Unless we’re getting close to the Super Bowl, car commercials just aren’t quite the same, and we certainly don’t see as many, at least not in the traditional sense (not sure if that’s necessarily a bad thing). Sure, there are the ads in between YouTube videos and streaming services — I’m lookin’ at you, Netflix — but they’re nothing like the commercials of past cable TV. Even the low-budget ones were memorable. You may recall, as I do, a certain Buick commercial in which a bunch of people ogle a new Buick exclaiming, “That’s not a Buick!” only to soon realize that it is, indeed, a Buick.
That’s exactly how I felt driving the 2025 Buick Enclave. It looks nothing like a Buick, and I’ve even caught a few people eyeing it up and down, and side to side — and then as I drive by, or as they continue on walking past it, I’m not even sure they had the chance to realize that, yes, this, too, is indeed a Buick! But is the Buick Enclave really as great as it looks? It really depends on what you’re looking for, and let me start by saying, no, this isn’t what I’m looking for in a vehicle, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good one, nor does it mean it won’t fit your new-car checklist.
If your basic checklist includes:
- Three-row SUV
- No electrification
- Lots of cargo space with the third row folded down
Well, you may as well add the Buick Enclave to your list of test drives. You’re even more in luck if you might be considering any of the following optional features that may be offered at an additional cost, and/or come standard on higher trims:
- GM Super Cruise
- Heated and ventilated massaging front seats
- Heated second-row seats
- Head-up display
- Power-folding captain’s chairs and power-folding third row
However, if you want to spend under $60,000, then move right along, because a quick “Build & Price” over on the Buick website puts the 2025 Buick Enclave just a notch above that mark, though that does include the $2,000 destination fee (taxes not included).
I ask you, dear reader, when shopping for a new SUV, was a nearly $70k three-row Buick what you had in mind?
Sure, it got a refresh for the 2025 model year, making it a little bigger in all dimensions, but a three-row SUV better offer way more than a bit of extra space if I’m dropping that many thousands, especially considering a fully loaded minivan could be similarly priced and more than competitive — but back to that in a bit.
What’s new with the Buick Enclave for 2025?
The refreshed Enclave is a bit longer, wider, and taller than the outgoing model. We tested the ST trim, which is new for 2025. Previously, ST was a package that could be added to the lower trims, but it’s now the middle trim of three, with the base trim being Preferred; and with Avenir at the top. For the first time in a Buick, Super Cruise is being offered, for an additional $4,395 — if the majority of your drive is done on local roads, then I’d skip over this party trick, since it currently only works on pre-mapped parts of highways.
All 2025 Buick Enclaves in Canada come standard with all-wheel-drive and are powered by a turbocharged 2.5L four-cylinder (previously a 3.6L V6) that puts out 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque, and mated to an eight-speed automatic. As Jil McIntosh noted during her first look at the 2025 Enclave, “This engine will also be used in the also-being-updated Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia, the Enclave’s siblings.”
It’s far from the most fuel-efficient SUV on the market, but for a gas-only three-row SUV, its averages could definitely be worse. It should return 12.3 L/100 km in city driving, 9.9 on the highway, and a combined average of 11.2 L/100 km. Those numbers are pretty spot-on, as we had a final readout of 11.1 L/100 km after a week of driving.
Does the 2025 Buick Enclave have enough power?
Well, if you’re trying to take it to the track, or even trying to hustle up to highway speeds, then, no, not quite. But for a three-row family SUV, it’s got more than enough power — at least enough to get the job done, if your job is chauffeuring kids back and forth from school and extracurricular activities. That said — and again, I’ll get back to this in a bit — there are several other three-row options that would do just as great a job, if not better.
It’s a rather smooth and quiet drive, aside from the slight pull felt and grunt it made when stepping on the gas to quickly pick up speed. Passing on the highway didn’t give that pull feeling as much as it did on the local roads and highway on-ramps.
If you do decide to add GM’s Super Cruise, it’ll definitely help on long road trips or even heavy highway driving as it has the adaptive cruise control, as well lane-keeping assists and changes. It’s a cool feature that has always seemed to work well when I’ve tested it in other GM products as well, and it’s not different in the Enclave. It switched lanes as needed and drove mostly on its own while on the pre-marked sections of the highway.
And when/if it becomes inoperable, it gives you a little nudge to take over the wheel, though you can just as easily continue driving yourself if preferred. I’d be interested in finding out how many GM vehicle owners with Super Cruise actually use it regularly, and consider it more than just a cool party trick. As someone who works remotely, I don’t think I could justify the spend on Super Cruise just for an annual road trip.
How practical is the 2025 Buick Enclave’s interior?
While it was easy to get comfy in the driver’s seat, there are a couple other little quirks and flaws I noticed, one that’s consistent across a few other tested GM vehicles, too. I do appreciate memory seats — especially because I’m short and generally need to heavily alter the position of the seat — but I don’t understand why I needed to continuously hold the button for it to bring the seat to the correct position. Most other vehicles move the seat to the memory setting with one tap. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it’s annoying and seems like a simple enough upgrade, but what do I know?
Also note that since I needed to move the driver’s seat so far forward, the centre storage pass-through up front becomes pretty much unusable, as I can’t get a purse past through it.
