2021 Buick Enclave vs 2022 Cadillac Escalade

The 2021 Buick Enclave harkened back to the days when Buicks were the epitome of American automotive luxury. Despite a challenging period in its history, Buick managed to regain its footing, notably surviving the 2009 General Motors bankruptcy due to its popularity in China. The Enclave, as the largest of Buick’s SUVs, embodied the brand's storied past while addressing contemporary preferences for SUVs.

The Enclave's design strove to align it with premium-priced SUVs. The Avenir trim, in particular, added an extra layer of sophistication with a unique grille, additional brightwork, and 20-inch polished finish wheels. Inside, the refined decor continued with organic forms, minimalist instrumentation, and polished accents. Soft, perforated, piped, and embroidered leather seats elevated the sense of luxury, though the wood accents were not genuine.

Conversely, the 2022 Cadillac Escalade made an unmistakable impression with its unapologetic size and grandeur. The towering grille, LED daytime running lights, and expansive taillights were scaled to match the Escalade's enormous dimensions, reminiscent of classic Cadillac designs. The SUV's front end resembled a diesel locomotive, giving it a robust and distinctive appearance.

Though riding on the same architecture as the Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, and GMC Yukon, the Escalade set itself apart with luxury trim options. The Escalade Luxury and Premium Luxury trims featured bright exterior details, whereas the Sport trim boasted darker, mesh grille accents. Despite these touches, some aspects of the interior design lacked a coherent theme. However, materials like leather upholstery, wood trim, and a panoramic sunroof were included.

Under the hood, the 2021 Buick Enclave maintained simplicity. It housed a 3.6-liter V6 engine across all trim levels, producing 310 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 266 pound-feet of torque at 2,800 rpm. Paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, buyers had the choice of front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). This engine enabled brisk acceleration and a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds. The Enclave also featured an outstanding premium-tuned suspension, contributing to a smooth ride.

On the efficiency front, the Enclave achieved an EPA rating of 21 mpg in combined driving. During tests, an average of 21.2 mpg was recorded, which, combined with a 21.7-gallon fuel tank, provided a range of up to 460 miles on a full tank.

The 2022 Cadillac Escalade offered two engine choices. The standard 6.2-liter V8 generated 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Alternatively, a Duramax 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six diesel engine was available, offering 277 horsepower and the same 460 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were matched with a 10-speed automatic transmission and offered in rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD).

Testing the diesel engine, the turbo-six smoothly propelled the Escalade, leveraging its low torque peak of 1,500 rpm. The V8 model boasted a towing capacity of 8,200 pounds. Despite the upgraded independent rear suspension, the Escalade’s ride felt less settled compared to competitors, often transmitting imperfections through the cabin.

The Buick Enclave’s generous dimensions made it one of the largest in its class. It offered comfortable seating for six or seven and a notably quiet cabin aided by Active Noise Cancellation and laminated windshield glass. The Avenir trim featured 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seats with basic massage functions, and 10-way power-adjustable front passenger seats, all heated and ventilated. The third-row seating was spacious, complemented by easy access through large rear doors.

Cargo capacity was another strong point. With the third row upright, the Enclave provided 23.6 cubic feet of space, which expanded to 58 cubic feet with the seats folded down, and a maximum of 97.6 cubic feet.

The Cadillac Escalade, with its standard and extended ESV variants, excelled in interior space. With the ESV adding an extra 15.1 inches in length, it offered expansive cabin room. It had the most first-row and third-row legroom in the segment. Standard configurations included second-row captain's chairs and a power split-folding third-row bench seat. Cargo space was ample: 25.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 63.0 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a massive 109.1 cubic feet with all rear seats down. However, the raised center console had limited storage capacity, impacting functionality.

While the 2021 Buick Enclave included basic infotainment features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a WiFi hotspot, it lagged in screen size and integration with smart home digital assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The top Avenir trim sported an 8-inch touchscreen, and while functional, it fell short compared to competitors in the premium SUV segment. An available rear camera mirror allowed a live video feed view on the rearview mirror, enhancing rear visibility.

Cadillac's 2022 Escalade was a technological powerhouse with its 38-inch curved OLED display. This setup included a 14.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a 16.9-inch touchscreen, and a 7.2-inch trip-computer screen. Standard features encompassed wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth. The sophisticated layout and integration of the display into the dashboard were notable.

The Escalade also offered advanced features like night vision and augmented-reality navigation. A 19-speaker AKG sound system, though not perfect in tuning, added to the technological prowess. The high-resolution screens supported a 360-degree camera system, crucial for navigating the large SUV.

The 2021 Buick Enclave featured competent safety systems, though many were restricted to higher trims. Driver-assist features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist were limited to the Premium and Avenir trims, with advanced options like adaptive cruise control confined to the top trim. The Enclave achieved a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but lacked a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS due to Marginal headlight performance.

In contrast, the 2022 Cadillac Escalade came with an extensive suite of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking (front and rear), lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on higher trims, with Super Cruise available as an option. Super Cruise enabled hands-free driving on compatible highways and used a driver-facing camera to ensure attentiveness.