The 2011 Buick Enclave has earned a five-star crash-test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), further building on the luxury crossover’s leading safety rating record.
The Enclave previously received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick signifying best- possible “Good” ratings in frontal offset, side and rear crash tests.
Enclave was tested under NHTSA’s new rating system, implemented this fall for the 2011 model year. The new rating is based on more rigorous frontal and side crash tests in addition to rollover resistance testing. Under the new system, these three test conditions are combined mathematically into an “Overall Vehicle Score.” Under this methodology, the Enclave achieved an overall vehicle score of five stars – the highest rating possible – even though several individual tests resulted in four-star ratings.
“Earning five stars under the new rating system is an impressive feat – one that clearly demonstrates the strength of Enclave’s advanced structure, overall crashworthiness and effectiveness of its state-of-the-art safety technologies,” said Jeff Boyer, General Motors executive director of vehicle safety.
Enclave has a comprehensive safety system designed to protect passengers before, during and after a crash. Standard safety-enhancing features include a StabiliTrak electronic stability control system with rollover mitigation technology, Panic Brake Assist and OnStar Automatic Crash Notification.
Enclave is equipped with six standard air bags: two dual-stage frontal air bags, two seat-mounted side-impact air bags in the first row and two roof rail-mounted head curtain side air bags that cover all three seating rows. Complementing the air bags is GM’s rollover sensing system, which activates the head curtain side air bags if sensors determine an imminent rollover. Additionally, first-row positions feature safety belt pretensioners with load limiters, which activate at the moment of a crash to take up slack in the safety belt and tailor the safety belt load to the severity of the crash.
“Enclave excels in providing leading-edge safety performance,” said Jim Chandra, Enclave marketing manager. “This is what Enclave customers demand as they tend to be early adopters of new safety features.”
The Panic Brake Assist activates when an emergency braking maneuver is detected. The system automatically develops additional brake pressure to more quickly engage ABS, potentially reducing overall stopping distance by eliminating the delay that can occur if a driver does not brake hard enough and/or soon enough.
All Buicks, including Enclave, are equipped with segment-exclusive OnStar which features the Automatic Crash Response System. If a crash activates an air bag, the system automatically notifies an OnStar advisor who immediately calls the vehicle and/or summons emergency help.
