2022 Acura MDX vs 2021 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Buick Enclave harkened back to a time when Buicks symbolized size, shine, and sheer impressiveness. After a troubled period known as the Malaise Era of automotive design and marketing, Buick's recovery has been a testament to its resilience. Post the 2009 General Motors bankruptcy, Buick reestablished its market presence, thanks in large part to its popularity in China. This brand pivoted toward globally-sourced and rebadged GM models, such as the Encore from South Korea and the Regal from Germany.

In recent years, Buick's diverse lineup included a convertible (Cascada), a sports wagon (TourX), a sport sedan (Regal GS), and a plush luxury car (LaCrosse). However, the American-made Enclave stood out as the largest and most impressive SUV in its range, connecting Buick to its illustrious past while meeting modern consumer preferences. By 2021, the Enclave remained the largest of Buick's four SUVs, overshadowing smaller models like the Encore, Encore GX, and Envision. The extinction of Buick's car lineup was a response to consumer disinterest.

Trim levels for the Enclave ranged from Preferred to Avenir, with prices spanning from just over $41,000 to nearly $55,000. The Enclave's design, particularly in the Avenir trim, featured a distinctive grille pattern, extra brightwork, and polished 20-inch wheels that gave it a premium appearance. Inside, the Enclave Avenir combined organic forms, a minimalist dash, and polished accents with two-tone interior treatments. Soft, perforated leather seats exuded luxury, though the "wood" accents fell short of authenticity. The overall simplicity of the interior was disrupted only by a somewhat fussy electronic transmission shifter, which users adapted to quickly.

In contrast, the 2022 Acura MDX represented a fresh evolution in the three-row luxury crossover SUV category, which it had initially pioneered. Unlike its predecessors, which shared a platform with the Honda Pilot, the new MDX boasted a dedicated platform. This resulted in tweaked proportions, including an extended wheelbase, increased overall length, and a broader body and track. A 4-inch increase in the dash-to-axle distance emphasized elegance.

Acura continued its tradition of using LED headlights, equipping the MDX with Jewel Eye LED headlights and linear LED daytime running lights. Larger wheels—19-inch on the base MDX and 20-inch on the Tech trim—added to the sportier, more assertive look. Constructed in East Liberty, Ohio, the MDX displayed superior craftsmanship and quality.

Inside, the MDX's design updates created a more spacious and modern cabin. The neatly layered dashboard emphasized the cabin's width and was positioned lower and further from the front seats, enhancing the sense of space. Authentic materials like natural wood, genuine aluminum, and real leather, combined with high-quality plastics, ensured a rich feel. The console's unique gear selector, resembling controls from a fighter jet, integrated seamlessly with the high-tech touchpad, rotary dial, and other controls. The 12.3-inch landscape infotainment screen, intelligently placed for safety, was not a touchscreen. Instead, it was controlled via a nearby touchpad, ensuring ease of use.

The MDX's front seats provided excellent comfort and wide adjustability, tailored to American preferences. A solid, high-quality feel pervaded the vehicle. Exterior color options included eight choices, and the interior offered six unique themes, each contributing to the vehicle’s elegant and modern look.

Underneath the hood, the 2021 Buick Enclave kept things straightforward with a 3.6-liter V6 engine paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission, available in both front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) configurations. This V6 engine produced 310 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 266 pound-feet of torque at a low 2,800 rpm, typically a trait reserved for turbocharged or supercharged engines. The Enclave's tow rating maxed out at 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.

Acceleration was impressive due to the engine's low torque peak. The Enclave handled like a smaller SUV, despite its considerable size, and the nine-speed automatic transmission always delivered smooth shifts. The test vehicle handled traction control smoothly, preventing excessive wheel spin in the FWD model.

The $57,090 test model included the Avenir Technology Package, which featured a premium-tuned suspension with continuously variable damping and automatic emergency braking at highway speeds. The suspension performed exceptionally well on various terrains and driving conditions, enhancing the overall ride and handling. Fuel economy was decent, with the EPA rating the Enclave at 21 mpg in combined driving. On tests, the vehicle averaged 21.2 mpg, allowing for a range of about 420 miles on a full tank.

The 2022 Acura MDX launched with a single engine choice—a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6, a carryover from the previous generation, producing 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. This engine was mated to a new 10-speed automatic transmission, offering FWD in base trims and the advanced Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) in higher trims. SH-AWD featured torque vectoring, directing up to 70% of torque to the rear wheels and 100% of that torque to either side during cornering, improving handling and steering.

The new MDX also saw enhancements in the suspension system, opting for a double-wishbone front setup and revised rear multi-link suspension for enhanced ride quality and sporty handling. The braking system featured larger, more powerful disc brakes. The steering also saw improvements with a variable gear ratio enhancing maneuverability.

