2021 Hyundai Tucson vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson featured a more conventional design compared to its futuristic successor. It had an upright layout that provided a commanding view of the road. Inside, the Tucson boasted a modern and attractive dash design, seamlessly integrating tech features into the overall aesthetic. Every button and dial was easy to find, making the interior user-friendly and visually appealing.

Trim levels for the 2021 Tucson included SE, Value, SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate. The base SE trim came with 17-inch alloy wheels, manually adjustable front seats, a digital driver information display, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims added features like LED headlight accents, heated side mirrors, roof rails, and more luxurious interior options, culminating in the Ultimate trim with an 8-inch touchscreen, heated and ventilated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof.

Historically, Buick's designs were conservative, reflecting its older customer base that valued comfort and tradition over cutting-edge style. However, over the last 15 years, Buick transitioned from a sedan-heavy lineup to an all-SUV portfolio, reflecting market trends. The Buick Enclave, introduced in 2008, replaced older models and helped revitalize the brand. A 2018 redesign moved the Enclave further upmarket, making it the largest and most expensive model in Buick's lineup.

For 2022, the Enclave received a mid-cycle refresh with new exterior styling, 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 got a restyled center console with new push-button gears and upgraded materials. The Avenir trim included standard climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and unique trim and seat stitching, enhancing comfort and luxury.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson offered two engine options. The base engine was a 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 161 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. The SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate trims came with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The base engine felt underwhelming, especially at highway speeds, while the 2.4-liter engine provided a livelier performance around town. The Tucson had a comfortable and refined ride, striking a balance between softness and athleticism. The towing capacity was 1,500 pounds with the base engine and 2,000 pounds with the 2.4-liter engine.

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. The Enclave came standard with FWD, with AWD available on all trims. The maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. The Enclave provided a smooth and quiet ride, thanks to its premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping. The AWD-equipped test vehicle handled well on various terrains, offering a serene cabin experience with Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology. The powertrain was responsive, providing good off-the-line acceleration despite the vehicle's size and weight.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson offered 31 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 61.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. While this was on the lower side for the compact SUV segment, it provided adequate space for weekend bags or large boxes. Higher trims, like the Sport, included a hands-free power liftgate. The Tucson's front seats provided solid headroom and legroom, with comfortable and supportive seating for long trips. The rear seats were accommodating enough for adults on road trips. The interior featured plenty of cubbies and compartments for storage.

The 2022 Buick Enclave made ingress and egress easy, with excellent visibility due to its large windshield and window openings. All Enclaves came standard with 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 cabin was spacious, with ample headroom, legroom, hip room, and shoulder room for passengers in all three rows. The third row was comfortable for six-footers, and the second-row captain's chairs made access easy. The restyled center console featured new push-button transmission gears and a covered compartment with cupholders. The Enclave offered 23.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 57.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 97.4 cubic feet with both rows folded. Power-folding third-row seats made accessing the cargo space easier.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Ultimate trim featured an upgraded 8-inch touchscreen, which was optional on other trims. The touchscreen was user-friendly, with logical menu layouts and helpful hard buttons. Available features included navigation, satellite radio, and wireless device charging.

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 came with 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 infotainment system could pair up to 10 devices, with two smartphones active simultaneously. A built-in WiFi hotspot could handle up to four devices up to 50 feet away. The system had a familiar interface, though some graphics looked dated. The Premium and Avenir trims featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system, which was superior to the standard six-speaker system. Each Enclave came with a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM 360L and six USB ports, with two in each row. Other standard features included a following-distance indicator, HD rear vision camera, and Teen Driver technology. 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 Tucson offered a solid list of standard driver-assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and driver drowsiness monitoring. Upper-tier trims added features like adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, automatic high-beams, 360-degree parking monitor, and blind-spot monitoring. The Tucson earned five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

For 2022, Buick made significant updates to the Enclave's driver-assist and safety tech. The Buick Driver Confidence Plus package became standard on all Enclaves, including features like 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, rear-seat reminder system, and HD reversing camera. Premium trim added enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, surround-view camera, head-up display, and rear pedestrian alert. The Enclave received four out of five stars for rollover resistance from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in all but one crash test from the IIHS, where it received an "Acceptable" score.