2025 Buick Enclave vs 2025 BMW X3

The 2025 Buick Enclave presented a bold and modern aesthetic, reminiscent of the automaker’s compact crossover, the Envista. Its front design featured slim DRLs and a large, angular grille, giving it a sharp appearance. The side profile was slightly more generic, but the Enclave still managed to look bolder than its predecessor with fewer creases, a flatter roof, and subtly sharpened wheel arches. The base Preferred trim and Sport Touring came with 20-inch wheels, while the Avenir trim boasted 22-inch wheels with a special finish. Inside, the Enclave felt modern and premium, with a floating center console and a large curved display. The Sport Touring trim featured perforated leatherette seats with contrast piping, enhancing the interior's upscale feel. However, the limited sunroof availability was a drawback, as it was not offered on the base trim and only became standard on the top trim.

The 2025 BMW X3 was seductive in appearance for an SUV, with a long and tall hood, captivating dashboard-to-axle ratio, and tapering greenhouse and roofline, giving it an athletic look. The test model's Arctic Race Blue paint and machined surface wheel finish complemented the gloss black M Sport details and Calm Beige upholstery. The Veganza artificial leather, with its perforated and quilted surfaces, looked and felt authentic. The cabin featured quality materials, though some plastic elements revealed the X3’s price point. The 2025 X3 was available in 30 xDrive and M50 xDrive models, with prices ranging from $51,125 to $65,875. The X3 was priced competitively against its rivals, making it a good value. Our test vehicle, equipped with various option packages, had an MSRP of $60,875.

The 2025 Buick Enclave was powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, available in both front-wheel-drive (FWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) configurations, with the latter costing an additional $2,000. The Enclave's fuel economy was slightly reduced with AWD, achieving 21 mpg combined compared to 23 mpg with FWD. 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 Enclave drove like a full-size vehicle, with noticeable bulk and loose steering at slower speeds, which was typical for its class.

The 2025 BMW X3 30 xDrive featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Despite its 4,176-pound weight, the X3 achieved a zero-to-60 mph time of six seconds, thanks to its eight-speed automatic transmission and standard xDrive AWD system. The engine's power curve provided peak torque from 1,600 rpm to near redline at 6,500 rpm. The X3 30 xDrive also included a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, enhancing responsiveness and making the start-stop system nearly imperceptible. The M50 xDrive variant offered a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with 393 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque, achieving 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. Our test vehicle, equipped with the M Sport package and performance tires, provided a sporty driving experience, though the ride quality was firm on imperfect roads. The X3 excelled on twisty roads, offering impressive handling for a compact crossover.

The 2025 Buick Enclave offered eight-way power adjustability for the driver’s seat and six-way for the front passenger’s seat. It featured captain’s chairs in the second row, accommodating up to seven passengers. 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 allowed middle-row passengers to manage their temperature. The Enclave included a one-touch power feature for folding and sliding second-row seats, with power-folding third-row seats available on higher trims. The AutoSense liftgate provided easy access to the cargo area, which offered 22.9 cubic feet of space with all seats in place, expanding to 97.5 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

The 2025 BMW X3’s interior felt spacious, with a simple dashboard featuring the BMW Curved Display, housing a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The front seats offered power adjustment, heating, and Veganza artificial leather upholstery. The rear seats were less comfortable, with low positioning and hard front seat-back panels. The cargo area measured 31.5 cubic feet, with a lightweight cargo cover, netted storage, and a temporary spare tire under the load floor. The 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat allowed for versatile cargo and passenger arrangements.

The 2025 Buick Enclave featured a large 30-inch curved display, integrating the infotainment system and digital gauge cluster. 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. The Enclave offered wired charging with two USB ports in each row.

The 2025 BMW X3’s BMW Curved Display was powered by the new iDrive 9 software, offering a Quick Select user experience. However, creating profiles and accessing BMW Digital Services proved challenging during testing. The system occasionally froze and became unresponsive, prompting reliance on wireless Apple CarPlay, which worked flawlessly. The navigation system, with its optional augmented video feature, provided accurate directions and arrival estimates.

The 2025 Buick Enclave came equipped with advanced safety and driver-assistance features, including blind-zone steering assist, intersection automatic emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. HD Surround Vision with selectable camera views and adaptive cruise control were standard. Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free driving technology, was available on all trims for an additional cost. The 2025 Enclave had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the 2024 model received favorable ratings in most tests.

The 2025 BMW X3 offered a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and active blind-spot monitoring. The Premium Package added adaptive cruise control and Parking Assistant Plus, while the Driving Assistant Professional Package included hands-free Traffic Jam Assistant and other advanced features. The X3 earned a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with four-star ratings for frontal-impact crash tests.