2022 Buick Enclave vs 2021 Kia Sportage

The 2021 Kia Sportage featured a distinctive design with its tiger-nose grille and bulbous headlights, which some might have described as frog-like. Kia, however, marketed the Sportage’s styling as “Euro-focused.” This two-row crossover SUV had a relatively short wheelbase and short overhangs, making it ideal for city driving. The headlights carried over from the 2020 model, and the Sportage could be equipped with 17-, 18-, or 19-inch wheels. Inside, an 8-inch touchscreen display served as a stylish centerpiece, flanked by air vents and physical buttons and knobs for tuning and volume. The interior, while not the most tech-forward, was still a pleasant place to sit.

The 2022 Buick Enclave, historically known for its conservative styling, underwent a significant transformation over the past 15 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 redesign in 2018, moving it further upmarket. For 2022, the Enclave received a mid-cycle refresh with new 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, upgraded materials, and available heated, cooled, and massaging seats for front-seat passengers.

The 2021 Kia Sportage offered three trim levels: LX, EX, and SX Turbo, with either front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The LX and EX trims were powered by a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. The SX Turbo trim featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged GDI four-cylinder engine with 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. All Sportage models had a six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy for the FWD Sportage with the 2.4-liter engine was 23 mpg city, 30 highway, and 26 combined. AWD models saw a slight dip in fuel efficiency. The Sportage’s suspension provided a smooth ride, though the steering and tire grip left something to be desired. The SX Turbo trim offered a sporty drive, making it a rewarding crossover to drive.

The 2022 Buick Enclave kept it simple with a single powertrain option: a 3.6-liter V6 engine with direct injection, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This setup produced 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. The Enclave came standard with FWD, with AWD available on all trims. The SUV 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, and the nine-speed automatic transmission performed seamlessly.

The 2021 Kia Sportage, while on the smaller side of the compact crossover segment, offered good interior space for the driver and passengers. The SX Turbo trim featured a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and an 8-way power-adjustable passenger seat, with heated and ventilated seats. Rear legroom and headroom were adequate, but cargo space was limited. The Sportage provided 30.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 60.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded, which was not competitive with other compact crossovers.

The 2022 Buick Enclave, as a midsize crossover, offered easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility. All Enclaves came standard with an eight-way power driver seat and a 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 second-row heated 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 could comfortably accommodate six-footers. The second-row captain's chairs made accessing the third row 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 were available.

The 2021 Kia Sportage featured an 8-inch touchscreen interface for its infotainment system, with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and USB ports as standard equipment. Most trims also included Kia’s UVO Link connected services. The SX Turbo trim added wireless charging and an eight-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. The technology was user-friendly, with logical menus, physical buttons, and handy knobs.

The 2022 Buick Enclave came standard with a 4.2-inch driver information center, with Premium and Avenir trims getting a larger, 8-inch reconfigurable version. The Essence trim featured 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 Premium and Avenir trims featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system. The Enclave also came with a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM 360L and six USB ports. 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 Kia Sportage excelled in safety, with standard advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as forward-collision warning and pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, automatic high beams, and a driver-monitoring system. The SX Turbo trim added adaptive cruise control. The SX Turbo trims earned Top Safety Pick status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and all trim levels performed well in crash tests by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The 2022 Buick Enclave saw significant updates in 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 features 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 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.