2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2021 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Nissan Rogue sported a handsome new styling with a more technical appearance, making it look more like an SUV than a car. Dark gray plastic cladding covered the Rogue's lower perimeter, and bold, simulated skid plates and lower door protection conveyed a ruggedness that was perhaps too audacious on the SUV's back bumper. Clean LED lighting elements, a prominent V-Motion grille, and proper proportioning lent the new Rogue a modern aesthetic, with aluminum wheels sized up to 19 inches in diameter. Optional two-tone paint with a black roof treatment gave the SUV a custom look.

Four versions of the Rogue were available: the entry-level Rogue S, the popular Rogue SV, the luxurious Rogue SL, and the new-for-2021 Rogue Platinum, which featured semi-aniline quilted leather and other upscale amenities. Factory options included all-wheel drive and Premium option packages for the SV and SL trims. The tested Rogue SL, with additional packages and extra-cost paint, totaled $35,195. The interior, featuring an Almond color leather and a panoramic glass sunroof, emphasized improved roominess and quality with soft-touch surfaces, simulated wood trim, and fabric-wrapped windshield pillars. The controls were arranged logically, and the Platinum trim offered a luxurious look with quilted semi-aniline leather, contrast stitching, and ambient lighting.

The 2021 Buick Enclave, on the other hand, was a large, impressive SUV that harkened back to Buick's glory days while addressing modern consumer preferences for SUVs. The Enclave was the largest of Buick's four SUVs, with the others being smaller models. It was available in Preferred, Essence, Premium, and Avenir trims, with pricing ranging from just over $41,000 to just under $55,000, including destination charges. The Enclave competed with higher-priced three-row SUVs from mainstream brands and lower-priced versions of luxury models.

The Enclave's Avenir trim added extra presence with a unique grille pattern, extra brightwork, and unique 20-inch wheels with a polished finish. Inside, the Avenir featured organic forms, a minimalist approach to instrumentation and controls, and tasteful polished accents. Soft, perforated, piped, and embroidered leather imparted a sense of luxury, though the wood trim was not real. The Enclave's simplicity extended to its fussy electronic transmission shifter, which became easy to use with practice.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue needed more power, as its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine produced 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, which was adequate for daily driving but felt sapped of energy during adventurous drives. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) did a decent job of leveraging the available torque, with programmed ratios making it feel more like a traditional automatic. The Rogue offered all-wheel drive, up to 8.2 inches of ground clearance, and new Snow and Off-Road driving modes, making it more adept at off-road adventures.

Fuel economy for the tested Rogue SL with front-wheel drive was 27.5 mpg, slightly below the official EPA rating. The Rogue's ride and handling were commendable, with a new architecture composed of 35% high-strength steel, a strut front, and multi-link rear suspension. Brake-induced Intelligent Trace Control and Active Ride Control systems added to the ride and handling satisfaction. The new Vehicle Motion Control system anticipated ways to make the drive more enjoyable. The Rogue's new steering, with electric assist moved to the steering rack and a quickened ratio, resulted in dramatically improved steering feel.

The 2021 Buick Enclave featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and a choice between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. The V6 generated 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque at a low 2,800 rpm, providing strong acceleration. The Enclave drove like a smaller SUV despite its size, and the nine-speed automatic never missed a shift. The test vehicle, with front-wheel drive, had a single option: the Avenir Technology Package, which included a premium-tuned suspension with continuously variable damping and automatic emergency braking at highway speeds.

The Enclave's suspension proved its worth on various driving surfaces, from residential streets to highways. The steering assist effort levels and brake pedal response were satisfactory, though quicker steering response would have been appreciated. Fuel economy for the Enclave was 21.2 mpg, slightly above the EPA rating, allowing for up to 460 miles on a full tank.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured Zero Gravity seat designs, which were comfortable and improved in the new model. The seats varied by trim, with cloth upholstery in the S trim, leatherette in the SV, standard leather in the SL, and premium leather in the Platinum. Heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats were available, though ventilated seats were not offered. The Rogue's interior was quieter, thanks to aerodynamic improvements and acoustic front glass.

Rear-seat headroom and legroom were more generous, and the rear doors opened to a nearly 90-degree angle for easy loading. The back seat was comfortable for both kids and adults, with new LATCH anchors for child safety seats. Storage was ample, with a new electronic shifter freeing up space under the center console and door-panel pockets accommodating 32-ounce water bottles. The Rogue offered a power rear liftgate, with hands-free design in the SL and Platinum trims. Cargo capacity was 31.6 cubic feet in the S and SV trims, and up to 36.5 cubic feet in the SL and Platinum trims, with a maximum volume of 74.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The 2021 Buick Enclave was one of the largest SUVs in its class, offering roomy and comfortable seating for six people (seven if necessary). The Avenir trim featured a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support and a basic massaging function, while the front passenger seat was 10-way power-adjustable with matching massage. The seats were heated, ventilated, and wrapped in soft leather. The center console offered storage under the transmission shifter and in a bin beneath the center armrest.

Seven-passenger seating was standard, with second-row captain's chairs and a three-person third-row bench seat. The Enclave's size provided a genuinely useful third-row seat, with comfort comparable to the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride. The rear doors and captain's chairs made entering and exiting easy. Cargo space was commendable, with 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 58 cubic feet with the third row folded down, and a maximum of 97.6 cubic feet with the second row folded down.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue offered a competitive infotainment package, with an 8-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto in the S trim. The system included knobs for power/volume and station tuning, though they were small and hard to grasp. Menu shortcut buttons provided easy access to functions. The SV and SL trims added NissanConnect Services, a WiFi hotspot, and Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integration. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim featured a larger 9-inch touchscreen display, door-to-door navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, and a Bose premium audio system.

The Platinum trim also included wireless smartphone charging, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.8-inch head-up display. The voice recognition system worked well, and the Bose audio components delivered good sound quality.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's infotainment technology met basic expectations but fell short in screen size, smart home digital assistant integration, and high-end audio components. The Avenir's 8-inch touchscreen display was the largest available, and the Enclave did not offer Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant integration. The 10-speaker Bose sound system was underwhelming compared to competitors. The Enclave included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, connected services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and USB charging ports in all three rows. Upgrades included a premium sound system, navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a surround-view camera system.

A notable feature was the available rear camera mirror, which showed a live video view of what was behind the Enclave on the rearview mirror. This feature was useful in the Enclave.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue prioritized safety, equipping every model with a comprehensive collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) under the Nissan Safety Shield 360 umbrella. This included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. The Rogue also featured ten airbags, a driver monitoring system, and a rear-seat reminder system. The Platinum trim added an airbag between the driver and front passenger.

Adaptive cruise control was standard starting with the SV trim, part of the improved ProPilot Assist driving aid with lane-centering assistance. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim offered an upgraded ProPilot Assist with Navi-link technology, which used navigation map data and GPS coordinates to adjust speed for curves and freeway junctions. The new Rogue's ADAS worked better than before, though it could still behave unpredictably and issue frequent notifications.

The 2021 Buick Enclave needed improvement in its safety systems, as features that were standard on basic models of other brands were restricted to the most expensive Enclave trims. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available starting with the Essence trim, while the Driver Confidence Plus Package was standard on the Premium and Avenir trims. This package included forward-collision warning, low-speed automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and front and rear parking sensors.

Adaptive cruise control with enhanced automatic emergency braking was available only with the Avenir Technology Package. The Enclave did not offer lane-centering assistance, rear automatic braking, self-parking, or Level 2 driving assistance technology. The Enclave received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though frontal-impact protection rated four stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave high marks, but a Marginal headlight performance rating prevented a Top Safety Pick accolade.