2022 Buick Enclave vs 2022 Lexus RX

The 2022 Buick Enclave presented itself as a tasteful representation of Buick’s evolving design language. Historically, Buick's styling leaned toward conservative, favoring softer character lines and simple, functional interiors. This approach resonated with their older customer demographic, prioritizing comfort and tradition. However, over the past 15 years, Buick has pivoted dramatically from a sedan-heavy lineup to embrace SUVs wholeheartedly, responding to market trends that saw traditional sedans decline in favor of crossovers. The Enclave, introduced in 2008 and redesigned in 2018, stood as a flagship model for Buick's four-SUV lineup. For 2022, a mid-cycle refresh brought several exterior enhancements, such as a new grille, headlamps, taillights, and wheel designs. The top-tier Avenir trim received exclusive updates including a unique grille, body-colored lower fascia, tail lamps, and striking 20-inch wheels. Inside, the 2022 Enclave featured a restyled center console with push-button gears and upgraded materials. The Avenir trim elevated comfort with standard climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and unique stitching. Opting for the Technology package added premium ride suspension and advanced noise cancellation for a serene driving experience. The Rich Garnet Metallic color and Ebony perforated leather seats in our test vehicle added to the upscale feel, even if it didn't quite reach Cadillac's luxury levels. Conversely, the 2022 Lexus RX, available in base 350, F Sport, and L trims, plus a hybrid RX 450h, offered a modern and sporty aesthetic. Post its 2020 facelift, the RX upheld its aggressive styling amongst its competitors. The exterior boasted sharp character lines and angular features, striking a balance between eye-catching and restrained. The F Sport trim, epitomizing sportiness, flaunted 20-inch wheels, dark window trimming, and unique fascias. The RX interior continued the luxurious feel with nearly a dozen color combinations, although the F Sport kept it sporty with model-specific badging and aluminum trim. The cabin materials were high-quality, but the center stack felt dated, and the abundance of buttons detracted from the overall aesthetic.

Buick's powertrain strategy for the 2022 Enclave was straightforward, featuring a single 3.6-liter V6 engine offering 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Available in both FWD and AWD, the Enclave’s performance impressed with a smooth, drama-free ride enhanced by the Avenir Technology package. The suspension upgrades, premium ride suspension, and active noise cancellation contributed to an almost luxury-like serenity. Acceleration was robust despite the SUV's 4,300-pound weight, with the transmission performing seamlessly. Meanwhile, the 2022 Lexus RX 350, powered by a 3.5-liter V6 with 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, underwhelmed in real-world performance. Despite being marketed as sporty, the RX’s acceleration felt lethargic, and the engine note was more hum than growl. The F Sport variant, equipped with performance dampers, adaptive variable suspension, and VDIM system, failed to deliver a distinctly sporty drive. The drive modes—Eco, Normal, Sport, and Sport+—didn't considerably alter driving dynamics. However, the RX excelled in comfort, absorbing road imperfections and maintaining cabin quietness, making it suitable for long drives.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered ease of access with its large doors and wide cabin. All trims featured power-adjustable heated front seats, with higher trims adding massage functions and heated second-row seats. The spacious interior comfortably accommodated six adults, even in the third row. The Enclave's redesigned center console enhanced usability, though the push-button transmission's long-term reliability raised concerns. Cargo-wise, the Enclave excelled with 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 57.7 cubic feet with the third row down, and a substantial 97.4 cubic feet with both rows folded. In contrast, the standard two-row Lexus RX provided a lesser 99.8 cubic feet of passenger volume, sufficient for four adults, but cramped for five. Headroom and legroom were ample in the front but slightly less accommodating in the rear. The three-row RX 350L offered minimal cargo space with just 7.45 cubic feet behind the third row. Folding the rear seats expanded this to 58.48 cubic feet, but the non-flat folding seats and high load-in height hindered usability.

Conversely, the 2022 Lexus RX, available in base 350, F Sport, and L trims, plus a hybrid RX 450h, offered a modern and sporty aesthetic. Post its 2020 facelift, the RX upheld its aggressive styling amongst its competitors. The exterior boasted sharp character lines and angular features, striking a balance between eye-catching and restrained. The F Sport trim, epitomizing sportiness, flaunted 20-inch wheels, dark window trimming, and unique fascias. The RX interior continued the luxurious feel with nearly a dozen color combinations, although the F Sport kept it sporty with model-specific badging and aluminum trim. The cabin materials were high-quality, but the center stack felt dated, and the abundance of buttons detracted from the overall aesthetic. Meanwhile, the 2022 Lexus RX 350, powered by a 3.5-liter V6 with 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, underwhelmed in real-world performance. Despite being marketed as sporty, the RX’s acceleration felt lethargic, and the engine note was more hum than growl. The F Sport variant, equipped with performance dampers, adaptive variable suspension, and VDIM system, failed to deliver a distinctly sporty drive. The drive modes—Eco, Normal, Sport, and Sport+—didn't considerably alter driving dynamics. However, the RX excelled in comfort, absorbing road imperfections and maintaining cabin quietness, making it suitable for long drives. In the cockpit, the 2022 Buick Enclave featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims added a reconfigurable 8-inch driver information center and navigation. The system, which could pair up to 10 devices and support a WiFi hotspot, stood out for ease of use, despite somewhat dated graphics. The Premium and Avenir trims boasted a 10-speaker Bose system and a suite of advanced features like a color head-up display and surround vision. The 2022 Lexus RX, with standard 8-inch and optional 12.3-inch touchscreens, suffered from ergonomical issues, including a partially obstructed view and poor placement. The touchpad for control was frustrating and hypersensitive. Despite these flaws, the RX offered high-tech amenities such as wireless charging, Alexa compatibility, and a wide selection of audio systems, including the top-tier 15-speaker system.

Buick made significant strides in standardizing safety features for the 2022 Enclave, offering the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package across all trims. This included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. Higher trims added features like adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera. The Enclave earned solid safety ratings, receiving a "Good" in most IIHS crash tests, though it lacked a final NHTSA rating at the time. The 2022 Lexus RX came with the comprehensive Lexus Safety System 2.0+, featuring adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, road-sign recognition, and more. It also included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and the Lexus Enform Safety Connect. The RX garnered a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS with optional triple-beam LED headlights and a four-star overall rating from NHTSA.