Brand’s new crossover finds first owners as Enclave sales grow 57 percent
Buick’s January retail sales were the highest in nine years and were up 30 percent year over year. Total sales, including those sold to executive fleets and other commercial customers, were up 32 percent, ending the month at a level unmatched since 2006. January also saw the first deliveries of Buick’s new luxury small crossover, the Encore.
Kelleigh Sheehy, a bank underwriter from Marietta, Ga., was among the first owners to drive one home. After building her ideal Encore on Buick.com, she went to Carl Black Buick in Kennesaw, Ga., and learned that an exact match would be the first vehicle delivered.
“It was meant to be,” Sheehy said. “But that only came after a lot of research and test drives. Every other vehicle had some compromise, but the Encore had everything on my wish list. I traded in a Volkswagen Jetta and the luxury, quietness and amenities of the Encore are beyond comparison.”
It’s been Encore’s quietness that’s made the biggest impression on Sheehy. “The one thing I tell my friends about most is how quiet my car is. It’s uncanny.” Autotrader.com recently named Encore to its list of “Top 10 Must Test Drive Vehicles for 2013,” calling it a “nimble crossover SUV with an exceptionally quiet ride, a high-tech interior and estimated highway fuel economy of 33 mpg.” Encore is also on the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s list of “Greener Choices 2013.”
The brand’s second crossover and fifth model in the lineup arrives as Buick crossover sales are surging. Enclave sales had their best January ever, in terms of both retail and total sales. Year-over-year growth for the month was 57 percent retail and 57 percent total.
The new 2013 Enclave luxury crossover, which went on sale in November with updated styling, new technology, and industry-exclusive safety features, is in high demand. According to JD Power PIN data, the typical Enclave is spending about 20 days on a dealer’s lot, less than half of the industry average “days to turn” for midsize crossovers.
“With two luxurious crossovers and three beautiful sedans, Buick’s model lineup has never been stronger,” said Brian Sweeney, vice president of Buick Sales and Service. “January sales show that customers are responding to the brand’s new models.”
