Back in June 2022, the folks at Buick revealed the Wildcat EV concept. You can think of it as the blueprint of Buick's new design language, which carried over to the Envista, Envision, and Encore GX. The next Buick to adopt said language is the all-new Enclave, which is due this year as a 2025 model with a four-cylinder turbo engine.
Similar to the 2024 Chevrolet Traverse and 2024 GMC Acadia, the 2025 Buick Enclave will get a 2.5-liter mill. Codenamed LK0, the newcomer develops 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet (442 Nm). Serving as the successor to the 3.6-liter LFY and 3.6-liter LGX, this lump is made at GM's powertrain facility in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
Similar to the 2.7-liter L3B of the Silverado, Sierra, Colorado, and Canyon, the 2.5-liter LK0 is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission. But as opposed to the 8L-series tranny in the aforementioned pickup trucks, the automatic in the Traverse, Acadia, and upcoming Enclave is a development of the loathed 9T series.
You can easily tell whether a GM transmission is meant for longitudinal or transverse applications after the L in 8L and T in 9T. Similar to the Traverse and Acadia, the Enclave should be capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms).
Regarding their platform, GM calls it C1XX-2 because it's a development of the C1XX. As a brief refresher, the C1XX rolled out in 2016 with the introduction of the 2017 model year Cadillac XT5. Front-wheel drive by default, the C1XX-2 is compatible with two kinds of all-wheel drive.
Photo: Buick
The Traverse Z71 and Acadia AT4 level up to a twin-clutch setup, which isn't exactly a new concept. Lest we forget, the Ford Bronco Sport Badlands and Maverick Tremor also feature a twin-clutch rear drive unit by GKN Driveline. Being technically similar to the Traverse and Acadia, the Enclave will get eight- and seven-seat layouts.
To be produced at the Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant in Michigan, the 2025 Buick Enclave is obviously going to cost a bit more than the 2024 model. Currently priced at $43,900 sans destination charge, the Enclave will get a more tech-intensive cabin. Think 11-inch digital instrument cluster and either 15- or 17.7-inch touchscreen infotainment with Google built-in compatibility, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.
Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving tech is a given as well. Another reason for the higher starting price is the expanded suite of standard safety and driver assistance features. What's more, Buick is rumored to launch an off-road-oriented trim of the Enclave à la the Traverse Z71 and Acadia AT4.
Be that as it may, the Avenir will be positioned as the top dog in the range. The Avenir sub-brand was introduced in 2016. Last year, 26 percent of Buick's retail customers in the US market picked the Avenir over lesser trim levels. With the 2024 Buick Enclave Avenir starting at $58,895 with front-wheel drive rather than all-wheel drive, chances are the 2025 model will exceed $60,000.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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