2022 Cadillac XT5 vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 featured a design that balanced between the sharp, futuristic lines of the Lexus NX and the more traditional aesthetics of the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class. It incorporated Cadillac’s signature design elements, such as a bold grille, distinctive daytime running lights, and vertical taillights reminiscent of classic Cadillacs. However, this combination created an awkward mix with the XT5’s compact size and tall profile, making it unmistakably a Cadillac, but not a particularly graceful one.

The XT5’s trim levels, Premium Luxury and Sport, offered slightly different exterior styling to give each model a unique personality. The Premium Luxury trim featured bright chrome accents, while the Sport trim had darker trim and a mesh grille. Standard 18-inch alloy wheels were included on the Luxury and Premium Luxury models, with 20-inch wheels standard on the Sport model. The interior of our test car felt luxurious, largely due to the optional Platinum Package, which added semi-aniline leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped instrument panel, and a microfiber sueded headliner. Without this package, it was unclear if the XT5 met luxury standards. The interior design lacked a strong theme, unlike competitors such as the Volvo XC60 or Lincoln Corsair, and did not have brand-specific markers to remind occupants they were in a Cadillac.

The 2022 Buick Enclave, on the other hand, had a more conservative approach to styling, with softer character lines and simple, functional interiors. This design philosophy reflected Buick’s traditionally older customer base, which prioritized comfort and tradition over cutting-edge design. 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, replaced older models and helped revitalize the Buick brand. A 2018 redesign moved the Enclave further upmarket, and the 2022 model received a mid-cycle refresh with new exterior styling, including a new grille, front and rear fascias, and updated headlamps and taillamps. The top-of-the-line Avenir trim featured unique styling elements and 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave received a restyled center console with push-button gears and upgraded materials. The Avenir trim included standard climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and unique trim and seat stitching, enhancing the overall comfort and luxury feel.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 offered two engine options. The base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, standard on the Luxury and Premium Luxury trims, produced 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The 3.6-liter V6 engine, standard on the Sport trim and optional on the Premium Luxury trim, delivered 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Our test car, equipped with the optional V6, felt reasonably quick, with smooth and linear power delivery. The nine-speed automatic transmission provided quick and smooth shifts, avoiding the common issue of high-gear selection and delayed downshifts. The optional Platinum Package included a performance suspension with adaptive dampers, which excelled in providing a comfortable and controlled ride. The steering was well-suited to a luxury vehicle, offering a quick ratio for nimbleness without being overly sensitive. The cabin was impressively quiet, enhancing the overall luxury experience.

The 2022 Buick Enclave kept it simple with a single powertrain option: a 3.6-liter V6 engine with direct injection, producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Enclave came standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available on all trims. The SUV had a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.

Our test vehicle, equipped with the optional Avenir Technology package, featured a premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping. This setup provided a smooth and comfortable ride across various terrains, from highways to city streets. The Enclave’s powertrain was surprisingly responsive, offering good off-the-line acceleration despite its size. The nine-speed automatic transmission performed flawlessly, and the engine produced pleasant sounds under wide-open throttle. The Enclave’s cabin was exceptionally quiet, thanks to Buick’s QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology, rivaling more expensive luxury vehicles.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 offered competitive interior space compared to German luxury crossovers. It had more front headroom than the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class but less than the BMW X3. The XT5 also trailed these German competitors in rear headroom but offered more legroom in both rows. However, it had less front legroom than the Lincoln Corsair. The seats were fairly comfortable but could have used more padding, especially in the rear. The XT5 provided 30 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63 cubic feet with them folded, surpassing the Q5, X3, and GLC but falling short of the Infiniti QX50. A hands-free power liftgate was available, and a small cubbyhole below the touchscreen offered additional storage.

The 2022 Buick Enclave excelled in interior space and comfort. Ingress and egress were easy, and visibility was excellent. The Enclave featured standard eight-way power driver and six-way power front passenger seats, both heated and with power lumbar control. Premium and Avenir trims added four-way power lumbar with massage and heated second-row seats. The Enclave’s spacious cabin accommodated passengers comfortably in all three rows, with ample headroom, legroom, hip room, and shoulder room. The second-row captain's chairs made accessing the third row easy, and the seats flipped and folded for added versatility. The restyled center console with push-button gears provided easy access to USB ports and the wireless phone charging pad.

The Enclave offered 23.6 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats up, 57.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 97.4 cubic feet with both rows folded. Our test vehicle featured power-folding third-row seats, making it easy to access the ample cargo space.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came with a standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. An 8-inch digital instrument cluster display and a head-up display were available as part of the optional Technology Package. While the touchscreen was easy to navigate, the array of secondary controls, including a rotary controller and capacitive touchpads, were not ideally placed and lacked physical feedback. The standard eight-speaker Bose audio system was adequate, but our test car’s optional Bose Performance Series 14-speaker system provided excellent sound quality.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, with Premium and Avenir trims getting a larger, 8-inch reconfigurable version. The Essence trim included an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The system could pair up to 10 devices, with two smartphones active simultaneously, and a built-in WiFi hotspot could handle up to four devices up to 50 feet away. The interface was user-friendly, though some graphics appeared dated. The performance-enhanced 10-speaker Bose system in Premium and Avenir trims was superior to the standard six-speaker system but could have used more power.

Each Enclave came with a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM 360L and six USB ports—two in each row. The front-row ports were for charging and data, while the second and third-row ports were charging-only. Notable available features included adaptive cruise control, head-up display, rain-sensing wipers, hitch guidance with hitch view, a digital rear camera mirror, and HD surround vision, all standard on our Avenir test vehicle.

The 2022 Cadillac XT5 came standard with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear park assist, automatic high-beam headlamps, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. The Safety Alert Seat vibrated when a warning system was triggered. An optional Driver Assist Package added adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and rear automatic braking. The Technology Package included rear pedestrian alert, a surround-vision camera system, night vision, and automatic parking assist. Blind-spot monitoring was available, but the XT5 did not offer the advanced Super Cruise driver-assist system.

The XT5 received top “Good” scores in all IIHS crash tests and a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech with optional enhanced automatic emergency braking. However, it received a “Marginal” headlight rating and an “Acceptable” rating for LATCH child seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA awarded the XT5 a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover crash testing.

The 2022 Buick Enclave saw significant updates to its driver-assist and safety tech, with the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package now standard on all trims. 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. Other 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 NHTSA had not published crash-test ratings for the 2022 Enclave at the time of writing, but it received four out of five stars for rollover resistance. The IIHS gave the Enclave the highest-possible "Good" ratings in all but one crash test, where it received an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.