2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport 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 appearance. 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 body-colored lowers, adding a touch of elegance. Inside, the Enclave offered a refined cabin with upgraded materials, a restyled center console, and luxurious features like heated, cooled, and massaging front seats. The Avenir trim further elevated the interior with climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and distinctive trim and seat stitching, creating a comfortable and visually appealing environment.

In contrast, the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport embraced a modernist and reductive design philosophy, focusing on clean and simple lines. While it may not have been as flashy as some luxury SUVs, it exuded understated elegance. The test vehicle arrived in Eiger Gray paint with silver 23-inch wheels and a subtle Black Exterior Pack, creating a sophisticated look. Inside, the Range Rover Sport featured a Deep Garnet over Ebony theme with aluminum and shiny black trim, exuding a sense of luxury. The cabin was equipped with comfortable Windsor leather seats, adjustable inboard armrests, and a range of high-end features, including a massage function and a heated steering wheel. Despite its luxurious interior, the rear seat was less accommodating for taller passengers, and the narrow door openings posed challenges for entry and exit.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered a straightforward yet effective powertrain with a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This setup provided a smooth and drama-free ride, with the optional Avenir Technology package enhancing the driving experience through a premium ride suspension and real-time chassis damping. The Enclave's AWD system and 7.5 inches of ground clearance made it capable of handling light off-road trails and wintry conditions. Despite its size, the Enclave surprised with its responsive acceleration and pleasant engine sounds, thanks to Buick's QuietTuning technology.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, on the other hand, offered a range of powertrains, including a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine with mild-hybrid technology. The SE Dynamic model delivered 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, while the SE P360 offered 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Additionally, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain was available, providing 434 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque with an estimated 51 miles of electric driving range. The Range Rover Sport excelled in off-road capabilities, boasting features like adaptive damping air suspension, Dynamic driving mode, and advanced off-road technologies. However, its on-road performance, while refined, didn't match the agility of sport-tuned SUVs from competitors like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.

The 2022 Buick Enclave excelled in providing a spacious and comfortable interior. With its large windshield and window openings, visibility was excellent, and ingress and egress were effortless. The Enclave's cabin offered ample headroom, legroom, hip room, and shoulder room for passengers in all three rows. The third row was surprisingly accommodating for adults, and the standard second-row captain's chairs made access to the rear seats easy. The restyled center console featured push-button transmission gears, and the Enclave provided generous cargo space, with 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row and up to 97.4 cubic feet with all seats folded.

In contrast, the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport maintained its signature Range Rover Command Driving Position, offering a tall and airy feel. The air suspension could kneel for easier entry and exit, and the front seats were comfortable with 20-way power adjustments and heating and ventilation. However, the rear seat was less accommodating, with limited legroom and hard front seatback panels. The cargo area provided 31.9 cubic feet of space, expandable to 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The Range Rover Sport featured thoughtful storage solutions, including a deep bin under the center armrest and a handy contraption to secure smaller items in the cargo hold.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a user-friendly infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation and a 10-speaker Bose audio system. The Enclave's infotainment system allowed pairing of up to 10 devices, with two smartphones active simultaneously. It also offered a built-in WiFi hotspot and a range of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, head-up display, and HD surround vision.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport boasted a 13.7-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with haptic feedback. While it offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and impressive Meridian audio systems, the Pivi Pro infotainment platform proved confusing and frustrating to use. The system struggled with voice commands and failed to provide accurate directions. However, the Range Rover Sport featured advanced noise cancellation technology and a wireless smartphone charging pad.

The 2022 Buick Enclave received significant updates to its safety features, with the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package becoming standard across all trims. This package included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-change alert, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-keeping assistance, and more. The Enclave also featured a Safety Alert driver's seat, rear-seat reminder system, and HD reversing camera. While NHTSA had not published crash-test ratings for the 2022 Enclave, the IIHS awarded it "Good" ratings in most crash tests.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came equipped with a comprehensive suite of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. It also featured automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, and a surround-view camera system with ClearSight Ground View. The adaptive cruise control with steering assist, however, was slow to respond and not as smooth as expected. The steering assist technology struggled on freeway curves, requiring driver intervention.