2022 Genesis GV70 vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2022 Buick Enclave had undergone a significant transformation from its conservative roots, reflecting Buick's shift towards a more SUV-centric lineup. The Enclave's exterior received a mid-cycle refresh, featuring a new grille, updated fascias, and redesigned headlamps and taillamps. The Avenir trim stood out with its unique grille 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 and heated second-row captain's chairs, enhancing comfort. While not reaching luxury levels like the Cadillac XT6, the Enclave's materials and design were a step above, with the Avenir-exclusive seat pattern adding visual appeal.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 inherited styling elements from other Genesis models but maintained a unique appearance. It featured quad LED strips for headlights and taillights, a large shield-shaped grille, and a sloping roofline that added a sporty touch. The Sport Prestige model had distinctive styling features, including 21-inch wheels and dark chrome trim. Inside, the GV70's elliptical-themed interior was inspired by an airplane wing, with minimalistic design elements and a rotary gear selector. The interior offered a range of color options, and the Sport Prestige trim featured Nappa leather upholstery with suede inserts. While the GV70's design was daring, it compromised storage space, and the heavily bolstered front seats might not suit all drivers.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a single powertrain option: a 3.6-liter V6 engine 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. Known for its quiet and smooth ride, the Enclave excelled in providing a premium driving experience. The Avenir Technology package enhanced the ride with a premium suspension and real-time chassis damping. Despite its size, the Enclave's powertrain was responsive, and the nine-speed transmission performed seamlessly. The Enclave's cabin was exceptionally quiet, thanks to Buick's QuietTuning technology.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 offered two engine options: a 2.5-liter turbo-four with 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 with 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. Both engines came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The GV70 featured a rear electronic limited-slip differential and launch control, emphasizing its sporty character. The Sport+ drive mode sharpened throttle response and held high revs, but the chassis lacked the sharpness of some competitors. The GV70 felt more comfortable on highways, but the firm ride and lack of solidity detracted from its luxury feel.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility thanks to its large windows. The cabin was spacious, accommodating six adults comfortably, with ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room. The second-row captain's chairs provided easy access to the third row, and the seats flipped and folded for versatility. The restyled center console featured push-button transmission gears, and the Enclave offered generous cargo space, with 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 97.4 cubic feet with all seats folded. Power-folding third-row seats added convenience.

The 2022 Genesis GV70's interior space was mid-pack for its segment. Despite its car-like roofline, it offered comparable headroom to competitors. Legroom was adequate, and rear-seat visibility was good. Cargo space measured 28.9 cubic feet with the rear seats in place, expanding to 56.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. The daring interior design compromised storage space, with limited room for small items. The front seats in the Sport Prestige trim were heavily bolstered, offering heating, ventilation, massage, and posture-assist functions, though some controls were buried in touchscreen menus.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, with an 8-inch version on higher trims. The Essence trim included an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The system allowed pairing of up to 10 devices, with a built-in WiFi hotspot. The Premium and Avenir trims featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system. The Enclave also offered a range of safety and convenience features, including adaptive cruise control, head-up display, and HD surround vision.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 boasted a 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The tile-based layout and crisp graphics were user-friendly. Higher trims offered a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12-inch head-up display. The GV70 featured a digital-key system, allowing smartphone use in place of a key fob, and a fingerprint scanner for starting the car. The rear-seat monitor used radar to detect a baby's breathing, and the 360-degree camera system could be activated remotely. Genesis Connected Services included driver profiles and navigation features.

The 2022 Buick Enclave came standard with the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package, which included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-change alert, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-keeping assistance, and more. Premium trims added enhanced features like adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera. The Enclave received a four-star rollover resistance rating from NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests, with an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 included standard safety features such as lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, blind-spot and forward collision-avoidance assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. It also had eight airbags, including a front-center airbag. Optional features included Highway Driving Assist 2 with lane-change functionality and navigation-based adaptive cruise control. The GV70's Highway Driving Assist provided smooth control inputs but struggled with sharp curves.