2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L 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. 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 2022 Enclave boasted a restyled center console with push-button gears and upgraded materials. The Avenir trim offered standard climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and unique trim and seat stitching. The Enclave came in Essence, Premium, and Avenir trims, with the Avenir featuring a Technology package and luxurious interior touches. While not reaching Cadillac XT6's luxury levels, the Avenir's materials and comfort features were impressive, making it a standout in Buick's lineup.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, introduced as a longer version of the standard Grand Cherokee, added 11.4 inches to accommodate a third row of seats. The L's design seamlessly integrated the extra length, making the standard Grand Cherokee appear truncated. The Grand Cherokee L's exterior retained Jeep's signature design elements, including the seven-slot grille and U-shaped wheel arches, with modernized lighting and improved paint finish and panel fit. The high-end Summit and Summit Reserve trims featured black roofs, larger wheels, and more chrome, with new paint colors for 2022.

Inside, the Grand Cherokee L offered a luxurious experience with dual high-resolution screens, real wood, aluminum, quilted Nappa leather, and a faux-suede roof. The interior layout and materials rivaled those of premium brands, providing a comfortable and visually stimulating environment. The Grand Cherokee L's spacious cabin accommodated adults in all three rows, with second-row captain's chairs standard and a 60/40 split bench seat optional. However, the air vents were small, requiring the fan to be kept on high, which was noisy.

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. The Enclave came standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available on all trims. It had a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. The Enclave was known for its quiet and smooth ride, enhanced by the Avenir Technology package, which included a premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping. The AWD-equipped test vehicle handled well on various terrains, providing a serene cabin experience with Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology.

Despite its size, the Enclave's powertrain was responsive, with good off-the-line acceleration and a smooth-shifting nine-speed automatic transmission. The engine's sound was surprisingly pleasant, adding a touch of personality to the vehicle. While not designed for off-road use, the Enclave's AWD and 7.5 inches of ground clearance made it capable of handling light off-road trails and wintry conditions.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L offered two familiar engine options: a 3.6-liter V6 and a 5.7-liter V8, both paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and available in rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The V6 produced 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, which felt insufficient for the vehicle's weight, especially when fully loaded. The engine noise was noticeable under acceleration, and the transmission's early upshifts didn't help. The V8, available on higher trims, offered 357 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, providing a more satisfying driving experience.

Fuel economy for the V6 was decent, with EPA estimates of 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined, while the V8's estimates were lower at 14/22/17. The Grand Cherokee L's chassis was a standout feature, offering a stellar ride composure and steering feel. The optional air suspension provided adjustable ride heights and varied between soft and firm settings, enhancing the vehicle's handling and comfort. The Grand Cherokee L's driving modes, similar to Land Rover's, adjusted various systems for different terrains, making it a versatile family vehicle optimized for on-road comfort.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility thanks to its large windshield and windows. The standard eight-way power driver seat and six-way power front passenger seat, both heated and with power lumbar control, made getting comfortable easy. Premium and Avenir trims added four-way power lumbar with massage and second-row heated seats. The Enclave's spacious cabin provided ample headroom, legroom, hip room, and shoulder room for passengers in all three rows, with the third row accommodating six-footers comfortably.

The restyled center console featured push-button transmission gears and a covered compartment with cupholders. The flat row of buttons made accessing USB ports and the wireless phone charging pad easier. The Enclave offered ample 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. The power-folding third-row seats added convenience for accessing the cargo space.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L featured the Uconnect 5 infotainment system with straightforward graphics and physical switches for climate, seat climate controls, and stereo functions. The Laredo and Altitude trims came with an 8.4-inch touchscreen and a 10-inch digital instrument panel, while higher trims had a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The system occasionally lagged and had legibility concerns with small graphics and text. The Grand Cherokee L offered plenty of space in all rows, with second-row captain's chairs standard and a 60/40 split bench seat optional. The panoramic roof, large windows, and ample USB ports enhanced the cabin experience, though the air vents were small and required the fan to be kept on high, which was noisy.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, with Premium and Avenir trims getting a larger, 8-inch reconfigurable version. The Essence trim had an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The system could pair up to 10 devices, with two smartphones 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 was superior but could use more power.

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 Enclave's adaptive cruise control and color head-up display were particularly impressive, providing clear graphics and key information.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L offered premium features on upper trims, including multiple massage modes for the 16-way power adjustable front seats, a head-up display, night vision with pedestrian and animal detection, a 360-degree camera system, and an Active Driving Assist system. The navigation system could take over the instrument panel, providing a zoomed-in view of the next corner. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were wireless, and two phones could be connected simultaneously. New for 2022, Jeep added an optional 10.3-inch touchscreen display for the front passenger and dual 10.1-inch touchscreens with Amazon Fire TV for rear-seat passengers.

Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, forward automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear parking sensors. The Summit trims added automatic parking, front cross-traffic alert, driver attention monitor, and traffic sign recognition. The Summit Reserve came with a 19-speaker McIntosh stereo, while lower trims had nine-speaker or six-speaker systems.

The 2022 Buick Enclave received significant updates to its driver-assist and safety tech, 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. 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 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 Jeep Grand Cherokee L had not yet been tested by NHTSA or IIHS. Standard safety features included driver and passenger knee airbags, rear seat alert, trailer sway control, and various driver aids. The Grand Cherokee L's safety features and driver aids provided a comprehensive safety package for the vehicle.