2021 Hyundai Kona vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Hyundai Kona was a funky small SUV that blended mild and wild styling. Up front, the grille was flanked by lighting features, with additional lights above and fog lights beneath on some trim levels. This busy look leaned more toward playful than business, appealing to younger buyers. The rear styling was more subdued, featuring a standard crossover shape and lighting configuration. Inside, the Kona maintained a fun attitude without being too whimsical. The seats had neat patterns and standard cloth upholstery, with higher trims offering leather upgrades. The well-organized interior featured a high-mounted infotainment system touchscreen and physical climate controls, making the layout simple and intuitive.

The 2022 Buick Enclave, on the other hand, showcased a more conservative approach to styling, reflecting its traditionally older customer base. However, over the past 15 years, Buick transitioned from a sedan-heavy lineup to an all-SUV portfolio, acknowledging market trends. The Enclave, a three-row crossover SUV, debuted in 2008 and received a significant redesign in 2018, moving it further upmarket. For 2022, the Enclave received a mid-cycle refresh with exterior styling enhancements, including a new grille, front and rear fascias, headlamps, taillamps, and wheel designs. The Avenir trim level featured unique styling elements and 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave boasted a restyled center console with new push-button gears and upgraded materials, including available heated, cooled, and massaging front seats.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona offered two powertrain options. The base model had a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The optional turbocharged 1.6-liter engine delivered 195 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional $1,400. While neither engine was particularly powerful, both provided ample power for city and highway driving. The Kona handled with confidence, feeling agile and engaging, yet comfortable and composed on curvy roads. Fuel economy varied by configuration, with the base engine and FWD returning an EPA-estimated 27/33/30 mpg city/highway/combined, and the turbo engine with FWD delivering 28/32/30 mpg.

The 2022 Buick Enclave kept it simple with a single powertrain option: a 3.6-liter V6 engine with direct injection, producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available on all trims. The Enclave's maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. The Enclave provided a smooth, quiet ride, thanks to the optional Avenir Technology package, which included a premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping. The Enclave handled well on various terrains, offering a serene cabin experience with Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology. Despite its size, the Enclave's powertrain was responsive, with good off-the-line acceleration and a pleasant engine sound at wide-open throttle.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona offered decent headroom and legroom for front-seat passengers, with an optional sunroof that didn't significantly reduce headroom. The front seats were wide and well-padded but lacked sufficient support for spirited driving. Back-seat passengers had good headroom but limited legroom. The large rear door openings made loading and unloading children easier, though large rear-facing car seats could be problematic for taller front passengers. The Kona's cargo space was limited, only surpassing the Mazda CX-3 in its segment. However, the rear seats folded to expand the cargo area, and small-item storage spaces were generous and conveniently located.

The 2022 Buick Enclave provided easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility thanks to its large windshield and window openings. Standard features included an eight-way power driver seat and six-way power front passenger seat, both heated and with power lumbar control. Premium and Avenir trims added four-way power lumbar with massage and heated second-row seats. The Enclave's spacious cabin accommodated passengers comfortably in all three rows, with ample headroom, legroom, hip room, and shoulder room. The second-row captain's chairs made accessing the third row easy, and the seats flipped and folded for added versatility. The restyled center console featured new push-button transmission gears and a covered compartment with cupholders. The Enclave offered ample cargo space, with 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 97.4 cubic feet with both rows folded.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona came equipped with an eight-inch infotainment system touchscreen, Bluetooth, six speakers, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and USB inputs. Available tech included SiriusXM radio, navigation, wireless device charging, a Harman Kardon audio system, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen system. Hyundai's infotainment software was simple, colorful, and responsive, making it easy to navigate and access features. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were significant benefits, especially for lower trims.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, with Premium and Avenir trims getting a larger, 8-inch reconfigurable version. The Essence trim had an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The Enclave's infotainment system could pair up to 10 devices, with two smartphones active simultaneously, and a built-in WiFi hotspot could handle up to four devices up to 50 feet away. The standard six-speaker audio system was adequate, but the 10-speaker Bose system in Premium and Avenir trims was superior. The Enclave also came with a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM 360L and six USB ports. Notable available features included adaptive cruise control, head-up display, rain-sensing wipers, hitch guidance with hitch view, a digital rear camera mirror, and HD surround vision.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona earned a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) with "Good" scores in all crash test areas. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded it five stars overall. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a driver attention warning system, and rear occupant alert. Optional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a head-up display, and parking sensors.

The 2022 Buick Enclave saw significant updates to its driver-assist and safety tech, with the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package becoming standard on all trims. This package included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-change alert with blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-keeping assistance with lane-departure warning, rear park assist, following-distance indicator, and automatic high-beam headlights. Other standard safety items included a Safety Alert driver's seat, a rear-seat reminder system, and an HD reversing camera. Premium trim added enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, head-up display, and rear pedestrian alert. The NHTSA had not published crash-test ratings for the 2022 Enclave, but it received four out of five stars for rollover resistance. The IIHS gave the Enclave "Good" ratings in all but one crash test, where it received an "Acceptable" score.