2020 Lincoln Aviator vs 2021 Buick Enclave

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator was positioned between the Navigator and the compact MKC (later replaced by the Corsair) in Lincoln's lineup. It marked a return to real vehicle names, moving away from the old alphabet-soup naming convention. The Aviator featured a unified design language across Lincoln's sedans, crossovers, and SUVs, with handsome headlights and an upright chrome grille. Its tapered roofline and low, wide beltline gave it an elongated, boat-like appearance.

Inside, the Aviator boasted a flowing design with soft-touch materials and selective use of brightwork. The seats were both elegant and sturdy, with shifter buttons resembling piano keys. The front seats were incredibly comfortable, using plush leather throughout the cabin, even in areas where it wasn't necessary. The Aviator also had unique touches like a massive panoramic moonroof and warning jingles recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The lineup included five trims, with the Standard trim offering a lot for its base price, while the higher-end Grand Touring and Black Label trims provided additional luxury and features.

The 2021 Buick Enclave, on the other hand, was a large, impressive SUV that helped Buick recover from its past mistakes. It was the largest of Buick's four SUVs, with the others being smaller models like the Encore and Envision. The Enclave competed with higher-priced three-row SUVs from mainstream brands and lower-priced luxury models. The Avenir trim added extra presence with a unique grille pattern, brightwork, and polished 20-inch wheels.

Inside, the Enclave Avenir featured organic forms, a minimalist approach to instrumentation and controls, and tasteful polished accents. The seats were soft, perforated, piped, and embroidered leather, though the wood trim was not real. The cabin was simple, except for the fussy electronic transmission shifter. The Enclave's size provided a genuinely useful third-row seat, with commendable room behind it. The Avenir trim included heated second-row captain's chairs and a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat with a basic massaging function.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. The Grand Touring trim combined this engine with a 100-hp electric motor, resulting in a net 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains used a 10-speed automatic transmission, with the base V6 offering rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), while the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) was AWD only. Both versions could accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds.

The Grand Touring's hybrid setup provided hushed, confident acceleration and smoothed out the driving experience. The Aviator's steering was light, and its brakes were cushioned but effective. The Excite drive mode offered a bit more dynamic driving, but the Aviator's 5,600-pound weight limited its sportiness. Fuel economy for the RWD Aviator was 18 mpg city, 26 highway, and 21 combined, while the AWD version achieved 17 mpg city, 24 highway, and 20 combined. The PHEV had a combined 23 mpg rating, with a 21-mile electric-only range and a 56 miles-per-gallon equivalent combined rating.

The 2021 Buick Enclave featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 310 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 266 pound-feet of torque at 2,800 rpm. It used a nine-speed automatic transmission and offered front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The Enclave's V6 provided strong acceleration, and the nine-speed automatic delivered smooth shifts. The FWD model could momentarily spin the tires before traction control intervened. The Enclave's maximum tow rating was 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.

Our test vehicle, equipped with the Avenir Technology Package, featured a premium-tuned suspension with continuously variable damping and automatic emergency braking. The suspension provided a smooth ride across various driving environments, from residential streets to highways. The Enclave's steering and brake response were satisfactory, though quicker steering response would have been appreciated. The EPA rated the Enclave at 21 mpg in combined driving, and our testing loop averaged 21.2 mpg. With a 21.7-gallon fuel tank, the Enclave could travel up to 460 miles on a full tank.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator, with its three rows, competed with vehicles like the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Land Rover Discovery, and Cadillac XT6. The optional second-row captain's chairs were fantastic, while the power-closing third row was adequate for adults but best suited for kids on longer trips. Dropping the second and third rows provided 77 cubic feet of cargo space, comparable to the Cadillac XT6.

The Aviator's interior featured some confusing controls, such as the door handles and seat adjustments. The 30-way seats had a massage function, but their controls were split between a door-mounted panel and a touchscreen menu. The door-release function was also unconventional, with a button instead of a handle, which could be confusing for passengers. A manual door release was available, but only for the driver's door.

The 2021 Buick Enclave was one of the largest SUVs in its class, offering wide, long, and roomy accommodations for six people (seven if needed). The Avenir trim included a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat with a basic massaging function and a 10-way power-adjustable front passenger seat. The seats were heated, ventilated, and wrapped in soft leather. The wood-and-leather steering wheel included automatic heating.

The Enclave's center console was stylish and offered storage under the transmission shifter and in a bin beneath the center armrest. Seven-passenger seating was standard, with second-row captain's chairs and a three-person third-row bench seat. The Enclave's size provided a genuinely useful third-row seat, with commendable room behind it. The cargo space measured 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 58 cubic feet with the third row folded down, and 97.6 cubic feet with the second row folded down.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with the Sync 3 infotainment system, operated via a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The screen used a landscape layout, providing a better interface for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Aviator also featured a fully digital instrument panel and a massive head-up display, which provided a lot of information in a minimalist and unobtrusive manner.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's infotainment technology met basic expectations but fell short in some areas. The Buick Infotainment System responded quickly to inputs, had good voice recognition, and a simple user interface with pleasing graphics. Every Enclave came with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, connected services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and USB charging ports in all three rows. Upgrades included a premium sound system, navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a surround-view camera system.

However, the Enclave's 8-inch touchscreen display was the largest available, and it lacked Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant integration. The 10-speaker Bose sound system was also less impressive compared to other SUVs in the segment. Buick's free trial periods for connected services were short before requiring subscriptions. The available rear camera mirror showed a live video view of what was behind the Enclave, which was useful.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came with standard safety features, including front and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Lincoln Co-Pilot360 suite included forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's safety systems worked well but were limited to higher trim levels. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available on the Essence trim and above. The Driver Confidence Plus Package, standard on Premium and Avenir trims, included forward-collision warning, low-speed automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and front and rear parking sensors. The Avenir Technology Package added adaptive cruise control with enhanced automatic emergency braking. The Enclave lacked lane-centering assistance, rear automatic braking, self-parking, and Level 2 driving assistance technology.

The Enclave received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though frontal-impact protection rated four stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave high marks across the board, but a Marginal headlight performance rating prevented it from earning a Top Safety Pick accolade.