2022 Cadillac XT5 vs 2021 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Buick Enclave represented a significant comeback for the brand, which had struggled through the Malaise Era of automotive design and marketing. The Enclave, a large, American-made SUV, helped Buick regain its footing by appealing to consumer preferences for SUVs. It was the largest of Buick's four SUV offerings, with the others being much smaller. The Enclave was available in Preferred, Essence, Premium, and Avenir trims, with prices ranging from just over $41,000 to just under $55,000. The Avenir trim, in particular, added a touch of luxury with a unique grille pattern, extra brightwork, and polished 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave Avenir featured a minimalist design with organic forms, polished accents, and soft leather, although the wood trim was not genuine.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5, on the other hand, had a more modern and angular design, blending Cadillac's trademark cues with a compact footprint and tall profile. The XT5 was unmistakably a Cadillac, but its design was somewhat ungainly. The Premium Luxury and Sport models had distinct exterior styling cues, with the former featuring bright chrome and the latter darker trim and a mesh grille. The XT5's interior, especially with the optional Platinum Package, felt luxurious with semi-aniline leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped instrument panel, and a microfiber sueded headliner. However, the interior design lacked a strong theme and brand-specific markers, making it less distinctive compared to its competitors.

Under the hood, the 2021 Buick Enclave featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Enclave offered both front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) options. The V6 engine provided strong acceleration, and the nine-speed automatic transmission delivered smooth shifts. The Enclave's suspension, especially with the Avenir Technology Package, offered a premium-tuned experience with continuously variable damping, making it suitable for various driving environments. The Enclave's fuel economy was rated at 21 mpg in combined driving, with a range of up to 460 miles on a full tank.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came with two engine options: a base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The V6 engine, especially with the optional Platinum Package, provided a smooth and quick driving experience. The XT5's performance suspension with adaptive dampers offered a comfortable ride, cushioning bumps while maintaining excellent body control. The steering was well-suited for a luxury vehicle, providing a nimble feel without being overly sensitive. The XT5's cabin was also impressively quiet, enhancing the overall luxury experience.

The 2021 Buick Enclave was one of the largest SUVs in its class, offering ample space for six to seven passengers. The Enclave's cabin was designed for comfort and quietness, with features like Active Noise Cancellation and laminated windshield glass. The Avenir trim included 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seats with massaging functions, heated and ventilated seats, and a power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. The Enclave's third-row seat was genuinely useful, with easy access through the large rear doors. Cargo space was commendable, with 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 58 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 97.6 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 offered competitive interior space compared to German luxury crossovers, with more front headroom than the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, but less than the BMW X3. The XT5 had more legroom in both rows compared to its German rivals, although the seats could have been more comfortable. The XT5 provided 30 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 63 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, surpassing the Q5, X3, and GLC. The XT5 also featured a hands-free power liftgate and a small cubbyhole below the touchscreen for additional storage.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's infotainment system met basic expectations with quick response times, adequate voice recognition, and a simple user interface. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and USB charging ports in all three rows. However, the Enclave's technology fell short in terms of screen size, smart home digital assistant integration, and high-end audio components. The Avenir's 8-inch touchscreen was the largest available, and the 10-speaker Bose sound system was not as impressive as those in other SUVs. The Enclave did offer a neat rear camera mirror feature, providing a live video view of what was behind the vehicle.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5's standard infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The optional Technology Package added an 8-inch digital instrument cluster display and a head-up display. While the touchscreen was easy to navigate, the array of secondary controls, including a rotary controller and capacitive touchpads, were not ideally placed and lacked physical feedback. The XT5's standard eight-speaker Bose audio system could be upgraded to a 14-speaker Bose Performance Series system, which provided excellent sound quality.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's safety systems were effective but limited in availability. Features like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were only available on higher trims. 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. Adaptive cruise control with enhanced automatic emergency braking was only available on the Avenir trim with the optional Avenir Technology Package. The Enclave received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, but a four-star rating for frontal-impact protection. The IIHS gave it high marks, but a Marginal headlight performance rating prevented it from earning a Top Safety Pick accolade.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came standard with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear park assist, automatic high-beam headlamps, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. The optional Driver Assist Package added adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and rear automatic braking. The Technology Package included rear pedestrian alert, a surround-vision camera system, night vision, and automatic parking assist. The XT5 received top "Good" scores in all IIHS crash tests and a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention tech. However, it received a "Marginal" headlight rating and an "Acceptable" rating for LATCH child seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA gave the XT5 a five-star overall safety rating.