighter, sleeker and more modern. It also introduces new trim levels, including the range-topping Enclave Avenir.
The Buick Enclave is built at the GM Delta Lansing Township factory in Michigan operated by GM USA. It is currently the only plant that builds the vehicle alongside the second-gen Chevy Traverse.
Related News & Info
- GM news
- GM forums
- Buick Enclave information
- Running GM sales results
- Running Buick sales results
- Running Buick Enclave sales results
- Running Buick sales results
Comments
Still better than the competition and still better than the Chinese-made Envision which just needs to go away.
Oh, Machete Mary Barra, is she going to take credit for another model dropping in sales? Maybe she is too busy slashing more American and Canadian jobs to notice…
All good. Bears repeating.
GM management is failing to realize 4 important points
1) SUV sales could be reaching a market peak – we saw this with Mini-vans and GM has forgotten you don’t follow trends you need to predict them with accuracy. Thus customers looking to go back to cars will simply migrate away from SUV and GM. SUV’s sales have been so high that the market has a greater risk of migration away from SUV’s.
2) They need to keep 2 out of 5 factories that was schedule to close open as the PR disaster that has ensued in wake of the closings and cancellations has hurt them. Detroit Hamtrak should stay and Lordstown, with Lordstown being refitted for the 2019 Blazer as this vehicle has real “jeopardy” of having a sales dearth due to the politics. The Tooling can be moved to Lordstown and GM can re-purpose the mexico factory for its new “GEM” platform. Hamtrak can build the CT-6 and keep the La Crosse plus migrate a new Impala to the La Crosse platform – which would now make the Impala bigger than the current generation. More importantly this would not require importing either the CT-6 nor the La Crosse from China a market where both products were always scheduled to stay
3) The Tesla Model 3 is now not only the best selling eletric vehicle in the USA at 146,000 units produced but it is now the best selling Luxury Car nameplate. So Cadillac will not be regaining any greatness using EV’s and GM Management needs to wake up on this point now.
4) Buick will need to stay in existence around the globe in order for GM to remain relevant in China and to remain as an upper level brand. The La Crosse at a minimum will need to either be reinstated into production or be imported from China.
The “cost savings” from this grand plan may already be lost due to GM Management not realizing the fall out and there is already the embarrassment of the “discontinue” to “No discontinue” on the CT-6. Only really inept management could pull this one off
Joseph: Interesting suggestions, only one comment: Do you believe Tesla may also be approaching a market peak? I would think at some point the snob and virtue-signaling sales drivers would begin to lose some of their effect? At some point even the first-adopters run out. Can Cadillac capture enough sales in that more mature market to make the all-electric GM, lead by Cadillac profitable? From your comment I assume you think not.
I fear lower priced EV models will struggle to get prices low enough for significant volume to be profitable.
I really do not believe Mary has a well thought out plan, other than car sharing apps and China. All sounds iffy to me.
Nice to see an expensive SUV start to falter in sales. Too bad it won’t translate into more LaCrosse or Impala sales, two sedans I don’t want to see go away.
Wasn’t Buick on fire two years ago? The fastest growing blah blah blah. I like Buick but it desperately needs a halo plus a updated advert campaign.
Looking at all of the TV commercials for new vehicles, I can’t remember when I saw an ad for this newer version of the Enclave?
It’s a good looking vehicle, and they could sell more if GM increased the marketing budget, a bit more.
Maybe GM if fine with the current sales levels, since they now have many crossovers, mostly with very good sales numbers.
Enclaves are beautiful vehicles however the price is too high.. If you want a heated steering wheel for example they stick you an extra 6 grand on a Premium. Don’t like how they manipulate consumers like that. We declined after owning two previous Enclaves and purchased an Envision for about $12,000 less than a similarly equipped 2019 Enclave.
The pricing on all of these vehicles is just way to high for the Average buyers.
Enclave is the only remnant of the Buick I knew as a kid. The brand is now just a repository for a collection of products designed and produced worldwide primarily to serve other markets. With LaCrosse gone, Enclave is the sole exception: the only American Buick left.
As for why sales are declining, it seems that GM is seeing reductions across their range which I’d attribute to them being seen as a loser company. Somebody else wins all the awards these days and the only press on GM relates to layoffs, plant closures and product cancellations. In a stunning change of fortune, a new Ram is seen as superior to a new Silverado relegating GM to the unenviable position of having to sell on price which means their products sell to lower income/status buyers. All of which creates a kind of ‘loser’ image for GM which then impacts all sales. In short, GM is moving into the territory formerly held by Fiat Chrysler and Hyundai while those brands have elevated their images.