The 2025 Buick Enclave ST AWD: An Uneven Performance in the Premium Segment
After a decade of immersing myself in the evolving automotive landscape, few segments captivate attention quite like the premium three-row SUV market. It’s a battleground where practicality, cutting-edge technology, and aspirational luxury converge, often with varying degrees of success. This year, our focus landed squarely on the 2025 Buick Enclave ST AWD. While the top-tier Avenir trim typically garners the most buzz, Buick opted to send us the midline ST, a choice that, in hindsight, offered an unvarnished look at where this updated model truly stands in a fiercely competitive 2025 marketplace. Stripped of its most opulent trappings, the Enclave ST reveals a compelling blend of welcome advancements and puzzling concessions, ultimately leaving an impression that struggles to fully justify its premium aspirations.
Buick has long sought to carve out a niche for itself, straddling the line between mainstream and full-blown luxury. The Enclave, as its flagship SUV, is meant to embody this delicate balance. For 2025, the Enclave received a significant refresh, drawing inspiration from the striking Wildcat concept car, a design language that promises a bold future for the brand. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, this new Enclave is genuinely handsome. Its sculpted lines, more assertive front fascia, and refined proportions give it a contemporary elegance that previous generations sometimes lacked. The increase in overall size is skillfully masked by clever design, ensuring it doesn’t feel unwieldy in urban parking scenarios, a crucial consideration for a family-friendly SUV designed for American roads. This visual upgrade is undoubtedly a strong “pro” in its column, a confident step forward that enhances its curb appeal against a sea of rivals.
Under the hood, Buick has made a significant departure from the outgoing V-6 engine, opting for a new turbocharged four-cylinder powertrain. This move is indicative of a broader industry trend towards smaller, more efficient engines that leverage forced induction to maintain performance. The result is a commendable improvement in EPA fuel economy figures, a critical factor for many 2025 SUV buyers grappling with fluctuating gas prices. While the acceleration penalty compared to the V-6 is perceptible, it’s not egregious. The engine delivers adequate power for most daily driving scenarios, from highway cruising to merging onto bustling freeways. However, those seeking robust, effortless acceleration often associated with a truly premium family SUV might find it merely sufficient. The power delivery is smooth, if not particularly inspiring, aligning with a comfortable, composed driving experience rather than a spirited one.
Where the 2025 Enclave truly aims to differentiate itself is in its technological offerings, particularly the inclusion of General Motors’ acclaimed Super Cruise hands-free driving system. Having evaluated countless advanced driver assistance systems 2025, Super Cruise consistently stands out for its cautious yet highly effective operation. Its ability to navigate pre-mapped highways with the driver’s hands off the wheel is genuinely impressive, a testament to sophisticated sensor fusion and detailed mapping data. It offers a level of relaxation on long hauls that few other systems can match, earning it accolades, including a 2025 MotorTrend Best Tech award.
However, its implementation in the Enclave ST reveals a curious drawback. While Super Cruise excels on mapped roads, the moment you transition off them, the Enclave provides zero form of conventional lane centering. This omission is a perplexing strategic decision. Many similarly sized and priced mid-size luxury SUVs offer basic lane-keeping assistance that actively helps center the vehicle in its lane, even if it requires hands-on operation. The Enclave’s all-or-nothing approach to lane assistance puts it at a disadvantage, leaving drivers without a fundamental convenience feature readily available in competitors when Super Cruise isn’t engaged. This perceived technological gap is a significant point of contention, especially when considering the vehicle’s asking price and its position in the competitive SUV market 2025. Furthermore, the absence of the “hands-on” lane centering mode found in Cadillac models equipped with Super Cruise feels like an unnecessary limitation for Buick, potentially deterring some luxury SUV shoppers who expect comprehensive assistance across all driving conditions.
Stepping inside the Enclave ST, the story becomes even more nuanced. The interior aesthetic, especially in the monochrome black treatment of our test vehicle, struggles to convey the sense of luxury that Buick purports to offer. While the prominent, curved infotainment screen is undeniably impressive—bearing a striking resemblance to the unit found in the Cadillac Vistiq, albeit reoriented—it almost feels like an attempt to compensate for other shortcomings. This large display, powered by Google Built-In, offers a seamless integration of familiar Android apps like Spotify and Waze directly into the car’s operating system. As an expert who’s witnessed the evolution of in-car infotainment systems 2025, I can attest to the convenience this brings, reducing reliance on phone mirroring for many common functions. Apple CarPlay remains available but is relegated to a smaller window, a choice that might irk some iOS users. Google Assistant works exceptionally well, responding accurately to voice commands for navigation, media, and vehicle functions.
