2025 Buick Enclave: Improved in All Areas Except One

The Buick Enclave isn’t a bad SUV, but it does have its fair share of issues and shortcomings that make it not so appealing. Lackluster build quality, undesirable noises and uninspiring driving dynamics top the list, not to mention dubious paintwork (especially on white-coloured units, where the bumpers don’t match the rest of the body).

However, there’s a new generation launching for 2025, and it looks much sharper and more promising—similar to other recent Buick products. Styling is inspired by the Wildcat concept, with a revised logo and aggressive-looking headlights. On top of that, the Enclave receives a bunch of new gadgets as well as available Super Cruise hands-free driving assist.

• Also: Redesigned 2025 Buick Enclave Drops V6, Gets Super Cruise
• Also: 2024 Buick Envision Gets New Tech and Styling

As units start to arrive in dealerships, The Car Guide flew to Portland, Oregon to test drive Enclave ST and Avenir models in pre-production form and assess how much of an improvement we’re dealing with.

More Room and Tech

Space has never really been a problem, but the 2025 Buick Enclave is longer, wider and taller, resulting in a roomier and more comfortable interior. The redesigned seats offer more lateral support and softer seat bottoms. The third row, which is easy to access, can accommodate adults for short or medium trips. Adding to cabin’s practicality, the floating centre console fits large items and the missing shifter (now mounted on the steering column) cleans up the area.  

High-tech metal trim all around make for a more upscale look. The light grey interior with navy blue inserts on top-line Avenir models is particularly nice and well executed. The instruments and infotainment system are combined on a sleek 30-inch curved display. Kudos to Buick for designing simple and user-friendly menus and icons. As for fit and finish, nothing in our pre-production testers raised any red flags.

The serene atmosphere inside the new Enclave is enhanced with multi-colour ambient lighting and a 12- or 16-speaker Bose audio system that actively neutralizes exterior noises. You can find similar technology in many vehicles these days, and it proves quite effective. A wireless smartphone charger, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability along with Google built-in all come standard.

Two Different Characters

On the road, the sport-focused Enclave ST handles quite differently from the luxurious, comfort-oriented Avenir. The ride is stiffer, almost truck-like, and it naturally gets worse on rough pavement. Ground clearance is the shortest among all Enclave models, while steering is light and lacks precision.

The Enclave Avenir, on the other hand, benefits from electronically controlled adaptive dampers. Every two milliseconds, the system analyzes wheel position and adjusts damping in real time to improve both handling and ride quality. From the driver’s standpoint, the vehicle feels more refined and more agile. Surprisingly, steering is firmer and provides more feedback. We believe this is the model you should target—if your budget will allow it, of course.

Buick’s three-row SUV used to rely on a 3.6-litre V6 generating 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque. It was a sweet-sounding engine that delivered decent acceleration. Remember, the Enclave is not a race car. For 2025, however, there’s a new unit under the hood, namely a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder shared with the Chevrolet Traverse.

While output and torque are both increased at 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft, performance is somewhat disappointing. Yeah, we know, the Enclave weighs over two tons, but the way it sprints forward left us wanting more. And despite clear efforts by engineers to make the cabin quieter, the new engine proves unpleasantly loud under acceleration. At least the eight-speed transmission is quicker and more responsive than the previous nine-speed mixer.

A definite bright spot is improved fuel economy. The first leg of the media drive resulted in a combined score of 9.4 L/100 km. We wound up with 8.8 L/100 km at the end of the day, which is far better than the old Enclave’s official rating of 11.9 L/100 km. There is no hybrid variant, in case you’re wondering. As for towing capacity, the new Enclave is still good for 5,000 lbs.

Three Models to Choose From

Buick has done a bit of shuffling when it comes to model selection. The former Essence and Premier models were too similar, so they’ve been replaced with the value-oriented Preferred (MSRP starting at $57,999). This new entry-level model comes standard with as many as 18 advanced safety features, 20-inch wheels, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a 12-speaker Bose audio system.

The mid-grade ST ($59,499) visually stands out with black accents, unique wheels and a flat-bottom steering wheel. Meanwhile, the fully loaded Avenir ($67,999) packs 22-inch alloys, a panoramic roof, head-up display, perforated leather and heated/ventilated front seats with massaging feature.

Also, as mentioned earlier, the Enclave is available for the first time with Super Cruise, no matter which model you select. The sophisticated system enables true hands-free driving on compatible highways when navigation is activated. Like many other technologies including OnStar and a Wi-Fi hotspot, it comes with a free three-year subscription, after which you need to pay a monthly fee to keep using it.

Vastly Improved

In case that wasn’t clear enough, the next-generation 2025 Buick Enclave marks a vast improvement over its predecessor. Build quality, comfort, technology and fuel economy are all way better than before.

That being said, the turbocharged four-cylinder engine doesn’t seem to be a good match for this large SUV. It quickly runs out of breath and lacks spirit at all engine speeds. Maybe Buick should consider the addition of hybrid technology to benefit performance and efficiency. Then again, the Enclave is probably heavy enough already.

Watch: 2025 Buick Enclave Makes Official Debut