2022 Buick Enclave vs 2023 Audi Q5

The 2022 Buick Enclave was a testament to Buick's evolution from its traditionally conservative styling to a more modern and upscale design. Historically, Buick's designs were characterized by softer lines and functional interiors, catering to an older demographic that valued comfort over cutting-edge aesthetics. However, the Enclave marked a significant shift, reflecting Buick's strategic pivot towards SUVs in response to market trends. The 2022 model, as part of a mid-cycle refresh, featured several exterior enhancements, including a new grille, updated fascias, and redesigned headlamps and taillamps. The Avenir trim, in particular, stood out with its unique grille and 20-inch wheels, offering a touch of luxury that elevated the Enclave's appeal.

Inside, the Enclave's restyled center console and upgraded materials provided a more refined experience. The Avenir trim offered standard climate-controlled front seats and heated second-row captain's chairs, enhancing comfort. The Ebony perforated leather seats with unique stitching added visual interest and character. While not quite reaching the luxury levels of a Cadillac XT6, the Enclave's interior materials were a cut above, providing a comfortable and visually appealing environment for passengers.

The 2023 Audi Q5, on the other hand, combined subtle curves with angular accents, resulting in a design that was both classy and sporty. Available in two body styles, the regular SUV and the Sportback, the Q5 offered a sleek silhouette with a spoiler-like element that enhanced its sporty appeal. Inside, the Q5 maintained a refined and simple layout, though its age was beginning to show. Standard leather seating and heated front seats provided comfort, while the 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system offered good technology integration. However, the Q5's materials, while of good quality, no longer felt as special compared to newer competitors. Despite this, the Q5's sturdy build quality and quiet cabin made it a solid choice among luxury SUVs.

The 2022 Buick Enclave was powered by a single engine option, a 3.6-liter V6 with direct injection, producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, the Enclave offered a smooth and quiet ride, thanks to Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology. The Enclave's AWD system and premium ride suspension, part of the Avenir Technology package, provided excellent handling and comfort across various terrains. Despite its size and weight, the Enclave's powertrain was surprisingly responsive, delivering good off-the-line acceleration and a pleasant engine sound.

In contrast, the 2023 Audi Q5 offered three engine choices. The base 40 TFSI featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 201 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The midrange 45 TFSI, available with the Sportback, increased output to 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. The 55 TFSI plug-in hybrid delivered 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, with an estimated 23 miles of electric-only range. All Q5s came with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and standard Quattro AWD. However, the Q5 Sportback with the 45 TFSI engine experienced a noticeable delay in power delivery, affecting initial acceleration. Once underway, the Q5 offered adequate power and sporty handling, with precise steering and a good balance between compliance and cornering.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered a spacious and comfortable interior, with easy ingress and egress and excellent visibility. Standard features included an eight-way power driver seat and six-way power front passenger seat, both heated and with power lumbar control. The Enclave's roomy cabin accommodated passengers in all three rows, with ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room. The second-row captain's chairs provided easy access to the third row, and the restyled center console with push-button transmission gears added convenience. The Enclave also offered generous cargo space, with 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row and up to 97.4 cubic feet with both rows folded.

The 2023 Audi Q5's interior design remained largely unchanged since its 2018 redesign but continued to offer a functional and well-organized layout. The infotainment touchscreen was positioned atop the dash for easy visibility, and traditional dials and buttons were provided for climate controls. The Q5 offered good outward visibility, with ample space for taller passengers in both the front and rear seats. The Sportback model only slightly reduced headroom. Storage options were somewhat limited, with oddly sized and shaped compartments, but the door pockets were accommodating. The Q5 offered up to 25.8 cubic feet of cargo space, slightly less in the Sportback model.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation and a larger, 8-inch reconfigurable driver information center. The Enclave's infotainment system supported up to 10 paired devices, with a built-in WiFi hotspot for up to four devices. The Premium and Avenir trims also featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system, though it lacked power for back-seat passengers. Additional features included a following-distance indicator, HD rear vision camera, and Teen Driver technology, with notable available features such as adaptive cruise control and a head-up display.

The 2023 Audi Q5 came standard with a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, offering sharp graphics and relatively quick responses. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were available on all trims, though CarPlay took longer to activate. Higher trims featured a Bang & Olufsen audio system. The Q5's infotainment system included large on-screen buttons for easy operation, though Apple CarPlay's app buttons were smaller and closer together. The Q5 also offered remote monitoring and feature control via a smartphone app, with Audi Connect Care service included for a limited time. Mid-range trims benefited from a customizable digital instrument panel.

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 included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-change alert, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-keeping assistance, and more. Additional features on higher trims included enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and a surround-view camera. The Enclave received a four-star rating 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 2023 Audi Q5 earned five stars from the NHTSA for overall, frontal, and side protection, with four stars in rollover tests. The IIHS awarded the Q5 its highest score of "Good" in all crashworthiness tests and named it a Top Safety Pick+. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitor, lane-departure warning, and more. Higher trims added lane-keep assist, a surround-view camera system, and traffic jam assist. The top Prestige trim featured matrix-design LED headlights, a head-up display, and a semi-automated parking system.