2023 Kia Telluride vs 2022 Buick Enclave

Historically, Buick had a reputation for conservative styling, which focused more on comfort and tradition rather than cutting-edge design. The 2022 Buick Enclave, however, was part of a broader overhaul that began 15 years earlier, where the brand transitioned exclusively to SUVs. This change was clear in the 2022 Enclave’s updated look, which included a new grille, front and rear fascias, headlamps, taillamps, and wheel designs. The top-tier Avenir trim sported a unique grille, body-colored lowers, and specialized 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave featured revamped materials, push-button gears, and a revised center console. The Avenir trim also received climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and unique trim and stitching, making it a step above the rest of the lineup. The Enclave Avenir, though not quite at the level of luxury brands like Cadillac, still offered upscale materials and thoughtful design touches.

The 2023 Kia Telluride was available in the X-Line and X-Pro models, both showcasing fresh front and rear styling. The Telluride introduced new paint colors such as Midnight Lake Blue and Jungle Green, as well as interior color options like Terracotta and Sage Green. The X-Line replaced the Nightfall Edition, featuring a unique grille design, raised suspension, and black 20-inch wheels. The more rugged X-Pro had exclusive 18-inch wheels and all-terrain tires, enhancing its off-road look. Inside, Kia minimalistic updates focused on a digital instrumentation panel and a massive 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, giving the vehicle a futuristic feel. The X-Line and X-Pro trims had their names embossed on the front seatbacks, adding an extra touch of class to the interior.

The 2022 Buick Enclave kept things straightforward with its 3.6-liter V6 engine capable of producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, coupled with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Enclave offered front-wheel drive as standard, with the option for all-wheel drive in all trims. With a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, the Enclave proved versatile for varied driving conditions. The ride quality was one of the Enclave's strong points, thanks to optional premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping. This ensured a smooth and quiet drive across different terrains. Despite the Enclave's substantial weight, its 310 horsepower engine delivered commendable off-the-line acceleration, making it a satisfying vehicle to drive.

On the other hand, the 2023 Kia Telluride featured a 3.8-liter V6 engine, producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Drivers had the flexibility to switch between multiple driving modes such as Eco, Comfort, Smart, Sport, and Snow, with an AWD system that included a low-speed Lock setting for more challenging terrains. During testing, the Telluride X-Line averaged 24.1 mpg and demonstrated remarkable performance on twisty roads and highways alike. The X-Pro, while slightly less fuel-efficient at 20.4 mpg, excelled during off-road testing, thanks to its all-terrain tires and improved cooling system, which increased its towing capacity to 5,500 pounds.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered easy ingress and egress with commendable visibility due to its large windows and windshield. The vehicle featured power-adjustable heated front seats with lumbar control, and on Premium and Avenir trims, the seats also had massage functions. The spacious cabin comfortably seated six adults, with ample room in all three rows. The second-row captain's chairs allowed easy access to the third row, though the levers could be a bit confusing for newcomers. The Enclave boasted a generous cargo area, offering 23.6 cubic feet with all seats up, expanding to 57.7 cubic feet with the third row folded down, and an impressive 97.4 cubic feet with both the rear rows folded. The power-folding third-row seats were a convenient feature that made accessing this space even easier.

The 2023 Kia Telluride provided seating for seven or eight passengers, depending on its second-row configuration. The test models came with premium Nappa leather upholstery and power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front- and second-row captain's chairs. The new power lumbar stabilization system kept drivers comfortable and alert during long trips. The second row was quite comfortable, equipped with manual side-window sunshades, adjustable armrests, USB ports, and overhead climate controls. Entry to the third row was facilitated by a button on the second-row seats. Although the third row couldn’t match the Volkswagen Atlas for legroom, it was still more accommodating than many rivals. The Telluride offered 21 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 46 cubic feet with the third row folded, and up to 87 cubic feet with both rear rows down. The "smart" power tailgate with proximity-sensing and automatic closing functions added practicality to the Telluride’s overall package.

From the driver’s seat of the 2022 Buick Enclave, users interacted with a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, which upgraded to an 8-inch reconfigurable version on higher trims. The Essence trim came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. Up to ten devices could be paired with the Enclave’s infotainment system, with two smartphones active simultaneously. A built-in WiFi hotspot could handle up to four devices up to 50 feet away. While the six-speaker audio system in the Essence was adequate, the enhanced 10-speaker Bose system in Premium and Avenir trims was far superior. However, rear-seat passengers often asked for higher volume. The Enclave also included a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM 360L and equipped each row with two USB ports.

The 2023 Kia Telluride featured a new 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system across all models. It included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, navigation, and Kia Connect services. The voice recognition system performed well but didn’t support climate control commands. The Kia Access smartphone app enabled remote control of some vehicle functions using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and OTA updates maintained the system’s currency. Like the Enclave, the Telluride also allowed pairing of two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. Six USB charging ports distributed power to every row of seats. The Telluride added user-friendly features like Driver Talk and Quiet Mode, allowing easy communication with rear passengers and quick muting of rear speakers. Upgrades included a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, wireless smartphone charging, a Full Display Mirror, and a head-up display with a 10-inch viewing area, which provided various important driving information.

For 2022, Buick significantly improved the Enclave’s safety features, offering the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package as standard on all trims. This included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-change alert with blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assistance, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional standard safety features included a Safety Alert driver's seat, rear-seat reminder system, and HD reversing camera. Premium trims added enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, and rear pedestrian alert. The Enclave hadn’t been crash-tested by the NHTSA but received a four-star rollover rating. The IIHS gave it "Good" ratings in most categories and an "Acceptable" rating in the updated side-impact test.

The 2023 Kia Telluride came with an extensive list of standard safety features, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian and cyclist detection, and a new junction turning system. Additional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. Standard adaptive cruise control had been upgraded to adjust speed based on navigation data. The Telluride also offered Highway Drive Assist 1.5, with Highway Drive Assist 2.0 available on higher trims. The latter added Lane Change Assist and various collision avoidance features. Other standard safety features included automatic high-beam headlights and a driver attention warning system. A Rear Occupant Alert system with ultrasonic sensors was also standard. The Telluride’s systems operated smoothly, providing effective prevention measures. Crash-test ratings were unavailable for the 2023 model at the time of review.