2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2022 Buick Enclave represented a significant shift in Buick's design philosophy, moving away from its traditionally conservative styling to embrace a more modern and upscale aesthetic. This transformation was evident in the Enclave's exterior, which featured a refreshed grille, updated front and rear fascias, and new headlamp and taillamp designs. The Avenir trim, in particular, stood out with its unique grille and 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave offered a refined cabin with upgraded materials and a restyled center console. The Avenir trim further enhanced the interior with standard climate-controlled front seats and heated second-row captain's chairs, providing a comfortable and luxurious experience for passengers.

In contrast, the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, particularly in the Limited trim with the S Appearance Package, offered a sleek and modern look with body-colored door handles, gloss black accents, and 18-inch wheels. The Pacifica Hybrid's interior was designed with practicality in mind, featuring Nappa leather seats and a sophisticated dashboard. While the interior was predominantly dark, it provided a comfortable and adjustable driver's seat, along with heated and cooled front seats. The Pacifica Hybrid also included innovative features like the FamCam interior camera, allowing parents to monitor their children in the rear seats. However, the plug-in hybrid model sacrificed some features, such as the Stow 'n Go seats and built-in vacuum cleaner, due to the battery placement.

The 2022 Buick Enclave was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain provided a smooth and responsive driving experience, with the Enclave's AWD system and premium ride suspension enhancing its handling capabilities. The Enclave's QuietTuning technology and active noise cancellation contributed to a serene cabin environment, rivaling luxury vehicles in terms of ride quality. Despite its size and weight, the Enclave delivered impressive acceleration and a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid combined a 3.6-liter V6 engine with a 16-kWh battery and two electric motors, offering 260 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque. As the only plug-in hybrid minivan available, it provided an EPA-rated 32 miles of all-electric range and 82 MPGe. In real-world testing, the Pacifica Hybrid exceeded these estimates, achieving 33 miles of electric range and over 550 miles of total range. However, the vehicle defaulted to all-electric mode first, which could deplete the battery quickly on highway commutes. The Pacifica Hybrid was FWD only and lacked a towing package, but it offered a smooth driving experience with a continuously variable automatic transmission and a lower center of gravity for improved handling.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered a spacious and comfortable interior, with easy ingress and egress and excellent visibility. The cabin accommodated six full-size adults comfortably, with ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in all three rows. The Enclave's second-row captain's chairs provided easy access to the third row, and the power-folding third-row seats allowed for versatile cargo configurations. With 23.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and up to 97.4 cubic feet with all seats folded, the Enclave offered generous storage capacity.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured a practical and family-friendly interior, with available FamCam technology for monitoring rear-seat passengers. The front seats were heated and cooled, and the driver's seat was easily adjustable. While the second-row seats were comfortable, taller passengers might find them a bit low. The Pacifica Hybrid's cargo space was impressive, with 32.3 cubic feet behind the third row and up to 140.5 cubic feet with all seats folded. However, the plug-in hybrid model lacked the Stow 'n Go seats and built-in vacuum cleaner found in the standard Pacifica.

The 2022 Buick Enclave came equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation and a 10-speaker Bose audio system. The Enclave's infotainment system supported up to 10 paired devices and included a built-in WiFi hotspot. Additional features included a following-distance indicator, HD rear vision camera, and Teen Driver technology. The Avenir trim offered advanced features like adaptive cruise control, head-up display, and HD surround vision.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Uconnect 5, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and Bluetooth connectivity for two phones. The optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10-inch screens for second-row passengers, with streaming capabilities through Amazon Fire TV. The Pacifica Hybrid included multiple USB ports, 12-volt outlets, and wireless charging, ensuring devices remained charged throughout the journey.

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

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid offered standard safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Additional features like parallel parking assist required an upgrade. The 2022 Pacifica received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings from the IIHS, with some areas marked as "Marginal" or "Average."