Eric's Autos: 2025 Buick Enclave

Here's an interesting fact: The biggest Buick you can buy today comes with the smallest, strongest engine Buick ever put in its biggest model.

That model being the 2025 Enclave, which is nearly as long an old Electra 225 from the '70s but isn't a sedan and does not come with a 455-cubic-inch (7.5-liter) V8.

What It Is

The Enclave is a full-size/three-row crossover that's related to the Chevy Traverse and the GMC Acadia. It's a little nicer -- and pricier -- than those two, in keeping with it being a Buick and thus just shy of a Cadillac in GM's prestige/pricing hierarchy.

It also no longer comes standard with a 3.6-liter V6 engine -- as it did last year. That engine has been retired in favor of a much smaller (2.5-liter) turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 18 more horsepower (and much more torque).

Prices start at $45,000 for the Preferred trim, which is front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive can be added as an a la carte option for $2,000.

There are also Sport Touring ($47,000) and top-of-the-line Avenir ($58,000) trims, both of which also come standard with FWD, with AWD available optionally for $2,000.

Though technically not quite a luxury brand, this Buick can be compared with other three-row crossovers offered by luxury brands such as Audi's Q7 and Acura's MDX because it is similarly laid out and equipped while being much less pricey.

What's New for 2025

The Enclave gets a major makeover for the new model (and calendar) year, including a restyled body and interior with a massive (30-inch) curved LCD touch screen as its centerpiece -- as well as a new standard engine.

GM's SuperCruise self-driving feature is also now available.

What's Good

-- New turbo four makes more power -- and uses a little less gas -- than previously standard V6.

-- This crossover's standard 5,000-pound tow rating is among the highest you'll find shy of an SUV.

-- Larger, stronger -- and roomier -- than much costlier three-row luxury-brand crossovers such as the Audi Q7 ($60,500 to start) and Acura MDX ($51,200 to start).

What's Not So Good

-- Standard four lacks the prestige of a six (which is still standard in the MDX).

-- Buick lacks the prestige of Audi and Acura.

-- A plethora of "driver assistance technology" is standard -- meaning you can't skip all this "assistance."

Under the Hood

The Enclave's new 2.5-liter turbo four makes more power than the old V6. Horsepower is up to 328 (from 310 previously) and torque is way up (to 326 foot-pounds versus 266 foot-pounds previously).

This is much more standard horsepower (and torque) than comes standard in the Audi Q7 (which comes standard with a smaller 2.0-liter four that only makes 261 horsepower) and also versus the Acura MDX, which still comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6 but one that only makes 290 horsepower.

The Buick also outpulls them both, with a standard 5,000 maximum tow rating, which is sufficient to handle a medium-small RV. The Audi is rated to pull 4,400 pounds and the Acura just 3,500 pounds.

As mentioned above, the Enclave is based on a FWD, car-type layout that's similar to the way the Q7 and MDX are laid out. AWD is available optionally in all trims (standard in the Q7, optional in the MDX).

A new eight-speed automatic transmission replaces the nine-speed automatic previously paired with the V6 -- probably because the new turbo four is a lower-RPM engine than previous V6, meaning it doesn't need as many upshifts to keep the engine in the sweet spot of the powerband.

On the Road

The increased power of the Enclave's new smaller engine is readily apparent, especially in stop-and-go driving, the increased torque -- which is what gets a vehicle moving from rest -- being responsible for that. Put in plainer terms, you get more response with less apparent effort. Last year, it was necessary to floor it to get moving quickly. Now halfway to the floor will do the same -- with less revving (and shifting).

But the absence of the six is also apparent -- because you can hear what's no longer there. When pressed, the turbo four sounds small, because of course it is. Four-cylinder engines are by no means bad engines. But they do sound like four-cylinder engines, and the sound is a little incongruent with the size of this Buick.

On the other hand, it is much quicker (zero to 60 mph takes about 6.7 seconds) than a '70s Buick dreadnought such as the Electra, which had an engine nearly three times as large and with twice as many cylinders.

Power, then, is not the problem. Nor performance.

Perception may be.

Buick wants to be regarded as a luxury vehicle brand, but four-cylinder engines in luxury-priced vehicles are kind of like paying ribeye money to get a really good hamburger. Not that there's anything wrong with a really good hamburger. Then again, Audi is certainly regarded as a luxury brand, and most of its offerings come standard with fours that are smaller and less powerful than this Buick's four.

At the Curb

The Enclave is Buick's largest current offering -- and it's now larger than it was last year.

The outgoing model was 204.8 inches long; the new model is 207.6 inches long. That is not quite as long as the largest (and longest) Buicks of the past, such as the Electra 225 of the '70s -- but it's not a lot less either.

It is also not a little bit longer than both the Audi Q7 (199.3 inches) and the Acura MDX (198.4 inches). Those two being closer to midsize than full-size. The difference is most apparent when you sit in the third rows of all three of these models. The Buick's third row has legroom sufficient to allow adults to sit back there rather than just kids.

You also get class-most cargo space: 22.9 cubic feet behind the Enclave's third row and 97.5 cubic feet with the third and second rows stowed. The Q7 has just 14.2 cubic feet of space behind its third row and only 69.6 cubic feet of total available space. The MDX is closer, with 18.1 cubic feet of space behind its third row and 95 cubic feet total.

The Rest

While the Enclave does come standard with a 5,000-pound max tow rating, to pull that much without voiding your warranty, you'll need to spring for the $650 Trailering Package, which bundles heavy-duty cooling with a trailer hitch and Buick's Hitch Guidance closed-circuit backup camera system.

Also available is GM's SuperCruise self-driving system ($3,730), which is similar to the AutoPilot system available in Teslas and other luxury-brand vehicles that have self-driving capability.

The Bottom Line

Maybe smaller can be better -- even in something that's pretty big.

========

Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.