2022 Buick Enclave vs 2021 Lexus GX

The 2021 Lexus GX 460’s styling was a testament to its long tenure on the market. Retaining the same basic body shell from a decade ago, it had undergone several updates over the years, including the addition of Lexus’ trademark spindle grille in 2014 and a textured insert in 2020. The 2021 model didn’t see any new styling changes, but it did come with standard silver 18-inch wheels on the Premium trim level. Despite its age, the GX’s tough, aggressive look remained distinctive and appealing to SUV shoppers.

However, the interior of the GX did not meet the standards of a modern luxury SUV. The wood trim in the Premium test car felt like molded plastic, and there was an abundance of actual plastic throughout the cabin. While leather upholstery was standard, with semi-aniline leather available on the Luxury trim, the overall interior quality felt dated. The upright dashboard and high center console limited legroom, and the steering wheel’s odd angle, combined with the tall seating position, made the driving experience feel bus-like.

In contrast, the 2022 Buick Enclave represented a significant shift in Buick’s design philosophy. Historically known for conservative styling, Buick had overhauled its product portfolio over the past 15 years, transitioning from a sedan-heavy lineup to an all-SUV lineup. The Enclave, which debuted in 2008 and was redesigned in 2018, sat atop Buick’s four-SUV lineup. The 2022 model received a mid-cycle refresh with several exterior styling enhancements, including a new grille, front and rear fascias, headlamps, taillamps, and wheel designs. The top-of-the-line Avenir trim level featured unique styling elements and 20-inch wheels.

Inside, the 2022 Enclave boasted a restyled center console with new push-button gears and upgraded materials throughout. The available heated, cooled, and massaging seats for front-seat passengers added to the comfort level, with the Avenir trim offering these features as standard. The Enclave’s interior was spacious, with ample room for passengers in all three rows. The Avenir trim’s exclusive seat sew pattern and piping added visual appeal and character to the seats, making the cabin feel more luxurious.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 featured a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The GX 460’s performance was a throwback to an earlier generation of SUVs. While the V8 engine provided ample power for acceleration, with a 0-60 mph time of 7.8 seconds, the vehicle’s 5,130-pound weight was noticeable at higher speeds. Merging and overtaking required careful planning, and braking also demanded extra attention. The ride quality was typical of a body-on-frame vehicle, with noticeable body roll and low grip in corners.

Despite its on-road shortcomings, the GX 460 excelled in off-road capability. It featured a Torsen center differential, a standard 4WD system with a low range, and several driver aids, including hill-descent control and hill-start assist. The optional Off-Road Package added features like a transmission cooler, fuel-tank protector, multi-view camera system, Crawl Control, and Multi-Terrain Select. The GX 460 had a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds and offered 8.1 inches of ground clearance, making it a formidable off-road vehicle.

The 2022 Buick Enclave came with a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Enclave’s performance was characterized by a smooth and 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, providing a comfortable and serene driving experience. The nine-speed automatic transmission was responsive, and the V6 engine delivered good acceleration for a vehicle of its size.

While the Enclave wasn’t designed for off-roading, its AWD system and 7.5 inches of ground clearance made it capable of handling light off-road trails and wintry conditions. The Enclave’s maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds, making it suitable for moderate towing needs.

The 2021 Lexus GX’s interior ergonomics reflected its age. The upright dashboard and high center console limited legroom, and the steering wheel’s odd angle, combined with the tall seating position, made the driving experience feel like driving a bus. The dashboard shape and boxy profile provided excellent outward visibility, but forward visibility was limited by the tall hood. Storage space was limited, with small center-console storage bins, cupholders, and in-door bottle holders. The GX came standard with three rows of seating, but the third row was best reserved for children due to limited space and difficult access.

In contrast, the 2022 Buick Enclave offered a spacious and comfortable interior. Ingress and egress were easy, and visibility was excellent thanks to the large windshield and window openings. The Enclave’s seats were comfortable, with standard eight-way power driver and six-way power front passenger seats, 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 third row provided ample space for adults, and the second-row captain’s chairs made access to the third row easy.

The Enclave’s restyled center console featured new push-button transmission gears and a covered compartment housing two cupholders. The spacious passenger cabin offered ample storage, with 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. The power-folding third-row seats made accessing the cargo space even easier.

The 2021 Lexus GX was light on tech features, with standard Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant connectivity, but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility. The standard infotainment system had outdated graphics and limited functionality. However, Lexus included analog controls for nearly everything, making the interface easy to use despite its primitive nature.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered a more modern tech experience. 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 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 Premium and Avenir trims also featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system, which provided superior sound quality.

The Enclave came standard 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 Lexus GX 460 came standard with the Lexus Safety System+ bundle, which included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. However, the GX 460 lacked some advanced safety features available in other Lexus and Toyota models, such as traffic-sign recognition and Lane Tracing Assist.

The 2022 Buick Enclave made significant updates to its safety tech for 2022, 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. Additional features on the Premium trim included 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 Buick Enclave, but it received four out of five stars for rollover resistance. The IIHS gave the Enclave the highest-possible "Good" ratings in all but one crash test, where it received an "Acceptable" score.