How safe is the Buick Enclave?
Drivers of the 2018–2020 Buick Enclave died at a rate of 27 per million registered vehicle years, 27% lower than the average of 38 for all vehicles. That makes it close to the middle of the pack for driver safety: it ranks 62nd of 127 vehicles, safer than 52% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
This is the most recent IIHS data for this model, covering 2018–2020 models. It doesn't appear in the newer 2023 study, often because it was redesigned or discontinued.
Where the Buick Enclave sits among all 127 vehicles
Buick Enclave (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 38
The rate is based on a moderate amount of data, so treat small differences from nearby vehicles with caution.
2WD vs. 4WD
IIHS rates each drivetrain separately. The score above combines them, weighting the version with more data more heavily.
| Version | Deaths* | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Buick Enclave 2WD | 38 | 1–75 |
| Buick Enclave 4WD | 23 | 0–47 |
Vehicles ranked near the Buick Enclave
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | Cadillac Escalade 4WDLuxury SUV · Large | 26 | 54 |
| 60 | Ford Fusion hybridCar · Midsize | 25 | 53 |
| 61 | Dodge DurangoSUV · Large | 27 | 52 |
| 62 | Buick EnclaveSUV · Midsize | 27 | 52 |
| 63 | Ford F-350 Crew Cab 4WDPickup · Very large | 29 | 51 |
| 64 | Ford F-150 SuperCab 4WDPickup · Large | 29 | 49 |
| 65 | Ford F-150 SuperCrewPickup · Large | 30 | 49 |
How it compares with other SUVs
Among the 37 SUVs ranked, the Buick Enclave is 21st. The safest SUVs are below. See all SUVs.
| SUVs rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota C-HRSUV · Small | 2 | 99 |
| 2 | Nissan MuranoSUV · Midsize | 6 | 90 |
| 3 | Subaru AscentSUV · Midsize | 6 | 90 |
| 4 | Ford EdgeSUV · Midsize | 8 | 85 |
| 5 | Chevrolet TraverseSUV · Midsize | 9 | 83 |
| 21 | Buick EnclaveSUV · Midsize | 27 | 52 |
Common questions
Is the Buick Enclave a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Buick Enclave is close to the middle of the pack for driver safety. Its driver death rate of 27 per million registered vehicle years is 27% lower than the average, and it ranks 62nd of 127 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Buick Enclave compare with other SUVs?
It ranks 21st of 37 SUVs. The safest is the Toyota C-HR, with a rate of 2.
Is the 2WD or 4WD Buick Enclave safer?
The 4WD version had the lower driver death rate (2WD: 38, 4WD: 23). Their ranges overlap, so the difference may be down to chance.
Why is this different from the Buick Enclave's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.