2021 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2021 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica underwent a mid-generation refresh that included a revised exterior. New standard LED headlights flanked the Pacifica’s new hexagonal grille, giving the front end a more muscular aesthetic compared to the elegance of previous years. The rear featured a new all-LED taillamp running the width of the model, with the Chrysler wing badge at its center. Chrysler also introduced six new wheel designs and the S Appearance Package, which added darkened features and black accents.

Inside, the Pacifica differentiated itself from competitors like the Toyota Sienna and Kia Sedona by balancing practicality with premium touches. The Pacifica Pinnacle trim, in particular, aimed at luxury customers, featured a flat dashboard with a 10.1-inch touchscreen, Piano Black plastic trim with wood accents, and real metal surrounds. Quilted leather seats, suede center row pillows, and Beber floor mats added to the upscale feel. The doors had a well-weighted feel, and sound deadening technology kept road noise at bay.

The 2021 Buick Enclave, on the other hand, was the largest of Buick’s four SUVs and aimed to tether the brand to its past while addressing current consumer preferences for SUVs. The Enclave was available in Preferred, Essence, Premium, and Avenir trims, with pricing ranging from just over $41,000 to just under $55,000. The Avenir trim added extra presence with a unique grille pattern, extra brightwork, and polished 20-inch wheels.

Inside, the Enclave Avenir featured organic forms, a minimalist approach to instrumentation, and polished accents. The seats were soft, perforated, piped, and embroidered leather, though the wood trim was not real. The interior was simple, except for the fussy electronic transmission shifter, which users quickly adapted to. The Enclave’s cabin was designed to be calm and serene, thanks to Buick’s QuietTuning effort, Active Noise Cancellation, and laminated windshield glass.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica offered two powertrain options: a traditional 3.6-liter V6 engine with 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, and a V6 hybrid engine paired with a dual-motor electrically variable transmission and a 16-kilowatt-hour battery, achieving 260 horsepower from the engine and 198 horsepower from its motors. The base Touring and Touring L trims came standard with the V6 engine, while the Limited and Pinnacle trims offered either all-wheel drive (AWD) or the hybrid powertrain.

AWD was a new addition to the Pacifica lineup, automatically activating on-demand based on various driving conditions. The hybrid powertrain provided an all-electric range of over 30 miles and a total range of over 500 miles, delivering 82 MPGe and 30 mpg combined. The traditional V6 Pacifica achieved 19 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined, with AWD models seeing a slight decrease in fuel efficiency.

The 2021 Buick Enclave featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Enclave offered a choice between front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD). The V6’s low torque peak contributed to strong acceleration, and the Enclave drove like a smaller SUV despite its size. The nine-speed automatic transmission performed flawlessly, and the Enclave had a maximum tow rating of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.

Our 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 at highway speeds. The suspension provided a smooth ride across various driving environments, and the Enclave averaged 21.2 mpg on our testing loop, with a potential range of up to 460 miles on a full tank.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica was designed with family life in mind, offering spacious seating and practical storage solutions. The front seats were roomy, and the center console provided ample storage space. Standard features included power-sliding rear doors, three-zone climate control, power windows, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, Stow ’n Go bucket seats with in-floor storage bins, and a Stow ’n Go third-row bench seat.

The second-row seats had under-console storage that slid outward, providing space for charging cords, tissues, and other items. The second and third rows offered plenty of legroom, though taller adults would be more comfortable in the middle row. The Pacifica’s seats could tumble into the floor for easy loading, even in AWD models. The cargo area was spacious, with the Pinnacle trim offering best-in-class total storage of 227.6 liters.

The 2021 Buick Enclave was one of the largest SUVs in its class, offering roomy seating for six or seven people. The Avenir trim featured a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support and a basic massaging function, while the front passenger seat was 10-way power-adjustable with matching massage. The seats were heated, ventilated, and wrapped in soft leather, and the steering wheel included automatic heating.

The Enclave’s center console was stylish and offered storage under the transmission shifter and in a bin beneath the center armrest. Seven-passenger seating was standard, with second-row captain’s chairs and a three-person third-row bench seat. The third-row seat was genuinely useful, with room comparable to the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride. The Enclave offered 23.6 cubic feet of space behind the third row, 58 cubic feet with the third row folded down, and a maximum of 97.6 cubic feet with the second row folded down.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica featured Uconnect 5, a modern and customizable infotainment system. It was graphically appealing, responsive, and easy to use, though it lacked a head-up display. Standard features included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the second row’s in-seat entertainment system remained an option, with four new games added to the existing roster. The Pacifica offered a six-speaker sound system, with upgrades to a 13-speaker Alpine system and 19- and 20-speaker Harman Kardon options. The Pinnacle model included FamCam, an interior monitoring camera with a rear-facing child seat view, split-view display, and zoom-to-seat feature.

The 2021 Buick Enclave’s infotainment technology met basic expectations but fell short in some areas. The Buick Infotainment System responded quickly, had good voice recognition, and featured a simple and logical user interface. Standard features included 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 Enclave’s 8-inch touchscreen was the largest available, and it lacked Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant integration. The 10-speaker Bose sound system was not as impressive as those in other SUVs, and the free trial periods for connected services were short. The Enclave did offer a rear camera mirror, which showed a live video view of what was behind the SUV on the rearview mirror.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica came standard with 97 safety features, increasing to 100 in the Pinnacle trim. Key safety technologies included forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, rain-sensing wipers, automatic high beams, advanced brake assist, third-row lockout, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. The Pacifica received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The 2021 Buick Enclave’s safety systems worked well but were limited to higher trim levels. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available starting with the Essence trim, while the Driver Confidence Plus Package was standard on Premium and Avenir trims. This package included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, low-speed automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and front and rear parking sensors. Adaptive cruise control with enhanced automatic emergency braking was available only with the Avenir Technology Package. The Enclave received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, though frontal-impact protection rated four stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave high marks, but a Marginal headlight performance rating prevented a Top Safety Pick accolade.