2022 Subaru Ascent 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 level, in particular, stood out with its unique grille and 20-inch wheel design. Inside, the Enclave offered a luxurious experience with upgraded materials, a restyled center console, and available heated, cooled, and massaging front seats. The Avenir trim further enhanced comfort with standard climate-controlled front seats and heated second-row captain's chairs.

In contrast, the 2022 Subaru Ascent introduced a sporty Onyx Edition trim, characterized by blacked-out exterior trim and badges, black 20-inch aluminum wheels, and a unique grille design. The interior featured water-repellant StarTex synthetic leather seats in a gray two-tone scheme, complemented by metallic trim on the dashboard and door panels. While the Ascent's styling was sporty, the StarTex material had a tendency to trap sweat, which could be uncomfortable on hot days. Despite this, the Ascent's interior was practical, with a focus on functionality and ease of use, making it a suitable choice for families.

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. 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. Known for its quiet and smooth ride, the Enclave excelled in providing a premium driving experience, thanks to features like the Avenir Technology package, which included a premium ride suspension and real-time chassis damping. The Enclave's powertrain was surprisingly responsive, offering good acceleration despite its size and weight.

The 2022 Subaru Ascent, on the other hand, came with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. It featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive. The Ascent's fuel economy was rated at 22 mpg combined, with our testing averaging 20.5 mpg. The Ascent's flat-four engine layout contributed to a lower center of gravity, enhancing handling. The CVT was well-tuned, offering eight programmed ratios and manual shift control. The Ascent's off-road capabilities were bolstered by Subaru's X-Mode traction control system, hill descent control, and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, making it more capable off-road than many competitors.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered a spacious and comfortable interior, with easy ingress and egress and excellent visibility. Standard features included an eight-way power driver seat and six-way power front passenger seat, both heated and with power lumbar control. The Enclave's cabin was roomy, accommodating six full-size adults comfortably, with second-row captain's chairs providing easy access to the third row. The Enclave also boasted ample cargo space, with 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a generous 97.4 cubic feet with both rows down.

The 2022 Subaru Ascent could seat up to eight people, though the third row was best suited for children. The Ascent's interior was designed for practicality, with features like triple-zone climate control, heated front seats, and a wiper de-icer. Loading the second row was easy, thanks to wide rear doors and available captain's chairs. The Ascent offered 17.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 47.5 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 86.5 cubic feet with both rows down. The power liftgate and additional storage under the floor added to its practicality.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, with Premium and Avenir trims offering an 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 a built-in WiFi hotspot supporting up to four devices. The Premium and Avenir trims also featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system, though it lacked some power.

The 2022 Subaru Ascent's base trim included a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD Radio, and satellite radio. The Premium trim upgraded to an 8-inch display with available Starlink connected services, including a WiFi hotspot. While the Ascent's infotainment system was not the latest version, it was user-friendly, with physical knobs and buttons for easy operation. However, the voice recognition technology needed improvement, and the standard stereo speakers lacked sonic quality. The Touring trim offered additional features like a digital rearview mirror and a 180-degree-view front camera.

The 2022 Buick Enclave made significant strides in safety by making the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package standard on all trims. This package included features like automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-change alert, and more. Additional safety features on higher trims included enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and a surround-view camera. The Enclave received a four-star rating for rollover resistance from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests, with an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.

The 2022 Subaru Ascent earned a "Top Safety Pick+" award from the IIHS and five-star crash-test ratings from the NHTSA, except for a four-star rating in rollover resistance. The Ascent came standard with Subaru's EyeSight driver-assistance technology, which included adaptive cruise control and lane-centering technology. However, EyeSight's performance was affected by direct sunlight, and the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering technology lacked refinement. Additional safety features included steering responsive LED headlights and reverse automatic braking, with blind-spot monitoring available on higher trims.