2021 Ford Explorer vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Ford Explorer had a distinctive exterior that aligned with Ford's "small, medium, large, XL" approach to SUV production. It shared a family resemblance with other Ford SUVs, featuring sporty, raked belt lines and squinting visages. The Explorer offered six trim levels, each with varying grille designs and price points ranging from $32,925 to $52,730. Inside, it provided three rows of seating as standard, with cloth upholstery on the base model and leather available on higher trims. The dash was clean, featuring an 8-inch LCD touchscreen and a rotary gearshift that freed up storage space.

The 2022 Buick Enclave, on the other hand, had a more conservative yet functional design. Over the years, Buick transitioned from a sedan-heavy lineup to an all-SUV portfolio, reflecting market trends. The Enclave, redesigned in 2018, sat atop Buick's SUV lineup. For 2022, it received exterior styling enhancements, including a new grille and updated fascias. Inside, the Enclave featured a restyled center console with push-button gears and upgraded materials. The Avenir trim offered climate-controlled front seats and heated second-row captain's chairs, providing a luxurious feel without reaching Cadillac XT6 levels.

The 2021 Ford Explorer, at its lightest, weighed 4,345 pounds. Its base 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivered 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, outperforming the Kia Telluride's V6. The Explorer Limited Hybrid offered a V6 hybrid drivetrain with 310 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. Higher trims featured a 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6, delivering 365 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, with the sport-oriented ST trim offering 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. The Explorer's towing capacity ranged from 5,000 to 5,600 pounds, depending on the trim and engine.

The 2022 Buick Enclave kept it simple with a single powertrain option: a 3.6-liter V6 with direct injection, producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Enclave came standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available on all trims. Its maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds. The Enclave provided a smooth, quiet ride, thanks to its premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping. The nine-speed automatic transmission was responsive, and the Enclave's cabin remained serene, even at wide-open throttle.

The 2021 Ford Explorer offered seating for seven in the base model, with captain's chairs in the second row reducing capacity to six in higher trims. It provided 39 inches of legroom for second-row passengers, ahead of the Nissan Murano and Buick Enclave but behind the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. With the third row deployed, the Explorer offered 21 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 81 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

The 2022 Buick Enclave provided easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility. It featured an eight-way power driver seat and six-way power front passenger seat, both heated, with power lumbar control. Premium and Avenir trims added four-way power lumbar with massage and heated second-row seats. The Enclave's cabin was spacious, accommodating six full-size adults comfortably. It offered 23.6 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats up, 57.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 97.4 cubic feet with both rows folded. The restyled center console featured push-button transmission gears and ample storage.

The 2021 Ford Explorer came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen, offering AM/FM radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G WiFi hotspot, Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system, and a six-speaker audio system. Higher trims offered a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system and a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The Explorer provided multiple USB ports and 12-volt power points, with a 110-volt AC power outlet available on higher trims.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, with an 8-inch reconfigurable version on Premium and Avenir trims. The Essence trim had an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The Enclave's infotainment system could pair up to 10 devices, with a built-in WiFi hotspot for up to four devices. The Premium and Avenir trims featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system. The Enclave also included a following-distance indicator, HD rear vision camera, and Teen Driver technology.

The 2021 Ford Explorer was rated as a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS, with top "Good" scores on all crash tests and an "Acceptable" rating for adaptive headlights. The Explorer came standard with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite, including auto high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping assist, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and dynamic brake support. Higher trims offered additional features like adaptive cruise control and evasive steering assist.

The 2022 Buick Enclave made the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package standard on all trims, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-change alert, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-keeping assistance, rear park assist, following-distance indicator, and automatic high-beam headlights. Premium trims added enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, head-up display, and rear pedestrian alert. The Enclave received a four-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests, with an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.