Compare the2025 Buick EnclaveVS 2024 Audi Q7

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Enclave are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q7 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Enclave has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Q7 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The Enclave’s optional 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 Q7 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Enclave and the Q7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear 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 front parking sensors.

Buick’s powertrain warranty covers the Enclave 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q7. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q7 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick above average in initial quality. With 78 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick third in reliability, above the industry average. With 126 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 29th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Buick 7 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The Enclave’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 67 more horsepower (328 vs. 261) and 53 lbs.-ft. more torque (326 vs. 273) than the Q7 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Buick Enclave uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q7 55 TFSI requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Enclave has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Q7 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Enclave has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Q7.

The Buick Enclave’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Audi Q7 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Enclave has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Q7; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the Q7 don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Enclave’s wheelbase is 3 inches longer than on the Q7 (120.9 inches vs. 117.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Enclave is 1.2 inches wider in the front and .5 inches wider in the rear than on the Q7.

For better maneuverability, the Enclave’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Q7’s (39 feet vs. 41 feet). The Enclave w/22” wheels’ turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the Q7’s (40.7 feet vs. 41 feet).

The Buick Enclave may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 300 pounds less than the Audi Q7.

The front grille of the Enclave uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q7 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Enclave uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q7 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Enclave has 2.7 inches more front headroom, 2.6 inches more front legroom, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 2.7 inches more rear legroom, 3.6 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.4 inches more third row headroom, 2.9 inches more third row legroom and 8.4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Q7.

The Enclave’s cargo area provides more volume than the Q7.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Enclave easier. The Enclave’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.7 inches, while the Q7’s liftover is 32.5 inches.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Enclave’s optional second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Q7 doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The Enclave’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q7’s (1500 vs. 0 pounds).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Buick service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks Buick third in service department satisfaction. With a 33% lower rating, Audi is ranked 18th.

The Enclave’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Q7 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Enclave has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q7 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Enclave has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Q7.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Buick Enclave has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q7.

The Enclave offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Enclave is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Buick Enclave outsold the Audi Q7/SQ7 by 36% during 2023.