The new 10-speed automatic transmission worked seamlessly with the engine, capable of downshifting up to four gears for rapid acceleration. The vehicle's driving dynamics were further improved through the Integrated Dynamics System controller with five drive modes—Snow, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Individual. These modes adjusted various vehicle parameters, ensuring optimal performance in different driving conditions.

During testing around southeastern Michigan, including competitive drives, the new MDX outperformed rivals like the Lexus RX L, Volvo XC90, and Audi Q7. The MDX showcased solid cornering capabilities and smooth highway cruising, affirming its status as a top performer in its class.

The 2021 Buick Enclave stood out as one of the largest SUVs in its class, offering ample space for up to seven passengers. With its signature QuietTuning, including Active Noise Cancellation and laminated glass, the Enclave provided a serene cabin environment.

The Avenir trim featured a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and a 10-way power front passenger seat, both equipped with massage functions, heating, and ventilation. The wood-and-leather steering wheel also featured automatic heating. The center console provided comfortable padding and ample storage.

In terms of passenger seating, the Enclave featured standard seven-passenger seating, with second-row captain’s chairs and a three-person third-row bench. The spacious third row was accessible through large rear doors and was relatively comfortable for an adult-oriented third row. Cargo space measured 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 58 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a substantial 97.6 cubic feet with all seats folded.

The 2022 Acura MDX, designed to serve as a family hauler, utility vehicle, and commuter, offered flexible seating options. The second row featured a removable center section and could slide to adjust legroom and reclining up to 12 degrees. Access to the third row was made easier with the sliding second-row seat or by removing the center section. The third row suited smaller passengers or pre-teens, accommodating school carpools effectively with available USB connections across all rows.

Cargo space in the MDX ranged from 16.3 to 18.1 cubic feet behind the third row, with 1.8 cubic feet of underfloor storage. With the third row down, storage increased to 39.1 to 48.4 cubic feet, and folding the second row expanded capacity to 71.4 to 95 cubic feet. The power tailgate, featuring Grab 'N Go and Hands-Free Access, added to the convenience.

Interior lighting, named Iconic Drive Lighting, featured 27 customizable themes, ranging from Comfort, Normal, and Sport modes to unique themes like Wall Street and Amalfi Coast. This allowed the MDX to change the cabin ambiance, enhancing its modern feel.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's infotainment technology met basic expectations but fell short in several areas. The Buick Infotainment System was user-friendly with responsive inputs and decent voice recognition, but the 8-inch touchscreen was the largest available, and features like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant integration were missing. The Avenir's 10-speaker Bose sound system did not match the high-end audio systems found in competitors.

Standard tech included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, with upgrades available for premium sound, navigation, wireless charging, and a surround-view camera. One noteworthy feature was the rear camera mirror, providing a live video view behind the vehicle.

The 2022 Acura MDX stood out with the ELS Studio 3D Premium Audio System in the upper trims, offering 16 speakers, 16 channels, and 710 watts for superior sound quality. Even lower trims featured great audio systems with numerous speakers and channels.

Navigation was standard on higher trims, and all models came with a 12.3-inch landscape infotainment screen and the Acura Precision Cockpit 12.3-inch HD instrument panel, configurable for various displays. Amazon Alexa was built-in, allowing control of home devices from the car. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with Qi-compatible wireless charging, were also standard. The CabinTalk feature in higher trims acted as an interior public address system, and the

Advance trim included a head-up display. A WiFi hotspot, over-the-air updates, and a modern HD rearview camera system, upgrdable to a surround-view variant, completed the comprehensive tech package in the MDX.

Safety has always been a crucial aspect and the 2021 Buick Enclave had room for improvement. Whereas competitors often included advanced safety features as standard, Buick limited them to higher trims. Basic safety features such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available only in higher trims like Essence, while the comprehensive Driver Confidence Plus Package was reserved for the Premium and Avenir trims. This package included features like forward-collision warning, low-speed automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warning, among others.

To get adaptive cruise control and enhanced automatic emergency braking, buyers had to opt for the top-tier Avenir trim and purchase the additional Avenir Technology Package. Notably missing were functions like lane-centering assistance, rear automatic braking, and more advanced Level 2 driving assistance technologies.

In contrast, the 2022 Acura MDX aimed for superior safety standards, building on the outgoing model’s good ratings from IIHS and five-stars from NHTSA. Acura engineers targeted improved ratings for the 2022 model, incorporating a higher percentage of high-strength steel and an advanced safety structure into the vehicle.

Pedestrian safety also saw enhancements with an impact-absorbing front bumper and deformable hood and fenders. The MDX featured a low-speed braking control system, which could autonomously brake the vehicle if necessary. The AcuraWatch suite of safety and driver assistance technologies came standard on all MDX models, including features like collision mitigation braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, and traffic-jam assist—setting a high bar in the segment.