2022 Land Rover Defender vs 2021 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Buick Enclave harkened back to the brand's glory days with its large, shiny, and impressive design. After a period of decline, Buick found its footing by offering globally sourced and rebadged GM vehicles. The Enclave stood out as the largest of Buick's SUV lineup, offering a luxurious and spacious interior that appealed to consumers' preference for SUVs. In Canada, the Enclave was available in Essence, Premium, and Avenir trims, with prices ranging from just over $48,000 to $62,000, excluding destination charges. The Avenir trim added a touch of elegance with a unique grille, brightwork, and polished 20-inch wheels, while the interior featured upscale materials and a minimalist design.

In contrast, the 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its distinctive boxy profile, reminiscent of the original version and classic Series Land Rovers. Despite its retro styling, the Defender was a thoroughly modern vehicle with aerodynamic rounded corners and recessed LED headlights. The interior was designed to emphasize the Defender's rugged character, with a mix of leather and suede upholstery and exposed metal elements. The Defender offered a more comfortable driving position and generous interior space compared to its predecessor, making it a practical choice for both on-road and off-road adventures.

Under the hood, the 2021 Buick Enclave featured a 3.6-litre V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain delivered 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, providing strong acceleration and a towing capacity of up to 2,268 kilograms. The Enclave's suspension offered a smooth ride across various driving conditions, and its fuel efficiency was rated at 11.2 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. The Avenir trim came with a premium-tuned suspension and advanced safety features, enhancing the overall driving experience.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered a range of powertrains, including a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower, a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid with 395 horsepower, and a new 518-horsepower V8 engine. The V8 model could accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and featured unique suspension tuning for sportier handling. Despite its off-road capabilities, the Defender provided a comfortable on-road experience, with a suspension that absorbed bumps effectively and minimized noise from the large tires. The Defender's 4WD system and optional Terrain Response 2 system ensured it lived up to Land Rover's off-road reputation.

The 2021 Buick Enclave was one of the largest SUVs in its class, offering spacious seating for up to seven passengers. The Avenir trim featured luxurious amenities such as power-adjustable and massaging front seats, heated and ventilated leather upholstery, and a power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. The Enclave's cargo space was impressive, with 668 litres behind the third row, 1,642 litres with the third row folded, and a maximum of 2,764 litres with the second row down.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered versatile seating configurations, with the two-door Defender 90 providing 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats and the four-door Defender 110 available in two-row and three-row setups. The Defender 110's cargo space ranged from 160 litres with all seats in place to 1,875 litres with the rear seats folded. The interior design emphasized functionality, with a large centre-console storage bin and optional refrigeration. The Defender also offered optional roof racks and cargo boxes for additional storage.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's infotainment system met basic expectations, with features like Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. However, the 8-inch touchscreen and 10-speaker Bose sound system fell short compared to competitors. The Avenir trim offered upgrades like a premium sound system, navigation, and a surround-view camera system. A unique feature was the rear camera mirror, providing a live video view of what's behind the vehicle.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with the Pivi Pro infotainment system, featuring a 10-inch central touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster was standard on most trims, and an 11.4-inch touchscreen was newly available. The interface was user-friendly, though the screen required a firm touch. The Defender offered a surround-view camera system, a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, and a head-up display as optional features.

The 2021 Buick Enclave's safety features were limited to higher trims, with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert standard in Canada. The Driver Confidence Plus Package, available on Premium and Avenir trims, included forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and automatic emergency braking. The Enclave received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, though its frontal-impact protection was rated four stars.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender included standard driver-assist features like lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. Adaptive cruise control was optional. While the Defender lacked safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, it was not uncommon for luxury vehicles to be unrated by these organizations.