2025 Buick Enclave vs 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2025 Buick Enclave presented a bold and modern aesthetic, reminiscent of the Envista with its sharp lines and angular grille. Its design was more refined than its predecessor, with a flatter roof and slightly sharpened wheel arches. The Enclave's interior exuded a premium feel, featuring a floating center console and a large curved display that added a futuristic touch. The Sport Touring trim offered perforated leatherette seats with contrast piping, enhancing the overall luxurious experience. However, the limited availability of a panoramic sunroof was a drawback, especially for those expecting near-luxury features from Buick.

In contrast, the 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe maintained its chunky, boxy design from its 2024 debut, with a long wheelbase and pixelated H-shaped LED headlamps. The rear design, however, suffered from mismatched proportions, with taillights positioned lower than ideal. Each trim had distinct wheel designs, and the XRT trim added off-road elements like black roof rails. Inside, the Santa Fe offered seating for seven, with the Calligraphy trim featuring captain's chairs. The interior was well-finished, though some squeaks were noted. The Santa Fe's gear selector required some getting used to, and while the off-road capabilities were decent, it wasn't suited for rugged terrains.

The 2025 Buick Enclave was powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque. It offered both FWD and AWD options, with the latter slightly reducing fuel economy from 23 to 21 mpg combined. The Enclave could tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. Active Noise Cancellation was standard for road noise, but engine noise cancellation was only standard on the top trim. The Enclave drove like a full-size vehicle, with loose steering at slower speeds, which was typical for its class.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a standard 2.5-liter turbocharged engine with 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. It offered FWD and AWD, with the XRT trim exclusively in AWD. The eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission occasionally lagged in downshifts, and turbo lag was noticeable. The gear selector was unconventional, requiring a twist to select gears. The XRT trim had enhanced off-road capabilities with 30-inch all-terrain tires and increased ground clearance, but it wasn't designed for extreme off-roading.

The 2025 Buick Enclave offered eight-way power adjustability for the driver's seat and six-way for the front passenger. It accommodated seven passengers with captain's chairs in the second row. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard, with additional features like heated second-row seats and ventilation available on higher trims. The Enclave provided 22.9 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats up, expanding to 97.5 cubic feet with both rear rows folded. The AutoSense liftgate was a convenient feature for hands-free access.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe's base SE trim was basic but included a hands-free liftgate and dual-zone climate control. The XRT trim added features like heated front seats and a sunroof. The Calligraphy trim offered premium amenities like heated second-row seats and a premium audio system. The Santa Fe boasted the most third-row legroom in its class, with adjustable second-row seats. Cargo space was 14.6 cubic feet with all seats up, expanding to 79.6 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. The wider liftgate opening facilitated loading larger items.

The 2025 Buick Enclave featured a 30-inch ultrawide touchscreen integrating the infotainment display and digital gauge cluster. A 12-speaker Bose audio system was standard, with a 16-speaker system available on 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 USB ports in each row.

The 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment, with a digital gauge cluster on higher trims. The system was user-friendly, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard. Upper trims offered additional features like Amazon Music, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and Hyundai Pay. Charging options included multiple USB-C ports and wireless charging. The Santa Fe also offered a digital key and an available fingerprint scanner for added security.

The 2025 Buick Enclave was equipped with advanced safety features, including blind-zone steering assist, intersection automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist. HD Surround Vision with selectable camera views and adaptive cruise control were standard. Super Cruise, GM's hands-free driving technology, was 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 Hyundai Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. Higher trims added features like rear parking collision avoidance and Highway Drive Assist. The top trims included a blind-spot avoidance feature and Blind-View Monitor. The Santa Fe received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and was rated Good in most IIHS categories.