2021 Jeep Wrangler vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler retained its iconic styling, characterized by circular headlights, a seven-slat grille, exposed bolts and hinges, and protruding bumpers and fenders. Depending on the trim level, the Wrangler could take on different looks with painted or exposed fenders, soft top or hardtop, and other individual styling touches. However, the core elements remained unmistakable, making the Wrangler easily recognizable on the road. Inside, the Wrangler was not built for comfort but for rugged charm. The upright seating position, limited legroom, and manual seat adjustments were all part of its appeal to the right type of driver.

In contrast, the 2022 Buick Enclave offered a more conservative yet refined design. Over the years, Buick transitioned from a sedan-heavy lineup to an all-SUV portfolio, reflecting market trends. The Enclave, a three-row crossover, benefited from a mid-cycle refresh in 2022, featuring new exterior styling elements like a redesigned grille, headlamps, and taillamps. Inside, the Enclave boasted a restyled center console with push-button gears and upgraded materials. The Avenir trim level added unique touches like climate-controlled front seats and heated second-row captain's chairs, enhancing the overall comfort and luxury feel.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler offered a diverse powertrain lineup, including gas, diesel, mild-hybrid, and a powerful Hemi V8. The standard 3.6-liter V6 produced 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, available with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. Other options included a 270-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 with 260 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. The Wrangler also introduced a plug-in hybrid variant, the 4xe, with 275 hp and up to 22 miles of electric range. The Rubicon 392, with its 6.4-liter V8 engine, delivered an impressive 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, turning the Wrangler into an off-road supercar. The Rubicon 392 also featured beefed-up frame-rails, a 2-inch lift with Fox shock absorbers, and upgraded brakes, making it a formidable off-road vehicle.

The 2022 Buick Enclave kept it simple with a single powertrain option: a 3.6-liter V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. The Enclave came standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available on all trims. The SUV's maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. The Enclave's ride quality was enhanced by the optional Avenir Technology package, which included a premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping. This setup provided a smooth and quiet ride, thanks to Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology. The Enclave's powertrain was surprisingly responsive, offering good off-the-line acceleration and a pleasant engine sound.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler offered various top options, including the zipper-less Sunrider soft-top, a premium black cloth soft top, and a classic-looking tan soft top. The Freedom top was a three-piece hardtop with removable panels, available in black or body color. The Rubicon 392 featured the Sky one-touch power top, a power-retractable canvas panel that operated at speeds up to 60 mph. The Wrangler's cabin was functional, with a small center console bin, glovebox, and in-door cargo nets. It also featured drain plugs for easy cleaning. The Wrangler Unlimited provided 31.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 72.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered 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 second-row captain's chairs made accessing the third row easy, and the seats could flip and fold for added versatility. The restyled center console featured push-button transmission gears and a covered compartment with cupholders. 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 for added convenience.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler Sport came with a basic 5-inch screen for radio and vehicle settings. The 7-inch Uconnect screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was optional on the Sport S and standard on other trims. The sharp 8.4-inch Uconnect screen was also available, offering crisp graphics and easy-to-read layouts. The Rubicon 392 featured a color TFT screen in the instrument panel and a clever off-road camera nestled between the front grille slats, providing a clear view of the trail ahead.

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 with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as 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. A built-in WiFi hotspot could handle up to four devices up to 50 feet away. The Premium and Avenir trims also featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system, although it could use a bit more power. The Enclave came with six USB ports, a following-distance indicator, HD rear vision camera, and Teen Driver technology. 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 2021 Jeep Wrangler offered optional modern driver-assistance features like forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, parking sensors, and blind-spot monitoring. However, lane-departure warning was not available. The Wrangler came with a backup camera with dynamic guidelines and a live tire-pressure monitoring system, useful for off-roading.

The 2022 Buick Enclave made significant updates to its driver-assist and safety tech for 2022. The Buick Driver Confidence Plus package became standard on all Enclaves, including features like 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 items 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 Enclave received a four-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests, except for an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.