Compare the2025 Ford ExplorerVS 2025 Buick Enclave

The Ford Explorer has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Enclave doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Explorer has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Enclave doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Explorer 4WD’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Enclave doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the Explorer and the Enclave have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Ford Explorer has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Enclave has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The Explorer’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Enclave’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are almost 3 times as many Ford dealers as there are Buick dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Explorer’s warranty.

The Explorer has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Enclave doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Explorer second among midsize suvs in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Enclave isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Explorer’s optional 3.0 turbo V6 produces 72 more horsepower (400 vs. 328) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 326) than the Enclave’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Explorer 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder 4WD gets better fuel mileage than the Enclave AWD (20 city/27 hwy vs. 19 city/24 hwy).

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Explorer, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Enclave.

For better stopping power the Explorer’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Enclave:

The Explorer ST’s optional front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Enclave are solid, not vented.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the Explorer can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Enclave doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Explorer’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Enclave doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the Explorer’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Enclave’s (38.4 feet vs. 39 feet). The Explorer’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Enclave w/22” wheels’ (38.4 feet vs. 40.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Explorer has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Enclave (7.6 vs. 6.8 inches), allowing the Explorer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Explorer Platinum’s minimum ground clearance is 1.4 inches higher than on the Enclave (8.2 vs. 6.8 inches).

The Explorer is 8.9 inches shorter than the Enclave, making the Explorer easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Explorer has .5 inches more front hip room, .5 inches more rear headroom, .6 inches more rear hip room, .6 inches more third row headroom and .1 inches more third row legroom than the Enclave.

A standard locking glovebox and optional locking center console (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Explorer. The Enclave doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Explorer’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Enclave’s (5000 vs. 1500 pounds).

The engine in the Explorer is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Enclave. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The Explorer’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Enclave’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Explorer’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Enclave doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its OnStar® can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Explorer’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Enclave’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Enclave Avenir’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Explorer Platinum’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Explorer to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Enclave doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Ford Explorer outsold the Buick Enclave by almost five to one during 2023.