- Buick’s three-row SUV, the Enclave, is getting redesigned for 2025.
- There’s a chance Buick cuts some inches from the next-gen Enclave.
- The current Enclave for China is smaller than the one Buick sells in America.
A new Buick Enclave is coming for 2025, and we stumbled upon an engineering mule parked on the streets of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Buick’s big three-row may shrink down in size for its third generation, though, as the Enclave prototype we captured appeared to cast a shadow closer to that of the 198.5-inch long Cadillac XT6 than that of the current 204.8-inch Enclave. Though the XT6 and Enclave sit on the same basic platform, the Cadillac’s 112.7-inch wheelbase trails that of today’s Enclave by more than eight inches.
With the 2024 GMC Acadia moving from the stubbier underpinnings it previously shared with the XT6 to the more generously sized, long-wheelbase bones of the current Enclave, it’s possible Buick will downsize the 2025 Enclave so as not to cannibalize sales from its GMC-badged cousin with which it often shares showroom space.
It’s also possible that this mule is for the China-market Enclave given the size of the front license plate mount, and given the fact that Buick already produces a smaller Enclave for China. Even so, this Buick prototype ought to give us a bit of a feel for the look of the U.S.-spec 2025 Enclave, as both Enclaves are sure to share very similar designs.
For instance, the Enclave mule we spotted incorporates several cues shared with a drawing that Buick recently released of the 2025 Enclave. This includes its window line, squircle-ish wheel wells, and the horizontal body line that spans the length of the doors. Buick’s ubiquitous front-end design is present, as well.
Will the next-generation Enclave remain one of the biggest three-row SUV offerings in the mid-size segment, or will it migrate to the smaller structure that General Motors pinned under the outgoing Acadia? All this and more will be revealed when Buick finally reveals the 2025 Enclave later this year.
Despite their shared last name, Greg Fink is not related to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s infamous Rat Fink. Both Finks, however, are known for their love of cars, car culture, and—strangely—monogrammed one-piece bathing suits. Greg’s career in the media industry goes back more than a decade. His previous experience includes stints as an editor at publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Motor1.com, and MotorTrend.