2025 Buick Enclave vs 2025 Subaru Outback

The 2025 Subaru Outback stood out in a dwindling field of wagons in the United States, embracing crossover trends with its rugged design elements like chunky wheel-arch flares and skid plate-inspired fascias. Its Crimson Red Pearl paint paired beautifully with the black leather interior, though earthy shades were deemed more fitting for its adventurous spirit. Subaru's focus on off-road capabilities paid off, as the Outback, along with the Crosstrek and Forester, became top sellers. The 2025 model saw no major changes, but the Limited trim gained features like a power moonroof and a 360-degree heated steering wheel. The Touring XT trim offered Nappa leather and ventilated front seats, enhancing the interior's appeal. The Outback's design balanced ruggedness with a well-executed interior, featuring easy-to-read gauges and a small digital display for essential information.

The 2025 Buick Enclave presented a bold and modern appearance, drawing inspiration from the Envista with its sharp design elements like slim DRLs and a large angular grille. While its side profile appeared more generic, the Enclave's overall look was bolder than its predecessor. Standard 20-inch wheels adorned the base and Sport Touring trims, with the Avenir trim boasting 22-inch wheels in a special finish. Inside, the Enclave exuded a modern and premium feel with a floating center console and a large curved display. The Sport Touring trim featured perforated leatherette seats with contrast piping, adding a touch of luxury. However, the limited sunroof availability was a drawback, with the panoramic power sunroof only available on higher trims. Despite this, the Enclave's interior offered a near-luxury experience, aligning with Buick's premium positioning.

The 2025 Subaru Outback featured a horizontally opposed "Boxer" engine, available in two forms. The standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine produced 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, while the XT trims benefited from a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine delivering 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Both engines ran on regular unleaded gas and were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The turbocharged engine provided smart acceleration, though it wasn't a performance car. The Outback's 8.7 inches of ground clearance and X-Mode enhanced its off-road capabilities, with the Wilderness model offering 9.5 inches of clearance and additional settings for challenging terrains. On the road, the Outback delivered a smooth and comfortable ride, with light steering, smooth throttle, and powerful brakes. However, the stop/start technology and CVT's response during transitions were noted as areas for improvement.

The 2025 Buick Enclave came equipped with a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. Power was routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission to either front-wheel-drive (FWD) or all-wheel-drive (AWD) configurations, with AWD slightly reducing fuel economy from 23 to 21 mpg combined. The Enclave could tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. Buick offered two versions of Active Noise Cancellation, with the engine noise cancellation standard only on the top trim. The turbo engine was noted for its loudness and tendency to rev out, making the noise cancellation upgrade worthwhile. The Enclave's large size was evident in its driving dynamics, with loose steering at slower speeds. While not a priority for most shoppers in this class, the Enclave's driving experience was comparable to competitors like the Mazda CX-90.

The 2025 Subaru Outback's wagon shape offered practicality with easy entry and exit, a lower roof height for loading, and a low center of gravity for quick direction changes. Its cargo space measured 32.6 cubic feet with the rear seat up and 75.6 cubic feet with the bench folded, providing a flat floor and square shape for maximum utility. The Outback's total passenger volume of 109 cubic feet surpassed its crossover competition, offering more front headroom and legroom. Buyers were advised to test drive different trims, as the Limited, Touring, and Wilderness models offered distinct driving experiences. The Outback's towing capacity increased from 2,700 to 3,500 pounds with the turbocharged engine option.

The 2025 Buick Enclave featured eight-way power adjustability for the driver's seat and six-way for the front passenger's seat. Captain's chairs in the second row allowed for a seven-person maximum capacity. Heated steering wheel and front seats were standard, with the Avenir trim adding heated second-row seats and front-row ventilation. Tri-zone climate control was standard, with middle-row passengers having control over their temperature. The Enclave offered power-folding second and third-row seats, with the AutoSense liftgate providing hands-free access to the cargo area. Cargo space measured 22.9 cubic feet with all seats in place, expanding to 57.1 cubic feet with the third row folded and 97.5 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

The 2025 Subaru Outback's technology package included an 11.6-inch touchscreen with large icons, though the Starlink infotainment system was slow to respond, especially at startup. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, with wireless connectivity available on most trims. The Harman Kardon 12-speaker audio system performed well, though Starlink disturbances limited audio to the rear speakers. The dashboard featured a mix of buttons and knobs, appealing to those less comfortable with excessive technology. The 2025 Outback Touring included a CD player and both USB-A and USB-C ports for device connectivity.

The 2025 Buick Enclave showcased its premium positioning with a 30-inch ultrawide touchscreen integrating the infotainment display and digital gauge cluster. While seamless most of the time, smartphone projection interrupted the cohesive display. A 12-speaker Bose Premium audio system was standard, with the Avenir trim offering a 16-speaker Bose Performance system. Wireless charging, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto were standard, along with Google Built-In for native apps. The Enclave also offered a Wi-Fi hotspot and wired charging with two USB ports in each row.

The 2025 Subaru Outback featured EyeSight driver-assist technology with adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency steering. While effective, the system exhibited more side-to-side movement than desired. Higher trims included blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. The DriverFocus system occasionally issued false notifications. The 2024 Outback earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with the 2025 model expected to perform similarly.

The 2025 Buick Enclave prioritized safety with standard features like blind-zone steering assist, intersection automatic emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. HD Surround Vision offered seven camera views, expandable to nine. Adaptive cruise control was standard, with a head-up display optional. GM's Teen Driver technology allowed parents to set limits and monitor driving. Super Cruise, GM's hands-free driving technology, was available on all trims for an additional cost. The 2024 Enclave scored well in most IIHS tests but received an "Acceptable" rating for the updated side crash-test and a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA.