2018 Buick Enclave vs 2018 GMC Acadia: Which is Best?

2018 GMC Acadia All Terrain three quarter in front of house ・ Photo by General Motors

How do you compare cousins? It’s no secret that General Motors shares a lot of technology between brands. In the following pages, we’ll see how the 2018 Buick Enclave stacks up against its cousin, the 2018 GMC Acadia. The Acadia sold slightly over 111,000 units in 2017, whereas the Enclave, by comparison, sold less than half that with approximately 48,500 units over the course of the year. A brilliant redesign for 2018 may change the equation.

Both the Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia ride on General Motors’ C1XX Epsilon platform, as do the Chevrolet Traverse and Cadillac XT5. While the Acadia and XT5 use the regular wheelbase C1XX platform, the Enclave and Traverse use the long wheelbase version resulting in the Acadia measuring smaller than the Enclave.

Exterior Styling and Trim Levels

The Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia share similar underpinnings, but their exteriors are significantly different. The Encore’s design is more elegant, while the Acadia is more truck-like. Although the 2018 Acadia is less angular than earlier models, it’s more chunky than the Enclave, which emphasizes its smooth and flowing lines.

Both vehicles seek to tread into the luxury level, but take different paths. Buick simplifies trim level choices, while it stakes out the high ground. The 2018 Buick Enclave is offered in Base ($39,995,) Essence ($44,300,) Premium ($48,100,) and Avenir ($53,500) trim levels. The 2018 GMC Acadia is available in SL ($29,995,) SLE-1 ($33,595,) SLE-2 ($36,195,) SLT-1 ($39,495,) SLT-2 ($42,895,) and Denali ($46,095) trim levels.

Choosing a winner in this category is highly subjective, but it tips to the Enclave for the new upscale Avenir trim level.

Photo by General Motors

Interior

The top-of-the-line Enclave Avenir’s elegant interior sets a high mark for the brand. It’s a worthy flagship. The Acadia Denali’s interior is handsome, without a doubt, but it doesn’t deliver the same level of sophistication. The Acadia’s dashboard is well laid out, but it feels chunky and constructed. The Avenir’s dashboard, on the other hand, flows effortlessly from door to door. The Enclave’s downside is price, but if design is at the top of your list, impression makes all the difference and Avenir provides next level elegance.

Enclave

Photo by General Motors

Cabin and Cargo Volume

If bigger is better, the choice is clear. The Enclave’s second-row captain’s chairs provide 38.9 inches of legroom and 39.9 inches of headroom, while the Acadia has 39.7 inches of legroom and 39.6 inches of headroom. The Enclave’s third row has 33.5 inches of legroom and 37.6 inches of headroom, while the Acadia’s third row is tighter, with 31.1 inches of legroom and 37.2 inches of headroom. The Enclave has a massive amount of cargo volume, with 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 58 cubic feet behind the second row, and 97.6 cubic feet behind the first row seats, along with an additional 3.1 cubic feet of handy underfloor storage. The Acadia trails, with 12.8 cubic feet behind the third row, 41.7 cubic feet behind the second row, and 79 cubic feet behind the first row seats.

The Enclave wins on cargo capacity, as well as an edge on the third row, where space is always tight.

Photo by General Motors

Infotainment

General Motors SUVs benefit from the highest level of connectivity, with 4G LTE, built-in Wi-Fi, GM OnStar, and a plethora of ports to keep everyone connected. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability are offered across the board in the Acadia and Enclave. The vehicles both offer Bose audio systems with subwoofers, and while the audio systems are similar, the higher end Enclave models have the advantage over Acadia with ten-speaker systems, rather than eight-speaker systems.

Enclave

Photo by General Motors

Safety

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) currently rates the 2018 GMC Acadia "Good" across the board for collision criteria, "Superior" for front crash prevention (with optional equipment) and "Marginal" for headlights. The IIHS has not, as of this writing, published ratings for the 2018 Buick Enclave. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) rates the 2018 Buick Enclave Five-Stars overall. The NHTSA rates the AWD 2018 GMC Acadia Five-Stars overall and the FWD 2018 GMC Acadia Four-Stars overall.Advanced safety technology including lane keep assist, blind spot mirrors, and low speed forward automatic braking are offered in the upper trim levels for both vehicles.

Until all the ratings are in from the IIHS, this one’s neutral.

Photo by General Motors

Drivetrain

The Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia share a power plant, but there are significant differences between the two vehicles. The Enclave is exclusively equipped with a 3.6-liter direct injected V6 engine that produces 310 Horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with a 3.49 final drive ratio. The Acadia shares its 3.6-liter V6, but it’s tuned a bit differently to produce 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic and a 3.87 final drive ratio are employed. The V6 delivers plenty of grunt and can propel either vehicle to sixty miles-per-hour in roughly seven seconds from a standing start. A 2.5-liter direct injected inline four-cylinder engine is also offered in the Acadia. The inline four produces 193 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque. Needless to say, it’s significantly slower than the V6.

The Acadia’s All Terrain option utilizes an advanced Active Twin Clutch all-wheel-drive system for enhanced traction in varied conditions. The system’s All Terrain mode is also engineered for superior capability off-road.

Acadia (for those that venture off the beaten path.)

Photo by General Motors

Fuel Efficiency

Big SUVs are thirsty beasts. The 2018 Buick Enclave is EPA rated at 18 city/26 highway miles per gallon with front-wheel-drive (FWD) and 17 city/25 highway with all-wheel-drive (AWD). The 2.5-liter four-cylinder 2018 GMC Acadia is EPA rated at 21 city/26 highway miles per gallon with FWD and 21 city/25 highway with AWD. The 3.6-liter V6 2018 GMC Acadia is EPA rated at 18 city/25 highway miles per gallon with FWD and 18 city/25 highway with AWD.

The Buick Enclave’s fuel tank capacity is 19.4 gallons with FWD and 21.7 gallons with AWD, while the GMC Encore’s fuel tank measures 19 gallons with FWD and 22 gallons with AWD.

Tie. Let's hope that General Motors sees fit to offer more fuel-efficient choices in their largest SUVs, as they do with the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain turbo-diesel models.

Photo by General Motors

Ride and Handling

The Acadia and Enclave exhibit similar ride and handling characteristics. While they are not as crisp as say, a Mazda CX-9 is on twisty roads, they’re not the wallowing SUV whales of yore. The Enclave Avenir’s optional continuously variable real-time damping suspension system give it an edge by tightening things up a bit with the push of a button.

Enclave

Photo by Buick

Warranty

The Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia share the same General Motors warranty programs, which include: 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. 3-year/36,000-mile corrosion protection. 6-year/100,000-mile rust-through protection. 5-year/60,000-mile courtesy transportation.

Tie

Photo by General Motors

Value

Both the Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia are good values. When it comes to depreciation, SUVs tend to be more resilient to depreciation than sedans and Buick’s quality ratings have risen to place it in the top tier of automakers. Can you really compare the Enclave to the Audi Q7? Yes, but only if you’re not a brand snob.

Buick

Photo by General Motors