2022 Buick Enclave vs 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox featured several styling updates, including a new grille, LED headlights, and LED daytime running lights. The grille was more upright and flanked by large fake air intakes, giving the Equinox a chunkier appearance. The headlights were bisected by trim pieces extending from the grille, adding a sleeker look. Despite these changes, the Equinox maintained its car-based crossover identity, avoiding the rugged styling of competitors like the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4. The tall roofline and puffed-up front fascia made it look less car-like than the Ford Escape, striking a balance for some buyers. Inside, the dashboard design was creative, with a touchscreen and large air vents at the center. Materials and fit and finish were decent, with cloth seats standard and perforated leather available. The new RS model added black exterior trim, darkened 19-inch wheels, and a black interior with red stitching, though the interior felt too subdued.

The 2022 Buick Enclave, historically known for its conservative styling, underwent a significant transformation over the past 15 years, shifting from a sedan-heavy lineup to an all-SUV portfolio. The Enclave, a three-row crossover SUV, debuted in 2008 and received a redesign in 2018, moving further upmarket. For 2022, the Enclave received a mid-cycle refresh with new grille, front and rear fascias, headlamps, taillamps, and wheel designs. The top-of-the-line Avenir trim featured unique styling elements and 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave boasted 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. Our test vehicle, an Enclave Avenir with the Technology package, featured Ebony perforated leather seats and a deep red Rich Garnet Metallic exterior. The Avenir trim offered a higher level of luxury, with comfortable seats and a visually appealing interior.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox was powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive optional. The Equinox had more torque than most rivals but less horsepower. In city driving, the turbo-four engine provided good torque for stop-and-go situations, but at higher speeds, the lack of horsepower became apparent, and the engine felt coarse and unresponsive. The automatic transmission's shifts were a bit rough. The Equinox wasn't designed for sporty handling, lacking the solidity and refinement of competitors like the Honda CR-V, though it was decently comfortable on poorly maintained roads.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured 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. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available on all trims. The Enclave's maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. The Enclave provided a smooth, quiet ride, thanks to the optional Avenir Technology package, which included a premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping. The Enclave handled well on various terrains, offering a serene cabin experience with Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology. The powertrain was responsive, with good off-the-line acceleration and a smooth-shifting nine-speed automatic transmission. The Enclave's engine sounds were surprisingly pleasant, adding a touch of personality to the driving experience.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox offered seating for five across two rows, with decent headroom in both rows and good second-row legroom. However, some competitors provided more front-seat legroom, and the lack of a telescoping steering wheel made it difficult to find a comfortable driving position. The Equinox's tall seating position provided an unobstructed forward view, though rear visibility was somewhat hampered by the small rear window. The climate control buttons and knobs were prominently placed below the touchscreen, making them easy to access. The Equinox offered 29.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was near the bottom of the segment. A power liftgate was available, but the Equinox lacked features like a sliding second-row seat or cargo-area storage bins found in competitors.

The 2022 Buick Enclave provided easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility thanks to its large windshield and window openings. The Enclave's cabin was spacious, with plenty of headroom, legroom, hip room, and shoulder room for passengers in all three rows. The third row was comfortable for six-footers, and the standard second-row captain's chairs made access to the third row easy. The restyled center console featured push-button transmission gears and a covered compartment with cupholders. The Enclave offered ample storage, with 23.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 57.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 97.4 cubic feet with both rows folded. Our test vehicle had power-folding third-row seats, making it easy to access the cargo space.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Higher trim levels featured an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument-cluster screen. Navigation and a Bose 7-speaker audio system were available. The 8-inch touchscreen in our test car was responsive and easy to use, with large, smartphone-like menu icons and good screen graphics. The addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a major advantage, as most competitors still required users to plug in. The Equinox offered plenty of USB ports and power outlets, though the center-console slot for phones was too small. Overall, the infotainment system was user-friendly and functional.

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 came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The Enclave's infotainment 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 system was easy to use, though some graphics looked dated. The Premium and Avenir trims featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system, which was superior to the standard six-speaker system but could use more power. Each Enclave came with a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM 360L and six USB ports. 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.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received top "Good" scores in most IIHS crash tests but received a "Marginal" rating in the updated side crash test. It earned the highest "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle situations and the second-tier "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian scenarios. The Equinox received an "Acceptable" score for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA gave the Equinox a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover crash tests. Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, a Safety Alert Seat, and Teen Driver system. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change alert, and a surround-view camera system.

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, 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, the updated side-impact test, for which it received an "Acceptable" score.