2025 Buick Enclave First Drive: Is It Premium Enough?

There are a lot of midsize three-row SUVs out there. Into the fray comes the 2025 Buick Enclave, now on sale and about to unleash its marketing campaign. Which could be crucial because although the third-generation Enclave is the nicest to date, a Buick showroom isn’t the first stop for many folks when so many brands have an entry in this crowded segment. 

Buick has completely redesigned the seven-passenger Enclave, the largest vehicle in its four-model lineup, making it the de facto flagship. Buick thinks this SUV settles into a sweet spot, a premium product for those who want something nicer than mainstream but not as pricey as top-tier luxury models. Executives hope the series of ads that will launch in October will raise awareness and convince buyers to consider putting an Enclave in their driveway.  

It’s worth a look, as the new Enclave is an attractive place to spend time. It’s longer, taller, and wider than the outgoing model, with a good mix of higher-end materials, a new infotainment system, Super Cruise hands-free advanced driver assistance, and a lot of standard equipment. 

The Enclave is the last of the refreshed Buick lineup to adopt the elegant and sophisticated styling from the Wildcat concept, a luscious coupe. It’s also the last current Buick nameplate to get the new tri-colored and illuminated Buick shield logo, as well as a new grille, fascia, and signature lighting. 

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New Trims for New Personalities 

For this generation, the trim names and looks have changed. The previous Enclave had Essence and Premier trims that were differentiated by standard equipment, as well as the top-end Avenir trim. There was an ST appearance package that was hard to find (and apparently build). For 2025, the base Enclave is the Preferred; there’s also a sportier ST and the high-end Avenir. Each has a distinct look and personality to appeal to a wider number of customers.   

Buick deliberately simplified the choices to make ordering and buying easier. The idea was to reduce decisions to FWD or AWD, more suited for towing or not, and whether to add the tech package for power-folding third-row seats, the panoramic sunroof, and Super Cruise. With a lot of standard equipment across the lineup and options like Super Cruise available on all three trims, even the base model has a premium feel and look, including the 30.0-inch dashboard screen, 360-degree camera, and floating center console.  

Among the differences: The ST has a flat-bottom steering wheel, no chrome, and a glossy black grille and trim. 

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Avenir-Style Pampering 

The Avenir has body-color wheel arches, standard 22-inch wheels (the other trims have 20s), an upgraded suspension with continuous damping, and the headlights and taillights put on an animated show when you hit the key fob to unlock the vehicle. The Bose audio system with active noise cancellation adds four speakers to bring the total to 16.  

There are three interior choices with the Avenir. The most striking: two-tone phantom blue and sheer white. The dash has blue leather on top, and then a swath of white leather with a pinprick pattern that looks fresh and upscale. The blue leather-wrapped steering wheel is gorgeous. The other choices are a black interior or a mocha and white selection called Bramble that will be offered later in the model year. 

The mixed materials in the cabin include polished chrome, rose gold metal strips, and a carbon-fiber-inspired trim. The seats are both comfortable and attractive, whether in white perforated leather in the Avenir or black with piping on the ST. The front seats are heated and cooled and offer a massage function that’s more limited than what you might find in full-bore luxury SUVs. The massage controls are on the sides of the seats with the rest of the adjustments. The heated second-row captain’s chairs—a bench seat is not available—slide and fold flat manually with the touch of a button. The Avenir has power-folding third-row seats. The controls are in the cargo area with its thick carpeting and four tie-down points for those who want to add a cargo net. 

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Set Your Buns to Warm Automatically 

One nice function: Set the seats and steering wheel to automatically heat upon starting when it’s cold outside, or for the seats to cool when it is hot. 

The cabin feels airy and has ample headroom. Storage and packaging are well done, with a phone charging pad atop the floating center console (an icon on the screen confirms the wireless charging is working), side-by-side cupholders, and two sizes of USB outlets tucked into a glossy black strip of trim on the dash. Space was freed up by putting the gear selector on the steering column. The piano-key-style controls for the HVAC system look premium and feel solid. The volume knob on the center console is one of the better ones on the market: It’s substantial and a joy to turn with its detents and satisfying clicks when dialed up or down. 

The Avenir comes with the full Google suite of services, part of the eight-year complementary OnStar One Essentials package that provides built-in Wi-Fi, remote start, apps, and more. One advantage of this system is the ability to swipe the navigation system map to the driver display so there’s no loss of direction if the passenger wants to use the center screen to change the music, adjust a seat, or perform another vehicle function. The Enclave also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but you lose the integration aspect for other vehicle functions.  

The head-up display (standard on the Avenir, optional elsewhere) is easy to see and follow. The same goes for the panoramic sunroof and power sunshades. The two large glass roof panels are a vast improvement over the outgoing model’s tiny sunroof. 

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About That Engine 

Over the course of our 160-mile drive from Portland to the Oregon coast, the cabin was quiet. Buick added more laminated glass and acoustic materials to differentiate its three-row SUV from the mechanically related Chevy Traverse and GMC Acadia—and that was evident when cruising. But there’s one notable exception: The engine produces a lot of noise when accelerating.  

The 2.5-liter turbocharged I-4 that powers GM’s midsize SUVs might be acceptable in the Chevy or even the GMC, but it doesn’t befit premium Buick. It’s too loud and harsh while punching its way through lower gears, telegraphing the fact it’s working hard. Same goes for climbing hills. And there’s lag when you stab the pedal.  

The 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque, metered out via an eight-speed automatic transmission, is adequate power for entering a ramp or passing. Officials say Buick isn’t trying to beat anyone down the dragstrip, but a quieter and more refined delivery of the Enclave’s power would elevate the driving experience. The I-4 replaced the 3.6-liter V-6, which had less horsepower and much less torque. 

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In terms of dynamics, the Enclave performs admirably enough, with little body roll and a comfortable ride. The steering is on the numb side, par for the course for this segment and in keeping with what many buyers have come to expect. The brakes can be touchy at times, with a fiercer bite than expected if your foot is heavy on the pedal. 

Super Cruise makes its debut on a Buick, and it worked flawlessly, making automated lane changes when it detected the vehicle ahead was slowing and the passing lane was clear. The system does slow on curves, perhaps more than the driver would have. The Super Cruise option comes with three years of service, after which the customer can subscribe monthly or annually. The package also adds a digital rearview mirror, but only on the Avenir, although Buick suggests this might change based on consumer feedback.  

Built at the Lansing Delta Township plant in Michigan, the Enclave starts at $46,395 for a front-drive Preferred; add $2,000 for AWD. The Sport Touring starts at $48,795 and the Avenir at $59,395.    

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Buick on a Roll 

With the 2025 Enclave, Buick has completely redone its entire portfolio, making it one of the freshest in the industry. The overhaul is paying off: Buick saw sales increase by 60 percent in 2023 and a further 11 percent in the first half of this year. 

The Enclave is the largest and most expensive offering in the four-SUV portfolio. Its target demographic is 60 percent male, 35 to 55 years old, married with a bachelor’s degree or higher, with a household income of $100,000 to $150,000. The trick is to get these buyers into the showroom. Buick marketing director Sam Russell agrees Buick needs to build awareness of the brand and what it stands for. He says Buick went for decades without a tagline, until February when it adopted “Exceptional by Design,” a nod to the Wildcat concept and Buick’s focus on style and a pampering dealer experience.  

Russell thinks Buick can compete successfully with entries from Acura, Infiniti, and Mazda, while offering more than models from mainstream brands like Ford, Honda, and Toyota. If Buick can get people to check out the more upscale new Enclave, those folks might be pleasantly surprised.