Yet, despite this technological prowess, the execution of the cabin’s tactile elements falls short. Our eyes were constantly drawn to swathes of hard plastics and less-than-premium finishes that pervade surfaces beyond the immediate dashboard area. The center console, in particular, feels like an afterthought, its design lacking the cohesive elegance and thoughtful storage solutions found in many contemporary premium interior designs. For a vehicle with a sticker price north of $61,000, these material choices and design oversights are difficult to overlook. Buick is attempting to play in a league where fit and finish, along with material quality, are paramount. In this regard, the Enclave ST often feels more aligned with its mainstream cousins, like the Chevrolet Traverse, than with true luxury contenders. Indeed, we found ourselves comparing it to a Chevrolet Traverse High Country model, which offered comparable interior amenity for nearly a thousand dollars less, begging the question of Buick’s unique value proposition.
From a functional perspective, the Enclave excels as a utility vehicle. The balance between second- and third-row room is well-executed, offering genuinely usable space. While the second row is comfortable for adults, the third row, as is often the case in this segment, is best suited for children or shorter adults on longer journeys. Crucially, the third row isn’t merely an emergency bench; it offers reasonable comfort. Cargo space behind the third row is respectable, and the ability to effortlessly fold the rear seats flat at the touch of a button transforms the Enclave into a surprisingly capable cargo hauler, a feature that family car buyers will undoubtedly appreciate. This practical versatility is a core strength, fulfilling its role as a competent daily driver for families.
However, the driving experience itself is largely unremarkable. The Enclave ST offers a ride that is competent and predictable but lacks the refinement and engagement expected from a vehicle aiming for the premium segment. Without the upgraded active shocks found in the Avenir model, the ST’s suspension tuning feels conventional. Body roll is present but controlled, and road imperfections are absorbed adequately, though without the plush isolation that defines true luxury. Engaging “Sport” drive mode merely made the steering feel artificially heavy without adding any meaningful feedback or enhancing the vehicle’s dynamic character. There’s no sense of agility or connection to the road that might appeal to those who enjoy driving; instead, it’s a “get-you-there” experience that is safe and unassuming. This “snoozetastic” character, as we’ve often termed it, might be perfectly acceptable for some, but it certainly doesn’t elevate the Enclave ST above its more mainstream competitors, nor does it justify its premium branding. For mid-size luxury SUV performance, consumers often expect a more polished and engaging ride.
Ultimately, the 2025 Buick Enclave ST AWD finds itself in an identity crisis. While the exterior styling is a home run and the integration of Super Cruise and Google Built-In technology are genuinely compelling features, they are packaged within an interior that often feels a step below its price point and brand aspirations. The absence of comprehensive lane centering, the reliance on hard plastics, and a driving dynamic that is merely adequate make it difficult to recommend the ST over its more premium competitors, or even some well-equipped mainstream offerings. When you consider that the top-of-the-line Avenir offers a panoramic roof, a superior suspension, and a more attractive interior—features that begin to justify its mid-$60,000 price tag—the ST’s value proposition becomes even murkier. Even then, the Enclave Avenir still faces stiff competition from established players and rising stars like the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride, which often deliver a more cohesive premium experience for less. The Enclave is a good, decent servant for families, but in the crowded and sophisticated luxury 3-row SUV space of 2025, the ST trim simply doesn’t dazzle enough to stand out as a segment leader.
If you’re currently navigating the complex landscape of 2025 luxury SUV reviews and considering your next family hauler, we encourage you to look beyond initial impressions. Examine the details, compare the Buick Enclave price 2025 against its true competitive set, and critically assess whether the ST trim truly delivers the premium experience you expect. For a purchase this significant, understanding the nuanced differences in vehicle interior quality and advanced driver assistance systems is paramount.
Considering a premium family SUV for 2025? Don’t settle for less than perfect. Dive deeper into specifications, read expert comparisons, and schedule a test drive to experience the 2025 Buick Enclave ST AWD firsthand. Evaluate if its strengths outweigh its compromises for your unique needs, and explore all the options before making your ultimate decision.
