2024 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2025 Buick Enclave

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus was available in three trims: Premiere, Reserve, and Black Label. It showcased a sophisticated and streamlined exterior design, signaling a potential new direction for Lincoln. The grille, reminiscent of Mercedes-Benz's bifurcated design, featured LED lighting that extended through it, illuminating the Lincoln star logo. This horizontal aesthetic was mirrored at the rear with a full-width animated LED light bar and dual exhaust ports. The interior was a standout, with a full-width screen as its crown jewel. The materials used were of excellent quality, featuring polished metal, open-pore wood, and fine leather. The piano key shifter style, a Lincoln tradition since the mid-1950s, was a notable design element. An optional Jet Appearance Package added two-tone paint, black exterior trim, and unique interior bits for an additional $3,000.

The 2025 Buick Enclave, from the front, resembled a scaled-up version of the Envista, with a sharp design featuring slim DRLs, a large angular grille, and a high beltline. While its side profile was somewhat generic, the Enclave appeared bolder than its predecessor. It had fewer creases, a flatter roof, and a more upright profile. Standard 20-inch wheels were available on the base Preferred trim and Sport Touring, with the Avenir trim featuring 22-inch wheels in a special finish. Inside, the Enclave felt modern and premium, with a floating center console and large curved display. The seats in the Sport Touring trim were trimmed in perforated leatherette with contrast piping. However, the limited sunroof availability was a drawback, with the panoramic power sunroof only available on higher trims.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus came standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid option, available for an additional $1,500, offered 310 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, with an EPA estimated 30 mpg in combined driving. The gas-only engine achieved 24 mpg combined. The hybrid's range exceeded 600 miles, making it suitable for long drives. All Nautilus models featured all-wheel drive and five drive modes, with the adaptive suspension enhancing the driving experience. The hybrid's CVT was well-tuned, avoiding common pitfalls like droning. While not a driver's car, the Nautilus could satisfy occasional performance desires.

The 2025 Buick Enclave was powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. It featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and offered both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations, with the latter reducing fuel economy from 23 to 21 mpg combined. The Enclave could tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. Buick provided two versions of Active Noise Cancellation, with the engine noise cancellation standard only on the top trim. The Enclave's turbo engine was loud and revved more than expected, making the noise cancellation a worthwhile consideration. The Enclave drove like a full-size vehicle, with loose steering at slower speeds, but this was not a significant issue for its target audience.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus offered power-adjustable, heated, and cooled front seats across all trims, with the Black Label model featuring 24-way Perfect Position front seats. These seats were among the most comfortable in the mid-size luxury SUV class, with a massage function that remained active until manually turned off. The rear seats provided 43 inches of legroom, accommodating taller passengers comfortably. The Lincoln Rejuvenate feature combined massage, lighting, and screen images to create different moods. Cargo space measured 36 cubic feet behind the second row and 71 cubic feet with the seats folded down in the Premiere trim. The Nautilus was available only with seating for five, prioritizing cargo space over additional seating.

The 2025 Buick Enclave featured eight-way power adjustability for the driver's seat and six-way for the front passenger's seat. It accommodated up to seven passengers with captain's chairs in the second row. The Avenir trim offered heated second-row seats and ventilated front seats, along with a two-position memory feature. Tri-zone climate control was standard, with middle-row passengers able to manage their own temperature. The Enclave's power-folding third-row seats formed a 60/40 split bench, with manual folding required for lower trims. The AutoSense liftgate opened to reveal 22.9 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 57.1 cubic feet with the third row folded and 97.5 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus featured a massive 48-inch curved display, with a digital dash for the driver and customizable sections for various information. An 11.1-inch touchscreen handled basic infotainment duties, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. HVAC controls were permanent icons on the screen, but vent adjustments required navigating menus. Unlabeled steering wheel controls were a distraction, but Google Maps and Alexa Built-in were included for voice controls. Wireless charging and USB ports were standard throughout the cabin.

The 2025 Buick Enclave's technology offerings highlighted its premium positioning. A 30-inch ultrawide touchscreen integrated the infotainment display and digital gauge cluster, though smartphone projection interrupted the seamless design. A 12-speaker Bose Premium audio system was standard, with a 16-speaker Bose Performance system exclusive to the Avenir trim. Wireless charging, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto were standard, along with Google Built-In and Wi-Fi hotspot capability. Wired charging was available in all rows, with two USB ports per row.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus included the Lincoln CoPilot 360 suite of ADAS features, such as lane-keeping assist, park assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and emergency braking. Blue Cruise 1.2 technology was available on all trims, with a 90-day trial for Premiere and Reserve trims and four years standard on the Black Label. The 2023 Nautilus received five stars for frontal and side crash protection and four stars for rollover protection from the NHTSA. The IIHS rated the 2024 Nautilus "Good" in crashworthiness but had not yet rated it for front crash prevention or seat belt systems.

The 2025 Buick Enclave came with advanced safety and driver-assistance tech, including blind-zone steering assist, intersection automatic emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. HD Surround Vision with seven camera views was standard, with an option to increase to nine. Super Cruise, GM's highway hands-free driving technology, was available on all trims. The 2024 Enclave received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA and an "Acceptable" rating for the updated side crash-test from the IIHS.