2025 Buick Enclave vs 2025 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2025 Buick Enclave presented a bold and modern aesthetic, reminiscent of the Envista, with its sharp design elements like slim DRLs, a large angular grille, and a high beltline. While its side profile appeared somewhat generic, the Enclave's overall look was more assertive and refined compared to its predecessor. The vehicle featured fewer side creases, a flatter roof, and slightly sharpened wheel arches. Standard 20-inch wheels adorned the base and Sport Touring trims, with the latter boasting unique High Gloss Black accents. The top-tier Avenir trim showcased 22-inch wheels with a special finish. Inside, the Enclave exuded a modern and premium feel, highlighted by a floating center console and a large curved display. The Sport Touring model's seats, trimmed in perforated leatherette with contrast piping, added a touch of luxury, though the limited sunroof availability was a drawback, especially for the base trim.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse impressed with its exterior styling, consistent with Chevrolet's recent SUV designs. The interior featured digital instrumentation and a Google-based infotainment system, though the quality of materials, particularly the hard, glossy plastic and Evotex artificial leather, left something to be desired. The Traverse offered trims like LT, Z71, High Country, and RS, with prices ranging from $41,095 to $55,495. The Z71 trim, designed for off-road adventures, included features like Radiant Red paint, a panoramic sunroof, and various driving packages, bringing the MSRP to $55,900. Despite its stylish appearance, the Traverse's material quality did not match its price point.

The 2025 Buick Enclave was powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, available in both front-wheel-drive (FWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) configurations, with the latter costing an additional $2,000. The Enclave's fuel economy was rated at 23 mpg combined for FWD and 21 mpg for AWD. It could tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. The Enclave featured two versions of Active Noise Cancellation, with the road noise-targeting iteration standard across all trims. However, the engine noise cancellation was standard only on the top trim, and its absence was noticeable in the test vehicle. The Enclave's steering was loose at slower speeds, but this was not a significant issue for its target market.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse shared the same 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. In FWD mode, the engine exhibited torque steer, but engaging AWD provided controlled acceleration. The Z71 trim, designed for off-road use, offered 7.7 inches of ground clearance, unique 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, a skid plate, and a Twin Clutch AWD system. The Traverse Z71 excelled on trails, handling rough terrain with ease. Its driving modes included Tow/Haul, Normal, and Sport, though the vehicle felt large and less sporty on narrow roads. The Traverse's EPA rating was 21 mpg combined, and the test vehicle achieved 21.5 mpg.

The 2025 Buick Enclave offered eight-way power adjustability for the driver's seat and six-way for the front passenger. It accommodated up to seven passengers with standard captain's chairs in the second row. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard, while the Avenir trim added heated second-row seats and front-row ventilation. Tri-zone climate control allowed middle-row passengers to adjust their temperature. The Enclave featured a one-touch power feature for folding and sliding second-row seats, available on all trims. The power-folding third-row seats formed a 60/40 split bench, with manual folding required for lower trims. The AutoSense liftgate provided easy access to 22.9 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 57.1 cubic feet with the third row folded and 97.5 cubic feet with both rear rows down.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse boasted a spacious interior, particularly in terms of width. The eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat and heated front seats provided comfort, while the Evotex artificial leather added a touch of luxury. The Traverse offered eight-passenger seating with a second-row bench seat, though the test vehicle featured captain's chairs. The third-row seats were comfortable but lacked a view due to the rear window design. The Traverse provided 22.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 56.6 cubic feet with the third row down and 97.6 cubic feet with the second row folded. However, folding the third row required adjusting the second-row seats, which could be inconvenient.

The 2025 Buick Enclave showcased its premium positioning with a standard 30-inch curved display, integrating the infotainment system and digital gauge cluster. While the display was generally seamless, Apple CarPlay caused a noticeable interruption. A 12-speaker Bose Premium audio system was standard, with a 16-speaker Bose Performance system exclusive to the Avenir trim. Wireless charging, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto were standard, along with Google Built-In and Wi-Fi hotspot capability. The Enclave offered wired charging with two USB ports in each row.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse featured a standard 17.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Google Built-in, offering Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play Store access. It also included Alexa compatibility, OnStar services, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and smartphone charging were standard, along with SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. The touchscreen provided a user-friendly interface, though it lacked a tuning knob. An 11-inch digital instrumentation panel offered various views, and the test vehicle included a digital rearview mirror and a high-definition surround-view camera system.

The 2025 Buick Enclave prioritized safety with features like blind-zone steering assist, intersection automatic emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. HD Surround Vision with seven camera views was standard, with an option to increase to nine. Adaptive cruise control was standard, while a head-up display was optional. The Enclave introduced Super Cruise, GM's hands-free driving technology, available on all trims for an additional cost. The 2024 Enclave received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA and performed well in most IIHS tests.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse came equipped with a comprehensive suite of driver aids, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and active blind-spot monitoring. The test vehicle's Driver Confidence Package added a surround-view camera system and traffic sign recognition. The Enhanced Driving Package included Super Cruise and remote-parking technology. Super Cruise offered hands-free driving assistance, though it occasionally experienced issues. The 2025 Traverse received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" award from the IIHS.