Through two generations, the Buick Enclave has boasted generous interior space matched in the three-row crossover SUV segment only by its closely related General Motors (GM) siblings, the Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia. For 2025, a new generation dawns for the Enclave, following the same bigger-is-better playbook.
Size isn’t everything, however, and the redesigned 2025 Enclave sports an interior intended to be a star attraction for something other than its dimensions. Buick blended the Enclave’s instrument panel and infotainment touchscreen into a single 30-inch curved display featuring vibrant graphics and Google Built-in technology. It looks terrific and works well.
The Enclave is also the first Buick to offer GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving-assistance system. Not only that, the automaker makes it available on all trim levels.
Photo: James Riswick
Built in Lansing, Michigan, the 2025 Buick Enclave is on sale now. Buick offers the Enclave three-row SUV in three trim levels; all come standard with front-wheel drive (FWD). All-wheel drive (AWD) is an option.
The Enclave Preferred's base price starts at $46,395, including the $1,395 destination charge. That’s more expensive than the starting points of other three-row crossovers (sometimes substantially so), although it’s important to note it comes with more standard equipment. That includes leather seating, heated front seats and steering wheel, a hands-free power liftgate, wireless phone charging, a premium Bose sound system, and what Buick claims is the biggest infotainment screen in the segment.
The Sport Touring, or ST, trim has nearly the same equipment but a higher price tag of $48,795 due to cosmetic differences, including a gloss-black grille, black wheels, special badging, and a flat-bottomed steering wheel. The ST is the version I tested.
The top Avenir trim turns the luxury up substantially with perforated leather, ventilated and massaging front seats, heated second-row seats, a head-up display, 22-inch wheels, and an upgraded adaptive suspension. It also has the option for a ritzy blue-and-creme color combination with white wood trim.
Photo: James Riswick
Although I’ll touch on the new 30-inch curved display in the section below, it profoundly affects the Enclave interior’s overall design and functionality. Its size, graphics, and non-rectangular shape practically scream, “The future has arrived.” At the same time, a handful of physical switches and knobs for temperature, volume, and other functions say, “But you’ll still be able to figure it out.”
It’s a handsome design, but the overall quality of the materials is no better than what you’d find in a top-trim Hyundai Palisade or Kia Telluride. Additionally, the Mazda CX-90 is considerably richer in appearance and texture.
A well-designed electronic column shifter clears up space on the “floating” center console for a big, easily accessed wireless charging pad and a space below for a decent-sized purse.
Space for people is pretty much the best you can hope for in a three-row crossover, which shouldn’t be surprising given the Enclave’s jumbo dimensions that grew by 3 inches of length and about an inch of width and height compared to the previous model.
Yes, third-row legroom is down an inch for 2025, but at 6-foot-3, this test driver easily fit in the way back thanks to an elevated seat that ensures decent under-leg support and ample headroom. Therefore, teens and smaller adults should be A-OK, especially as there are USB-C ports and roof-mounted air vents in front of their faces.
A clever second-row seat design allows the standard captain’s chairs to clear larger-than-normal passageways to the third row without hampering its comfort or space. There’s no bench seat available, which may be an issue for some as it limits seating capacity to seven.
Cargo dimensions stand at a maximum of 97.5 cubic feet with the second and third rows of seats lowered and 57.1 cubic feet with just the third row down. With everything up, the tally is 22.9 cubic feet—down from the previous generation (23.6) but still the best in its segment. The area is notably long and wide, with the bonus of a sizeable under-floor area.
Photo: James Riswick
Lots of cars these days have large, attractive touchscreens. Many of them can be a pain to use, though. Refreshingly, the big, pretty touchscreen in the 2025 Enclave is one of the easier ones to figure out. Plenty of permanently docked icons for frequently used functions and menu shortcuts exist, and the radio interface works in a familiar fashion. Thanks to its immense real estate that combines the instrument panel and infotainment screen, it can simultaneously show multiple bits of information, such as radio settings and the navigation map.
