2022 Buick Enclave vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE

The 2022 Buick Enclave represented a significant shift from Buick's traditionally conservative styling. Historically, Buick's designs were characterized by softer lines and functional interiors, catering to an older demographic focused on comfort and tradition. However, over the past 15 years, Buick transitioned from a sedan-heavy lineup to an all-SUV portfolio, reflecting broader market trends. The Enclave, introduced in 2008 and redesigned in 2018, became a flagship model, offering a more upscale experience. The 2022 mid-cycle refresh brought exterior enhancements like a new grille, fascias, headlamps, taillamps, and wheel designs, especially for the top-tier Avenir trim. Inside, the Enclave featured a restyled center console, upgraded materials, and available heated, cooled, and massaging front seats, with the Avenir trim adding unique styling elements and standard climate-controlled front seats.

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe, with its Selenite Gray paint, 22-inch forged aluminum wheels, and polished brightwork, presented a balanced design that avoided the polarizing aesthetics of some SUV coupes. The GLE 53 Coupe replaced the V8-powered GLE 63 S Coupe, offering a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine with EQ Boost. Inside, the GLE 53 Coupe featured high-end materials, dual-screen instrumentation, and infotainment, with Nappa leather, a Dinamica headliner, and brushed aluminum trim. The cabin's ambient lighting enhanced the driving experience at night. Despite its complexity, the interior design was user-friendly, though the lack of traditional controls required some acclimation.

The 2022 Buick Enclave kept things straightforward with 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 across 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, drama-free driving experience. The Avenir Technology package, with its premium ride suspension and real-time chassis damping, further enhanced the ride quality. Despite its size and weight, the Enclave's powertrain was responsive, offering surprisingly good acceleration and pleasant engine sounds at full throttle.

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine with 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque, supplemented by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system called EQ Boost. This setup provided robust acceleration and improved fuel efficiency, with an EPA rating of 19 mpg combined. The GLE 53 Coupe's performance was further enhanced by a SpeedShift nine-speed automatic transmission, AMG Performance 4Matic+ all-wheel drive, and AMG Dynamic Select driving modes. The AMG Active Ride Control suspension and AMG Performance brakes ensured a dynamic driving experience. In urban settings, the GLE Coupe's speed-sensitive steering and tight turning radius made maneuvering easy, though the AMG Performance brakes required careful modulation. On winding roads, the GLE 53 Coupe demonstrated impressive grip, braking performance, and body control, though its size and weight were noticeable.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered easy ingress and egress, excellent visibility, and comfortable seating with standard power adjustments. The spacious cabin accommodated passengers in all three rows, with ample headroom, legroom, 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 down. Power-folding third-row seats added convenience.

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe technically seated five, but four adults would be more comfortable. The front seats offered numerous power adjustments, heating, ventilation, and massage functions, ensuring comfort on long drives. Forward visibility was good, but rear visibility was limited, necessitating the use of available cameras. The back seat provided ample legroom, and the cargo area offered 27.5 cubic feet of space, expanding to 63.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Additional comfort features included a four-zone climate control system, heated armrests, and an in-cabin fragrance system.

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 included an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with 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 a built-in WiFi hotspot supporting up to four devices. The Premium and Avenir trims also featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system. Standard safety tech included a following-distance indicator, HD rear vision camera, and Teen Driver technology. Notable available features included adaptive cruise control, head-up display, and HD surround vision.

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe came standard with the Mercedes Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system, featuring dual 12.3-inch screens, navigation, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Mercedes Me connected services. Wireless smartphone charging and a Burmester surround-sound audio system were also standard. MBUX was user-friendly, with natural voice recognition technology activated by saying "Hey Mercedes." Optional features included an MBUX Interior Assistant with gesture recognition, augmented video for navigation, a head-up display, and an upgraded Burmester 3D surround-sound system.

The 2022 Buick Enclave saw significant updates to its safety tech, with the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package becoming standard. 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. Additional 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.

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe came equipped with numerous safety features, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, forward automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. The Pre Safe Sound system emitted a "pink noise" tone before a collision to protect hearing. The Emergency Call Service was free for the vehicle's lifetime. The optional Driver Assistance Package added 15 driver support and collision avoidance systems, including Traffic Jam Assist, Active Lane Change Assist, and Active Emergency Stop Assist. The GLE Coupe's safety systems were refined and accurate, with lane-keeping assistance providing decisive intervention when needed. Crash-test results for the GLE Coupe were unavailable, but the standard GLE received top safety ratings from IIHS and NHTSA.