While I’m complaining, let’s talk about all the screens. Well, actually it’s just one big screen that unfortunately removes the need for a bunch of buttons. First, I don’t like that it goes right across, because there’s always a tiny section being blocked by the steering wheel — it isn’t necessarily important info that’s blocked, but it is blocked nonetheless. I usually leave my headlights on the automatic function, but if it needs to be changed, it too is now on the touchscreen — but why?
One thing to note is that despite this long screen being in here, the backup camera is rather small and doesn’t make use of such a big screen (not to mention the angled end is just wasted screen space altogether). It gets the job done, and it’s a fairly clear image being displayed, but just smaller than its competitors’.
The only actual buttons are for the climate control, and while I appreciate these buttons, they aren’t the most intuitive. And if you want to change the climate for your rear passengers, then it’s back to the screen, which can get distracting. Other than that, if you’re wirelessly connected to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, then there isn’t a whole lot to do on the home screen, at least nothing that can’t wait until you’ve safely pulled over.
I’m not a huge fan of a head-up display, which is why I appreciate the little HUD button on the touchscreen (to the left of the digital gauge cluster). In addition to on and off, there are brightness and height settings that are easily accessible.
Is the Buick Enclave a good family car?
If a good family car means fitting your family of four into a three-row SUV, then, sure, this would be a great option. The seats are fairly comfortable, but I’ve got all the typical complaints that come with lugging around three kids in a three-row SUV — and none of this is specific to this Buick. For starters, there’s limited usable cargo space behind that third row (648 litres) but, fortunately, it has a 60-40-split third row, so either side can be folded down for some extra trunk space.
The second-row captain’s chairs are also comfortable, and have adequate legroom (1,053 mm) even if taller people are in the front seats. However, if long-legged people are in the first and second rows, then it leaves barely any room for the third-row passengers. Some will say small kids can fit back there, but keep in mind small kids are in car seats, and their legs often stick outwards rather than down on the ground.
As long as second-row passengers aren’t NBA players, third-row legroom (816 mm) is adequate. It’s also really easy to get back there, as the captain’s chair can easily tumble forward. If you happen to have car seats latched into that second row, making the seats hard to tumble, passengers can also get to the third row through the space between the captain’s chairs, which hasn’t always been the case in some other vehicles.
What competes with the 2025 Buick Enclave?
There’s a lot of competition in this three-row segment, and a lot of great value in newer models being introduced or refreshed. Personally, the Buick Enclave reminded me of the Mazda CX-90 in that it didn’t seem very family-oriented, but more along the lines of something a little more upscale.
However, my issue with upscale is that if it’s not a luxury vehicle, what’s really the point? Either I have the money ($67,879 plus $2,000 destination fee for this tester) for something expensive, or I don’t — and if I don’t, then I want something the kids can, well, be kids in. I don’t want to feel bad about the daily messes being dragged in and out, but then again, that’s not something you say when you’re in the market for something classy.
So, who’s really looking for an upscale mainstream three-row SUV? Empty-nesters who possibly, occasionally shuttle grandchildren around? Certainly not myself, a Millennial mom of three who needs daily access to that third row, in addition to far more trunk space than most three-row SUVs can provide. I know not everyone who wants or owns a three-row SUV will always have a full load — much like many pickup truck owners may not always need to, well, pick up — but it just seems like an odd choice for someone wanting three rows, as well as those not needing three rows.
For what it’s worth, the top trim of the Mazda CX-90 is a plug-in hybrid priced at $64,350 (plus $2,195 freight and PDI) meaning you’re also going to save money at the gas pumps. The Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade are major players, but have a different look and feel than the Buick; while the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander are solid choices for anyone looking for reliability. The all-new Toyota Grand Highlander will offer a little more third-row legroom and cargo space behind that row, if you want to consider that, too.
Another good option is the completely redesigned Hyundai Santa Fe, which starts at $42,499 for the base hybrid trim, but it’s definitely got a different look than the typical SUV shape of the Buick. Finally, as previously mentioned, if you’re going to spend $70k, why not take a peek at the premium-brand offerings? The 2025 Acura MDX has a base price of $66,880, and the top trim of the 2024 Cadillac XT6 starts at $67,499. What’s more, you can get a fully-loaded Chrysler Pacifica for that money. Even if minivans aren’t your thing, I think you get the idea — you’ve got options in this segment.
Final thoughts
When all is said and done, and everyone has come to the realization that this really and truly is a Buick, it’s also $70,000 before taxes. Not only is that not necessarily money I’d like to spend on a new Buick, but it’s also quite a bit higher than the average new-car price. Yes, this refreshed Enclave looks better, drives smoother, and has a super-comfy interior in all three rows, but when you’ve got other SUVs priced similarly and offering the same or more value for the dollar, I’m not sure if being a surprisingly good-looking Buick is enough to make it a competitive player in the three-row segment.
All that said, if the 2025 Buick Enclave is in your price range, then I’d definitely recommend giving it a test drive — because, why not? You never know, maybe you’ll be just as surprised by Buick as those people actors in the commercials.
Check out the latest Buick Enclave model. Click here for more Millennial Mom’s Reviews.
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