New 2008 Buick Enclave Safety Review [ 2009 ]
Safety - What the Auto Press Says
The 2008 Buick Enclave offers safety features comparable to those of its in-class competitors and a solid build. It scores five out of five in government front and side crash tests, and four out of five in rollover tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not yet tested the Enclave.
As Car and Driver puts it, "Safety features (this is first and foremost a family vehicle) are what you'd expect, with a preponderance of airbags, and what you might not expect: extensive use of high-strength steel for protection." In addition to six airbags, the Enclave comes standard with tire-pressure monitoring and StabiliTrak -- a rollover protection feature.
Accident Avoidance
The 2008 Buick Enclave comes standard with four-wheel disc antilock brakes, and StabiliTrak, which is a stability control system that detects unsafe conditions and selectively applies brakes and throttle to maintain vehicle control. Edmunds says this "should help reduce the chances of testing those airbags." An optional rearview camera can prevent accidents while reversing.
Crash Protection
The Enclave's rollover mitigation system detects when a rollover is eminent and deploys the necessary airbags to protect passengers and prevent them from being thrown from the vehicle. Two dual-stage front airbags are standard, along with two side-impact airbags for driver and passenger, and head-curtain side-impact airbags in both the front and back.
