Compare the2025 Toyota Grand HighlanderVS 2024 Buick Enclave

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Grand Highlander have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Buick Enclave doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Grand Highlander are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Buick Enclave doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

The Toyota Grand Highlander has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps 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 Grand Highlander has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies 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.

Both the Grand Highlander and Enclave have Rear Cross Traffic Alert, but the Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum/Nightshade has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Enclave’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The Grand Highlander’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Enclave doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Grand Highlander and the Enclave have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, 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.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Grand Highlander is safer than the Enclave:

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

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Grand Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Buick doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Enclave.

There are over 16 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Buick dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Grand Highlander’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Grand Highlander’s reliability 14 points higher than the Enclave.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Buick is ranked third.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Buick is ranked 12th.

The Grand Highlander’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 44 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 266) than the Enclave’s 3.6 DOHC V6. The Grand Highlander Hybrid Max’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 52 more horsepower (362 vs. 310) and 134 lbs.-ft. more torque (400 vs. 266) than the Enclave’s 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Buick Enclave:

On the EPA test cycle the Grand Highlander gets better mileage than the Enclave:

Regenerative brakes improve the Grand Highlander Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Enclave doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Grand Highlander has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Enclave. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The Grand Highlander offers an available continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Enclave doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

The Grand Highlander stops much shorter than the Enclave:

The Grand Highlander’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Enclave’s (57% to 43%). This gives the Grand Highlander more stable handling and braking.

The Grand Highlander Platinum AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Enclave Avenir pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Grand Highlander Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Enclave Avenir (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Grand Highlander’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Enclave’s (38.1 feet vs. 39 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Grand Highlander has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Enclave (8 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Grand Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Grand Highlander is 3.4 inches shorter than the Enclave, making the Grand Highlander easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Grand Highlander Platinum AWD is quieter than the Enclave Essence:

The Grand Highlander offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Enclave can only carry 7.

The Grand Highlander has .5 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more rear headroom, 1.2 inches more rear legroom and .2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Enclave.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Grand Highlander’s middle and third row seats recline. The Enclave’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Grand Highlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the Enclave.

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

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

Standard Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on the Grand Highlander uses the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Enclave doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Grand Highlander’s front and rear power windows all 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 passenger windows don’t close automatically.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Grand Highlander Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Enclave doesn’t offer cornering lights.

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

The Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum/Nightshade has standard front air conditioned seats and the Grand Highlander Platinum also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Enclave doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Grand Highlander and the Buick Enclave, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Grand Highlander was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024. The Enclave has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Toyota Grand Highlander outsold the Buick Enclave by 22% during 2023.