Better still, thanks to Google Built-in functionality, that navigation map is an enhanced version of the Google Maps app you’re already familiar with. And thanks to Google Assistant, it quickly understood vocal requests for specific restaurants and addresses or to find the nearest hospital or Starbucks (you know, the essentials). Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are still standard, although the also-included Google Play Store may mitigate their necessity.
In terms of safety and driver-assistance technology, the 2025 Enclave comes standard with blind-spot warning, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, front and rear cross-traffic warning with emergency braking (a rare feature), lane-keeping assistance, and seven parking camera views.
Adaptive cruise control is standard, too, but buyers can enhance all 2025 Enclaves with GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving tech. This works similarly to adaptive cruise control in that it will maintain speed and keep a set distance from vehicles ahead, but it can also steer for you on an increasing number of highways and even change lanes automatically. No longer restricted to divided Interstates, I found it worked on winding, two-lane rural state roads too. It works very well, while ensuring you’re still paying attention to the road and letting you know it’s functioning with green steering wheel lights.
Photo: James Riswick
On paper and in pictures, there’s a lot to like about the 2025 Enclave. However, my test drive from Portland to the Oregon coast showed that it’s not quite as polished as rivals from mainstream and luxury brands. The new four-cylinder engine is noisy, the steering does not promote confidence, and its grand size can make it challenging to place on a tight road.
While the previous Enclave generations had V6 engines (as most other three-row crossovers continue to have), the new 2025 model switches to a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. At 23 mpg combined with standard FWD, fuel economy is up by two mpg. With optional AWD, fuel economy increases to 20 mpg combined—an increase of one mpg. The new four-cylinder also has a much higher output than the last Enclave and most competitors: 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque.
Unfortunately, it does not feel as quick as those numbers suggest. You really need to lay into the throttle to get it going with the sort of authority those numbers suggest. It feels like a non-turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder most of the time, and worse, it sounds like one too. Buick pitches its brand as an “attainable luxury” choice and prices the Enclave higher than the Palisade and Telluride. The new engine runs counter to that.
The Enclave’s steering is also numb and loosey-goosey on center, which made it hard to place on tight, winding country roads. It didn’t provide much confidence. To be clear, this is compared to other three-row crossovers.
The ST trim level I tested had the standard fixed suspension (the Avenir trim has continuously variable dampers), which produced a smooth ride and reasonably controlled body motions over bumps. Those seeking more body control and connection to the road should probably consider something else, such as the surprisingly luxurious Mazda CX-90.
The 2025 Buick Enclave costs considerably more than the top trim levels of the Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, and Toyota Grand Highlander—all larger-than-average three-row crossovers that you can dress to the nines with luxury equipment. Now, they can’t match the Enclave’s easy-to-use Google Built-in tech or available Super Cruise, and they are technically a bit smaller and less powerful. Still, those advantages don’t seem to quite add up to its price premium.
That makes the Enclave more credible as a bigger, cheaper alternative to luxury brand models such as the Acura MDX, Infiniti QX60, and Volvo XC90. It could be a smart deal if you’re willing to sacrifice some brand cachet and driving refinement.
James Riswick has tested and reviewed cars since 2007, serving as an editor at Edmunds.com and Autoblog. He has attended an auto show every year since he was two and wanted to be an automotive journalist since high school. He owns a 1998 BMW Z3 and a 2023 Kia Niro EV and is presently looking under couch cushions for enough change to buy an E39 BMW M5.
The Ford Transit is the automaker’s full-size cargo and passenger van offering, designed to serve a wide range of commercial and lifestyle applications. With 37 available configurations, the platform ...See More
Read the Full Article
The Chevrolet Tahoe is a full-size, three-row SUV with a standard V8 engine and available diesel power. Built on the same platform as the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup, the Tahoe benefits from its ...See More
Read the Full Article
It is the end of the line for the Ford Escape. After 25 years as a fixture of Ford’s lineup, 2026 will be the compact SUV’s last model year.
Read the Full Article
The Colorado is Chevrolet’s midsize pickup. It ranks among the segment’s most capable trucks for payload and towing, and can be configured for both work and off-road adventures. For 2026, the ...See More
Read the Full Article