2021 Volvo XC90 vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2021 Volvo XC90 marked a significant shift in Volvo's design philosophy, maintaining its traditional styling while adding a touch of modern flair. The XC90 retained its boxy profile and blunt front end, but with softer lines and more chrome detailing, it presented a more refined appearance. The LED headlights with "Thor's Hammer" daytime running lights were a distinctive feature that enhanced its character. The interior embraced Swedish minimalism, offering high-quality materials and thoughtful design. The matte-finish wood trim and optional wool upholstery added a unique touch, while the Orrefors crystal shifter provided a hint of luxury, albeit slightly out of place in the otherwise restrained cabin.

In contrast, the 2022 Buick Enclave underwent a transformation to align with the growing SUV market, moving away from its sedan-heavy past. The Enclave's exterior received a mid-cycle refresh, featuring a new grille, updated fascias, and redesigned headlamps and taillamps. The Avenir trim level stood out with its unique grille and 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave boasted a restyled centre console with push-button gears and upgraded materials. The Avenir trim offered climate-controlled front seats and heated second-row captain's chairs, enhancing comfort. The Enclave's spacious cabin accommodated passengers comfortably, with ample headroom and legroom across all three rows.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 offered three powertrains, all centred around a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base T5 model featured a turbocharged engine producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 variant added a supercharger, increasing output to 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, also known as Recharge, combined the T6 engine with electric assist, delivering a total of 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. Despite the impressive power figures, the XC90's small engine struggled with flexibility compared to competitors' six-cylinder or V8 engines. The XC90's ride quality was commendable, aided by an optional air-suspension system, and it offered a maximum towing capacity of 2,250 kilograms.

The 2022 Buick Enclave kept things straightforward with a single powertrain option: a 3.6-litre V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This setup produced 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. The Enclave's all-wheel-drive system was standard in Canada, and it boasted a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms. The Enclave excelled in providing a smooth and quiet ride, thanks to its premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping. The nine-speed automatic transmission performed seamlessly, and the Enclave's powertrain delivered surprising responsiveness for a vehicle of its size. The Enclave's cabin remained serene, benefiting from Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 offered a choice between six-seat or seven-seat configurations, with second-row captain's chairs or a bench seat. While headroom and legroom were average for the segment, the third row felt tight for adults, and the seats lacked support. The XC90's interior featured a power sunroof, enhancing the sense of space, and standard four-zone climate control. However, storage space was limited, with a shallow centre console and minimal storage options. Cargo capacity measured 317 litres with all seats in place, expanding to 1,815 litres with the second and third rows folded.

The 2022 Buick Enclave provided easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility thanks to its large windshield and windows. The Enclave's cabin was spacious, accommodating six full-size adults comfortably. The second-row captain's chairs facilitated access to the third row, and the restyled centre console featured push-button transmission gears. The Enclave offered ample cargo space, with 668 litres behind the third row, expanding to 2,758 litres with both rows folded. The power-folding third-row seats added convenience, and the hands-free liftgate made loading and unloading a breeze.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 featured the Sensus infotainment system, known for its simplicity and functionality. The system included a 9-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. The portrait-oriented touchscreen was intuitive to use, though the text and typeface could be challenging to read while driving. The XC90 also offered a 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system and a head-up display. However, the wireless charging pad was too small for most phones, and the lack of front USB-C ports was a drawback.

The 2022 Buick Enclave came equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. The Premium and Avenir trims added navigation and a 10-speaker Bose audio system. The Enclave's infotainment system allowed pairing of up to 10 devices, with a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. The system's interface was user-friendly, though some graphics appeared dated. The Enclave also featured a range of safety technologies, including adaptive cruise control, head-up display, and HD surround vision, enhancing the driving experience.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 received the highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS for non-hybrid models, with top "Good" scores in all crash tests. It also earned a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle testing. The NHTSA awarded the XC90 a five-star overall safety rating. The XC90 offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control.

The 2022 Buick Enclave introduced the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package as standard, offering a range of safety features such as automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, and lane-keep assist. The Enclave received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests. The Enclave's safety features provided peace of mind, with no false alarms experienced during testing.