2022 Porsche Macan vs 2021 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Buick Enclave represented a significant comeback for the Buick brand, which had struggled through the Malaise Era of automotive design and marketing. The Enclave, a large, American-made SUV, was a nod to Buick's past glory while catering to modern consumer preferences for SUVs. It was the largest of Buick's four SUV offerings, with the others being the smaller Encore, Encore GX, and Envision. 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 continued the upscale theme with organic forms, minimalist instrumentation, and polished accents. The two-tone interior featured soft, perforated, piped, and embroidered leather, although the wood trim was not genuine. The interior was simple, except for the somewhat fussy electronic transmission shifter, which users quickly adapted to. Overall, the Enclave's design aimed to blend luxury with practicality, making it a strong contender in the premium SUV market.

The 2022 Porsche Macan, introduced in 2015, had evolved over the years with regular updates to its model lineup, styling, and features. The 2022 model received a styling refresh, larger standard wheels, and a new center console with haptic touch controls. The Macan lineup included the base model, Macan S, and Macan GTS, with the Macan Turbo's high-output powertrain now found in the GTS. The Macan S, our test vehicle, featured a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 engine, previously used in the Macan GTS, delivering 375 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. The as-tested MSRP was $87,670, including nearly $20,000 in extras.

The Macan S exuded a sporty and athletic look with its Volcano Gray paint and 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels. Inside, it featured a driver-focused design with an ignition switch to the left of the steering wheel, a large tachometer, and a flat, wide dashboard. The red leather, gloss black interior trim, and silver metallic accents added to its upscale and sporty appearance. The Macan's design emphasized performance and luxury, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a high-performance SUV.

Under the hood, the 2021 Buick Enclave featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, offering a choice between front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD). The V6 engine produced 310 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 266 pound-feet of torque at 2,800 rpm, providing strong acceleration and a maximum tow rating of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. The Enclave's nine-speed automatic transmission delivered smooth shifts, and the vehicle's size belied its nimble handling. Our FWD test vehicle, priced at $57,090, included the Avenir Technology Package, which added a premium-tuned suspension with continuously variable damping and automatic emergency braking.

The Enclave's suspension impressed during testing, handling various driving conditions with ease, from residential streets to steep canyon roads. The ride was comfortable and quiet, thanks to Buick's QuietTuned technology. The steering and brake response were well-balanced, though quicker steering response would have been appreciated. The Enclave achieved an EPA-rated 21 mpg in combined driving, with our test loop averaging 21.2 mpg, allowing for a range of up to 460 miles on a full tank.

The 2022 Porsche Macan offered a range of powerful engines, starting with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in the base model, producing 261 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The Macan GTS featured a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 with 434 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. Our Macan S test vehicle had a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 engine, delivering 375 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, accelerating to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono Package and launch control.

All Macans came with a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission and a fully variable all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. The 2022 Macan S featured larger 20-inch standard wheels, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) adaptive damping suspension, and optional Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV+) and Porsche Surface Coated Brakes (PSCB). The Macan S excelled in performance, offering a thrilling driving experience with precise handling, strong acceleration, and excellent stability. The test vehicle's fuel economy was 18.1 mpg, close to the EPA rating of 19 mpg.

The 2021 Buick Enclave was one of the largest SUVs in its class, offering ample space for six to seven passengers. The 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 front seats with heating, ventilation, and a basic massaging function. The second-row captain's chairs and third-row bench seat provided comfortable seating, with heated second-row seats in the Avenir trim. The Enclave's third-row seat was spacious, and the large rear doors made entry and exit easy.

Cargo space was impressive, 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 seats folded. The Enclave's interior featured a stylish center console with ample storage, though it lacked second-row side window sunshades. Overall, the Enclave's size and thoughtful design made it a practical and comfortable choice for families.

The 2022 Porsche Macan, despite its sporty nature, offered a comfortable cabin for the driver and front-seat passenger. Our Macan S test vehicle had the optional Premium Package with 14-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation. The rear seats, however, were cramped, especially for taller passengers. The redesigned center console with haptic touch controls looked modern but required the driver to look away from the road to use the controls, creating potential distractions.

Cargo space in the Macan was limited, with 17.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The new console design offered more storage space, but it was still insufficient for larger items. The Macan's interior design emphasized sportiness and luxury, but it fell short in terms of practicality and space compared to larger SUVs like the Cayenne.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's infotainment system met basic expectations but fell short in some areas. The Buick Infotainment System featured an 8-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Upgrades included a premium sound system, navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a surround-view camera system. However, the Enclave lacked integration with smart home digital assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, and the 10-speaker Bose sound system was not as impressive as those in competing SUVs.

One notable feature was the available rear camera mirror, which provided a live video view of what was behind the Enclave. This feature was useful, especially in a large SUV. Overall, while the Enclave's infotainment system was functional, it needed improvements to compete with other premium SUVs.

The 2022 Porsche Macan came equipped with a 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system called Porsche Communication Management (PCM). PCM included wireless Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM satellite radio, navigation, and connected services with available WiFi hotspot access. The standard 10-speaker sound system could be upgraded to a Bose premium surround-sound system or a high-end Burmester audio system.

The infotainment system featured touch-sensing virtual buttons and proximity sensing, making it intuitive for smartphone users. However, the voice recognition system was less reliable compared to those in BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, or Volvo vehicles. The Macan's infotainment system was user-friendly once configured, with separate controls for frequently adjusted features like stereo volume and climate control. Overall, the Macan's technology offerings were advanced and user-friendly, though the voice recognition system could use improvement.

The 2021 Buick Enclave needed improvement in its safety systems. While the systems worked well, many features were restricted to higher trim levels. For example, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were only available from the Essence trim upward. The Driver Confidence Plus Package, which included forward-collision warning, low-speed automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and more, was standard only on the Premium and Avenir trims.

Adaptive cruise control with enhanced automatic emergency braking was available only on the Avenir trim with the optional Avenir Technology Package. The Enclave lacked advanced features like lane-centering assistance, rear automatic braking, and self-parking. Despite these limitations, the Enclave received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and high marks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), though it did not earn a Top Safety Pick accolade due to Marginal headlight performance.

The 2022 Porsche Macan came standard with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and a reversing camera. Blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist were optional, with blind-spot monitoring included in our test vehicle's Premium Package. The Macan's safety systems performed as expected, with no issues in accuracy or refinement.

The Macan offered advanced parking assistance features, including front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view camera, and an optional Park Assist system that could steer the vehicle into parking spaces. However, the Macan lacked more advanced driving assistance technologies found in other vehicles. Neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS had published safety ratings for the Macan, leaving its safety performance unverified by these organizations.