Driven: 2025 Buick Enclave Brings Luxury… Sometimes

Most autos have a clearly outlined objective, however within the case of the 2025 Buick Enclave, it’s not so easy. When put next in opposition to the business as a complete, it is smart; it’s a mid-size three-row crossover. However whenever you measure it subsequent to its platform mates from Normal Motors, the Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia, the Enclave’s mission feels tougher to elucidate. That is an all-new technology of Buick’s largest crossover, and it brings with it many enhancements inside and outside plus underneath the hood.

Buick is GM’s premium model, so the Enclave is meant to be the extra luxurious model of the Traverse and Acadia, proper? Properly, that’s not so easy. In its high Avenir trim stage, the Enclave does outclass its siblings when it comes to luxurious and have content material, however it’s not the costliest of the three (the Acadia can value extra with a bundle). On the base Premier and mid-level Sport Touring (ST) trims, the Enclave does little to distinguish itself in a big method. We drove the mid-level ST, which lacks a number of the options discovered on the higher Traverse and Acadia trims. So what would make somebody need the Buick over its GM siblings or rivaling three-row crossovers?

Exterior Appears to be like: Sporty Or Elegant

The outgoing Enclave was a relatively bland factor, however this new third-generation mannequin may very well be described as snazzy. Like different trendy Buicks, the entrance finish of the Enclave is closely impressed by the Wildcat EV, a beautiful idea automobile that previewed a future electrical coupe however ended up spawning a grille for crossovers. That grille modifications barely relying on the trim stage: plain for the Most well-liked, blacked out for the Sport Touring, and blingy for the Avenir.

These trims get completely different wheels too. The Most well-liked rides on boring-looking 20-inch wheels, however 22-inch excessive gloss black wheels can be found for $2,395. The ST will get extra attention-grabbing directional black/machined end wheels and people 22s can be found too for a similar steep value. Solely the Avenir rides on 22-inch wheels as commonplace, and so they get a barely extra enticing pearl nickel end. Solely six exterior colours can be found, and a few of them are locked to particular trims. We appreciated our tester’s Cherry Pink Tintcoat ($645), which is essentially the most attention-grabbing of the bunch.

The Enclave is Buick’s largest crossover, sharing a platform with the Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia. All three autos share a 120.93-inch wheelbase, however the Enclave is the longest total at 207.6 inches. That is longer than the outgoing mannequin by over two inches, and this new mannequin is wider and decrease as nicely.

Inside & On-Board Know-how: A Step Up

Buick is GM’s premium model, and even the bottom Most well-liked trim stage is fairly upscale. Leatherette seat upholstery comes commonplace in both Sandstone or Ebony, whereas the ST will get perforated Ebony seats with Cool Grey accents. This SUV begins to really feel actually luxurious on the Avenir trim stage, the place quilted and perforated leather-based seats can be found in Ebony or Cool Grey with flashy Slate Blue accents, together with a blue leather-based steering wheel. The grey/blue inside is really distinctive, although the inside seems bland within the different colours. This is likely one of the largest crossovers available on the market, that means passengers in all three rows have loads of area. Buick elevated second row leg room by over three inches, however third row legroom has shrunk by over an inch in comparison with the outgoing mannequin.

As you’d count on from a premium model, the Enclave consists of many options as commonplace. Heated entrance seats and a heated steering wheel are commonplace on all occasions, however it’s a must to step all the way in which as much as the Avenir trim to get ventilated entrance seats, massaging entrance seats, or heated second row seats. The Avenir additionally will get a normal power-folding third row, one-touch folding second row, and reminiscence settings for the entrance seats. These options can be found on the Most well-liked and ST as a part of a $1,740 Energy Package deal. Buick additionally made Tremendous Cruise elective on each trim stage at a $3,255 value. That is an odd resolution, as the highest Traverse RS trim ranges will get the hands-free expertise commonplace.

Infotainment: Appears to be like Over Perform

Each Enclave trim will get a 30-inch ultra-wide diagonal show, which is the biggest in its class. The display screen dimension is nice on paper, however much less so in apply. The show is not very tall and has curved edges, that means telephone mirroring like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (which need to be sq.) are compressed right into a smaller space. In actual world utilization, we choose the screens within the Acadia and Traverse. Although the telephone projection is not excellent, the show itself works nicely because of built-in Google expertise and wonderful voice command.

