Wildcat Concept Will Continue to Influence Future Buick Designs

• The 2022 Buick Wildcat concept continues to direct the brand's design language.
• A new Enclave debuts April 9, and the company is considering adding additional SUVs to its lineup.
• Future EVs are on the way, though it's not clear when they'll arrive.

Come summer, Buick will have the freshest lineup in the auto industry. This is big glow-up for General Motors' oft-overlooked entry-lelvel luxury brand, and it all stems from one design-study-turned-show-car: the 2022 Wildcat concept.

The subcompact Encore GX was the first vehicle to launch with the new face of Buick, which includes a striking front lighting signature and and strong grille design. The Envista crossover-coupe followed, and Buick recently revealed the redesigned Envision, which is arriving at dealers soon. Next up on the to-do list is an overhaul of the three-row Enclave, which will share a majority of its underpinnings with its corporate cousin, the 2024 Chevrolet Traverse. The new Enclave debuts April 9 and is expected to be in showrooms by late summer.

Has the design transformation worked? So far, things are looking good. Buick's first-quarter performance for 2024 is a 10.3% improvement year over year, and in 2023, the brand's sales were up 61% compared to 2022.

The new Envista, specifically, is really driving sales. It's the No. 1 conquest nameplate across the entirety of GM right now, meaning this swoopy SUV is bringing lots of new customers to the brand. In fact, the company says around 70% of its current sales are from first-time Buick buyers.

What's next after the Enclave? More SUVs; the brand has no plans to reintroduce sedans to its lineup. At an event at GM's technical center in Michigan last week, Buick showed design studies of both a compact and midsize crossover, one of which could possibly launch in 2025 as Buick kicks off its EV era. We can't tell you anything else about these future products just yet. But rest assured, Wildcat design will be alive and well in Buick's portfolio for years to come.

Edmunds says

It's good to see GM breathing new life into Buick, and we look forward to seeing how the Wildcat concept influences the brand's future cars — electric or otherwise.