2022 Buick Enclave vs 2021 Kia Seltos

Despite being a subcompact SUV, the 2021 Kia Seltos had a big-car feel. It featured an upright layout with a commanding view of the road, and its headlight design flowed well into the grille styling. The lower front bumper had an aggressive approach angle, hinting at off-road capabilities, even though it wasn't designed for such. The two-tone roof design and red circles around the wheel centers added to its on-road driving dynamics. Inside, the Seltos had a straightforward design layout with clean lines and seamlessly integrated tech features, reminiscent of more upscale brands like Audi. The clean LCD screen for climate controls and the touchscreen atop the dash added visual symmetry, while the handle framing the tray below the center stack underscored its utilitarian yet sporty nature.

In contrast, the 2022 Buick Enclave had a more conservative approach to styling, with softer character lines and simple yet functional interiors. Over the years, Buick transitioned from a sedan-heavy lineup to an all-SUV portfolio, reflecting market trends. The Enclave, a three-row crossover SUV, debuted in 2008 and received a significant redesign in 2018. For 2022, it featured several exterior styling enhancements, including a new grille, front and rear fascias, headlamps, taillamps, and wheel designs. The Avenir trim level had unique styling elements and 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave had a restyled center console with new push-button gears and upgraded materials. The Avenir trim included climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and unique trim and seat stitching.

The 2021 Kia Seltos offered two engine options. The LX, S, and EX trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). This engine was adequate for city driving but lacked power at higher speeds. The S Turbo and SX Turbo trims featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. This engine provided ample power for highway driving and brisk acceleration. The Seltos had a Drive Mode dial with Normal, Sport, and Smart modes, enhancing throttle response and steering feel. Despite its upright layout and 7.3 inches of ground clearance, the Seltos exhibited minimal body roll in turns and maintained a smooth ride over bumps.

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 front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available on all trims. It had a maximum towing capacity of 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, and the QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology ensured a serene cabin. The powertrain was responsive, with good off-the-line acceleration and a pleasant engine sound at wide-open throttle.

The 2021 Kia Seltos offered a solid amount of cargo space, with 26.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 62.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. This made it one of the most spacious subcompact SUVs on the market. The SX Turbo trim included a hard cargo cover that doubled as a tray for small items. The Seltos had plenty of cubbies and compartments for storage, and the rear seats provided ample head- and legroom, making it comfortable for passengers.

The 2022 Buick Enclave, being one of the larger SUVs in its class, provided a roomy cabin with plenty of headroom, legroom, hip room, and shoulder room for passengers in all three rows. The third row was spacious enough for six-footers, and the standard 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 ample storage 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 power-folding third-row seats made accessing the cargo space even easier.

The 2021 Kia Seltos came with a 3.5-inch TFT digital screen in the instrument panel and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system on the base S trim. The SX Turbo trim featured a Bose premium sound system, a 7-inch digital display screen in the instrument panel, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The infotainment system was straightforward and intuitive, with a helpful home button and hard buttons below the touchscreen for easy menu navigation. However, there were some quirks, such as the default audio output switching to the phone's music when plugged in via USB and only one of the two USB ports allowing data connection.

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 included a built-in WiFi hotspot. The Premium and Avenir trims had a 10-speaker Bose audio system, although it could use more power. The Enclave also came with a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM 360L and six USB ports, with the front row ports for charging and data and the second and third row ports for charging only. 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 Kia Seltos came standard with front- and side-impact airbags, electronic stability control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and child-seat anchor latches. All trims except the base LX included a full suite of driver-assistance safety features, such as forward-collision avoidance with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. The EX trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the SX trim included adaptive cruise control with idle stop-and-go and cyclist detection. The Seltos also had a feature that alerted the driver if a vehicle had pulled away in front of them when stopped.

The 2022 Buick Enclave made significant updates to its driver-assist and safety tech, with the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package now 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. The Premium trim 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 rating for rollover resistance from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most crash tests from the IIHS, with an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.