The 12-speaker Bose audio system within the Most well-liked and ST trims sounds advantageous, however music lovers will choose the 16-speaker Bose Efficiency system within the Avenir. Patrons get an HD encompass imaginative and prescient digital camera system as commonplace with 5 views, with two extra obtainable optionally.

Efficiency: Fewer Cylinders, Extra Energy

Each Enclave trim stage makes use of the identical 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, changing the outgoing mannequin’s 3.6-liter V6. Regardless of having fewer cylinders, that is an improve, with will increase of 18 hp and 60 lb-ft of torque. Energy is shipped to the entrance wheels or all-wheel-drive optionally via an eight-speed computerized that replaces final 12 months’s nine-speed unit. The Enclave can tow as much as 5,000 kilos with an obtainable Trailering Package deal ($650).

Efficiency Impressions

Buick would not quote a 0-60 mph time, however we recorded the dash in 7.79 seconds with our ST AWD tester. That is barely behind the Chevy Traverse RS AWD (7.41 seconds) which we reviewed earlier this 12 months, regardless of having the identical powertrain. It might be barely slower, however Buick’s QuietTuning noise discount system does a stellar job dialing again the annoying sounds from the four-cylinder engine that we complained about within the Acadia and Traverse. Buick additionally carried out higher tuning for the automated transmission, so it would not maintain gears for too lengthy because it does within the Chevy and GMC.

Trip and Dealing with

Since we examined the ST, we did not have an opportunity to pattern the Steady Damping Management (CDC) lively dampers discovered solely on the Avenir trim. Even with out this suspension, the Enclave rides nicely and handles confidently round corners. We would by no means name it sporty, however it’s managed sufficient to really feel nice. Tremendous Cruise remains to be our favourite hands-free driving expertise available on the market, however making it elective even on the highest trim stage is a baffling transfer by Buick. That is the primary Buick to get Tremendous Cruise, so the corporate ought to encourage extra individuals to decide on it by making it commonplace on the Avenir.

Gas Financial system

Downsizing from a V6 to a four-cylinder has yielded higher gas economic system for the Enclave, if solely barely. FWD fashions are rated at 20/27/23 mpg metropolis/freeway/mixed, will increase of two, one, and two miles per gallon, respectively. The AWD mannequin is much less environment friendly, rated at 19/24/21, a rise of two mpg within the metropolis and mixed cycle, and a lower of 1 mpg on the freeway. These numbers are largely on-par with V6 rivals just like the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride, however path nicely behind rivals that provide a hybrid powertrain, such because the Toyota Grand Highlander.

Verdict & Pricing: Premium-Ish

There’s rather a lot to love in regards to the 2025 Buick Enclave, however its place throughout the market and even inside GM’s personal portfolio is barely complicated. Pricing for the Most well-liked trim begins at $46,395 (not together with $1,395 vacation spot) with AWD including $2,000 to the worth of every trim stage. Three-row crossover consumers procuring purely on worth will discover extra of it with the Chevy Traverse (beginning at $41,995) and the GMC Acadia (beginning at $42,600), although each of those siblings have fewer commonplace options.

Stepping as much as the Sport Touring brings the worth to an inexpensive $48,795, however you continue to have so as to add Tremendous Cruise and the ability bundle. We expect the Avenir makes essentially the most sense, because it provides options like therapeutic massage seats that may’t be discovered on any Traverse or Acadia trim stage, beginning at $59,395. That is pricier than the Traverse RS however the Acadia Denali can exceed $64,000 with its $6,620 Denali Reserve Package deal (which incorporates Tremendous Cruise), which is sort of the identical value as an Enclave Avenir AWD with Tremendous Cruise.

Based mostly on our expertise with the Enclave ST, it would not really feel luxurious sufficient to justify its price ticket. We would lower your expenses on the sportier wanting Traverse or the extra rugged wanting Acadia. Nevertheless, the additions discovered within the Avenir trim would make us take into account the Buick. It is nonetheless bigger than a lot of the competitors, will get luxurious options like therapeutic massage seats, and improves over the Chevy and GMC fashions with lively dampers and noise cancelation. The Enclave is probably our favourite of GM’s three-row crossovers, however it’s finest loved in the costliest trim stage.