2022 Volvo XC60 vs 2021 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Buick Enclave harkened back to the brand's glory days with its big, shiny, and impressive design. After a period of decline, Buick found its footing by offering globally-sourced and rebadged GM vehicles. The Enclave stood out as the largest of Buick's four SUVs, offering a luxurious and spacious option for consumers. Available in Preferred, Essence, Premium, and Avenir trims, the Enclave's pricing ranged from just over $41,000 to just under $55,000. The Avenir trim, in particular, added a unique grille pattern, extra brightwork, and polished 20-inch wheels, enhancing its premium appeal.

Inside, the Enclave Avenir featured a minimalist design with organic forms and tasteful polished accents. The two-tone interior treatment included soft, perforated, piped, and embroidered leather, although the wood trim was not genuine. The electronic transmission shifter was a bit fussy, but users quickly adapted. Overall, the Enclave's interior exuded simplicity and luxury, making it a strong contender in the premium SUV segment.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 received subtle styling updates, including a new front fascia with "air blades" and a reworked grille that housed heated sensors for driver-assist systems. The rear bumper was redesigned to hide the tailpipes, and new wheel designs were introduced. The XC60 shared its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform with other Volvo models, ensuring a solid foundation.

Inside, the XC60 retained its clean design with a portrait-oriented touchscreen and minimal clutter. The B6 R-Design trim featured aluminum mesh speaker grilles and textured seats, adding a touch of flair. The Inscription trim level offered Nappa leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Despite the updates, the interior remained subdued compared to other Volvo models, but it still provided a comfortable and luxurious experience.

Under the hood, the 2021 Buick Enclave featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain delivered 310 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 266 pound-feet of torque at 2,800 rpm. The Enclave offered both front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) options. When properly equipped, it had a maximum tow rating of 5,000 pounds. The V6 engine provided strong acceleration, and the nine-speed automatic transmission performed flawlessly. The Enclave's suspension, especially with the Avenir Technology Package, offered a premium-tuned experience with continuously variable damping, ensuring a smooth ride across various driving conditions. The EPA rated the Enclave at 21 mpg in combined driving, and during testing, it averaged 21.2 mpg.

For the 2022 model year, the Volvo XC60 introduced new B5 and B6 mild-hybrid powertrains, replacing the previous T5 and T6 engines. Both powertrains combined a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 48-volt electrical system and integrated starter generator, adding 13 horsepower in short bursts. The B6 powertrain also included an electric supercharger. The B5 produced 258 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, while the B6 delivered 295 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Both used an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the B5 offering FWD and AWD options, and the B6 available only with AWD. The B5 accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds (6.6 seconds with FWD), while the B6 achieved it in 5.9 seconds. The XC60's standout features included a quiet cabin and comfortable ride, enhanced by the optional air suspension. The XC60 Recharge plug-in hybrid offered 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, with a 0 to 60 mph time of 5 seconds. The Polestar Engineered version increased output to 415 hp and 494 lb-ft, with a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.9 seconds.

The 2021 Buick Enclave was one of the largest SUVs in its class, offering ample space for six to seven passengers. The Avenir trim featured a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat with a basic massaging function, while the front passenger seat was 10-way power-adjustable with matching massage. Both seats were heated, ventilated, and wrapped in soft leather. The Enclave's interior included a stylish center console with storage options and a cover for the cupholders. The third-row seat was genuinely useful, providing comfort comparable to the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride. The Enclave offered 23.6 cubic feet of cargo space 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 Volvo XC60 maintained its competitive passenger space, with above-average front-seat headroom but limited rear-seat headroom. Legroom in both rows was average for the segment. The mild-hybrid models offered 21.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 49.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The plug-in hybrid models had slightly less cargo capacity, at 21.1 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 49.3 cubic feet with the rear seats down. The XC60 provided a commanding driving position with good forward and rear visibility, aided by large exterior mirrors.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's infotainment system met basic expectations but fell short in some areas. It featured an 8-inch touchscreen, 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 screen size, lack of smart home digital assistant integration, and the 10-speaker Bose sound system were areas where the Enclave lagged behind competitors. The rear camera mirror was a neat feature, providing a live video view of what was behind the vehicle.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 received a tech overhaul with a 9-inch touchscreen running the Android Automotive operating system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. The new system included Google Assistant for voice control, Google Maps for navigation, and access to third-party apps via the Google Play Store. Over-the-air (OTA) software updates were also enabled. The system promised full iPhone compatibility, although Apple users might not benefit from syncing their Google profiles. The digital instrument cluster could display a map between the speedometer and tachometer, with a "Calm" setting to minimize distractions.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's safety systems worked well but were limited to higher trim levels. Features like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available from the Essence trim upwards. The Driver Confidence Plus Package, standard on Premium and Avenir trims, included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, 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 available only on the Avenir trim with the Avenir Technology Package. The Enclave received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with 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 Volvo XC60 had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA for the 2022 model year, but the 2021 model received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, automatic post-collision braking, a driver-attention monitor, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. New features for 2022 included Ready to Drive Notification and Emergency Stop Assist. The optional Pilot Assist system combined adaptive cruise control and automated lane centering, providing a helpful driving aid on highways.