2021 Volvo XC60 vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Volvo XC60, though no longer purely Swedish, benefited greatly from its acquisition by Geely Holding Group. This transition allowed Volvo to shed its Ford-era constraints and emerge as a near-luxury brand with a focus on safety and innovation. The XC60, positioned between the XC40 and XC90, was built on Volvo’s SPA platform, sharing its architecture with other 60-series and 90-series vehicles. The XC60 featured an elegant, tailored design with short overhangs, an upright grille with Volvo’s iron mark logo, and distinctive Thor’s hammer LED headlights. The interior was a showcase of Scandinavian design, with clean lines, authentic materials, and a serene atmosphere. The 9-inch portrait-oriented infotainment touchscreen was a standout feature, complemented by elegant HVAC vents and harmonious textures and colors throughout the cabin.

The 2022 Buick Enclave marked a significant shift for Buick, transitioning from a sedan-heavy lineup to an all-SUV portfolio. The Enclave, introduced in 2008 and redesigned in 2018, sat atop Buick's SUV lineup. The 2022 model received a mid-cycle refresh with new exterior styling elements, including a new grille, front and rear fascias, and updated headlamps and taillamps. The Avenir trim level featured unique design elements and 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave boasted a restyled center console with push-button gears and upgraded materials. The Avenir trim offered climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and unique trim and seat stitching, providing a near-luxury experience.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 offered a range of powertrains, all centered around a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The T5 models, available in FWD or AWD, produced 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 models, with AWD, delivered 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, thanks to a turbocharger and supercharger. The T8 models, plug-in hybrids, combined a gasoline engine with an 87-hp electric motor, resulting in 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. The T8 Polestar Engineered variant pushed these figures to 415 hp and 472 lb-ft. The XC60 T8 PHEV could drive up to 19 miles on electric power alone and offered a combined fuel economy of 27 mpg, with 57 MPGe in electric-only mode. The XC60 provided a solid, secure ride with excellent handling, thanks to its AWD system and torque vectoring.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured 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's maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. The Enclave offered a smooth, quiet ride, enhanced by 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 powertrain was responsive, and the nine-speed automatic transmission performed seamlessly, delivering surprising off-the-line acceleration for a vehicle of its size.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 was designed to provide comfort, style, and safety. The front seats were highly adjustable and heated, making them ideal for cold weather. The heating system effectively handled sub-freezing temperatures, and the rear glass heater and windshield defroster performed exceptionally well. The cabin featured smart storage solutions, with intuitive controls and glove-friendly designs. The XC60 offered 21.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 63.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The XC60 could tow up to 3,500 pounds.

The 2022 Buick Enclave provided easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility thanks to its large windshield and windows. The Enclave's cabin was spacious, offering 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 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 a generous 97.4 cubic feet with both rows folded. The power-folding third-row seats added convenience.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 featured the Sensus infotainment system, which used a tablet-style touchpad interface. The system's portrait orientation and swipe, pinch, and pull gestures were familiar to frequent iPad users. The screen was divided into function quadrants, making it intuitive to use once familiar. The XC60 included Bluetooth hands-free and streaming audio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a WiFi hotspot with a three-month trial. The Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system provided exceptional sound quality.

The 2022 Buick Enclave came with a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, with Premium and Avenir trims featuring an 8-inch reconfigurable version. The Essence trim included 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. The built-in WiFi hotspot supported up to four devices. The Premium and Avenir trims featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system, though it could use more power. The Enclave also included a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM 360L and six USB ports.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 was a testament to Volvo's commitment to safety. It received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA for the T5/T5 AWD and T6 AWD models. The XC60 came with a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including LED headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, collision avoidance, and more. Volvo's semi-autonomous driving system, Pilot Assist, was available, integrating adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist. The XC60's top speed was restricted to 112 mph for safety.

The 2022 Buick Enclave saw significant updates to its driver-assist and safety tech. The Buick Driver Confidence Plus package became standard, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-change alert, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-keeping assistance, and more. Additional features on the Premium trim included enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, and rear pedestrian alert. The Enclave received a four-star rating for rollover resistance from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests, with an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.