2022 Ford Bronco vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2022 Buick Enclave had a conservative design approach, characterized by softer, less aggressive lines and functional interiors, reflecting its older customer base's preference for comfort and tradition. Over the past 15 years, Buick transitioned from a sedan-heavy lineup to an all-SUV portfolio, aligning with market trends. The Enclave, introduced in 2008, replaced older models and received a significant redesign in 2018, positioning it as Buick's flagship SUV. The 2022 mid-cycle refresh brought exterior enhancements like a new grille, fascias, headlamps, taillamps, and wheel designs, with the Avenir trim featuring unique styling elements. Inside, the Enclave boasted a restyled center console, upgraded materials, and available heated, cooled, and massaging front seats, with the Avenir trim offering additional luxury features.

The 2022 Ford Bronco, with its retro styling and go-anywhere attitude, was highly sought after. Following its successful debut, the Bronco introduced two new top models: the Everglades and the Bronco Raptor. The Everglades, designed for swamp trekking, featured an intake snorkel, a Warn winch, and 35-inch Goodyear mud-terrain tires. The Bronco lineup expanded to seven trims, each with increasing off-road capabilities. Despite being sold out for 2022, the Bronco offered a choice between two- and four-door body styles, four- or six-cylinder engines, and various roof options. Its design prioritized off-roading, with short overhangs, low-profile bumpers, and a tall ride height, complemented by utilitarian features like large recovery hooks, removable fender flares, and modular construction for easy customization.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured 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. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available on all trims. The Enclave's maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. Known for its quiet and smooth ride, the Enclave excelled in providing a premium driving experience, enhanced by the optional Avenir Technology package, which included a premium ride suspension and real-time chassis damping. The AWD-equipped test vehicle handled various terrains admirably, offering a serene cabin environment thanks to Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology. Despite its size, the Enclave's powertrain was responsive, delivering surprisingly good off-the-line acceleration and pleasant engine sounds.

The 2022 Ford Bronco offered two engine options: a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, and an optional turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine with 330 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. The four-cylinder engine came with a seven-speed manual transmission, featuring a crawl gear for low-speed driving, while the V6 was paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. All Broncos had four-wheel drive and an electronic two-speed transfer case. Both engines provided ample power, with the Bronco excelling in off-road capabilities across its trims. The Everglades model, tested on challenging terrain, showcased its prowess with features like mud/ruts drive mode and the ability to ford water up to 36.4 inches deep. On pavement, the Bronco impressed with its refined ride quality and precise steering, making it a better road trip companion than its direct rival, the Jeep Wrangler.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered easy ingress and egress, excellent visibility, and comfortable seating with standard eight-way power driver and six-way power front passenger seats. Premium and Avenir trims added four-way power lumbar with massage and heated second-row seats. The Enclave's spacious cabin accommodated passengers comfortably in all three rows, with ample headroom, legroom, hip room, and shoulder room. The second-row captain's chairs facilitated access to the third row, which could comfortably seat six-footers. The restyled center console featured new push-button transmission gears and a covered compartment with cupholders. The Enclave provided generous cargo 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. Power-folding third-row seats added convenience.

The 2022 Ford Bronco's squared-off styling contributed to its spacious interior, offering ample headroom and legroom for all passengers. Accessing the rear seats in the two-door model required some effort, but grab handles and side steps helped. Cargo capacity varied by model and roof type, with the two-door hard top offering 22.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 52.3 cubic feet with them folded. The four-door hard top increased capacity to 35.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 77.6 cubic feet with them folded. The soft-top models offered slightly more space. Clever storage solutions included large armrest bins, netted door pockets, and rubberized phone trays. The Bronco also featured stowable doors and removable fender flares for added utility. External hard mounting points and hidden anchors enhanced its versatility.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, with Premium and Avenir trims upgrading to an 8-inch reconfigurable version. The Essence trim came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The infotainment system could pair up to 10 devices, with two active simultaneously, and included a built-in WiFi hotspot. The six-speaker audio system in the Essence trim was adequate, while the 10-speaker Bose system in Premium and Avenir trims offered superior performance. The Enclave also included a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM 360L and six USB ports. 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 2022 Ford Bronco smartly integrated technology to enhance its off-road capabilities while keeping the driver engaged. The G.O.A.T. modes provided off-road confidence for novice drivers by optimizing drivetrain and chassis settings for specific terrain, while seasoned off-roaders could manually select their preferred setups. The forward-looking trail camera, with overlay lines indicating tire paths, was particularly useful for navigating challenging terrain. The Bronco's Sync 4 infotainment system offered quick responses, sharp graphics, and helpful off-road apps. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard across all models, complementing the available wireless charging pad.

The 2022 Buick Enclave saw significant updates to its 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 Enclave received four out of five stars for rollover resistance from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests, with an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.

The 2022 Ford Bronco came with standard safety features like hill-start assist, hill descent control, and trailer sway control. Optional safety features included frontal collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-keep assist, rear parking sensors, and automatic high beams, available on all but the base trim as part of the Mid package. The High package added front parking sensors and a surround-view camera system, while the Luxe package included adaptive cruise control and evasive steering assist. The Bronco received four out of five stars for frontal crash protection and three out of five stars for rollover protection from the NHTSA. The IIHS awarded the Bronco "Good" ratings in frontal, side, and roof strength tests, and an "Acceptable" rating for head restraints and seats.