2022 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2022 Buick Enclave was a testament to Buick's evolution from conservative styling to a more modern and upscale design. Historically, Buick's designs were characterized by softer lines and functional interiors, catering to an older demographic focused on comfort. However, the Enclave marked a significant shift, reflecting Buick's transition to an SUV-centric lineup. The 2022 model, part of a mid-cycle refresh, featured exterior enhancements like a new grille, updated fascias, and redesigned headlamps and taillamps. The Avenir trim stood out with its unique grille and 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave boasted a restyled centre console, upgraded materials, and available heated and cooled seats, offering a comfortable and visually appealing cabin.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus, on the other hand, presented an attractive and balanced design with enough detailing to give it character. The SUV greeted drivers with a Lincoln Embrace lighting sequence, adding a touch of luxury. The interior featured premium leather upholstery in various colours, creating a decadent atmosphere. However, some elements, like the centre console design, appeared less refined. The Nautilus Reserve, the sole model in Canada, offered a luxurious experience with optional Ultra Comfort 22-way power-adjustable front seats, perfect for long drives. Despite some design shortcomings, the Nautilus provided a comfortable and inviting environment.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered a straightforward powertrain with a 3.6-litre V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. In Canada, all trims came standard with all-wheel drive, and the SUV boasted a maximum towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms. The Enclave was known for its quiet and smooth ride, enhanced by the optional Avenir Technology package, which included a premium ride suspension and real-time chassis damping. The Enclave's powertrain was surprisingly responsive, providing good acceleration despite its size and weight. The nine-speed automatic transmission performed seamlessly, and the QuietTuning technology ensured a serene cabin environment.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus came standard with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. An optional twin-turbocharged 2.7-litre V6 engine offered 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. The Nautilus featured Comfort, Normal, and Sport driving modes, adjusting powertrain behaviour, steering effort, and adaptive suspension. The SUV excelled in comfort and quietness, with the twin-turbo V6 providing impressive performance. The Nautilus averaged 9.4 L/100 km over 1,400 kilometres, showcasing its efficiency. Despite some steering shortcomings, the Nautilus demonstrated grace and athleticism on mountain roads.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility thanks to its large windshield and windows. The interior featured standard eight-way power driver and six-way power front passenger seats, both heated and with power lumbar control. The Enclave's spacious cabin accommodated passengers comfortably in all three rows, with ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room. The second-row captain's chairs provided easy access to the third row, which could comfortably seat six-footers. The restyled centre console incorporated push-button transmission gears, and the Enclave offered generous cargo space, with 668 litres behind the third row and up to 2,758 litres with all seats folded.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus featured a luxurious interior with smooth leather, ambient lighting, and a quiet drive. The front seats were heated and ventilated, with a heated steering wheel. The optional 22-way power front seats offered exceptional comfort, even on long journeys. Rear passengers enjoyed heated outboard seats and air conditioning vents, though legroom was tight for a midsize SUV. Practical storage space was adequate, with a hands-free power liftgate revealing 1,055 litres of cargo space behind the rear seat and up to 1,948 litres with the back seat folded.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information centre, with Premium and Avenir trims offering an 8-inch reconfigurable version. The Essence trim included an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The Enclave's infotainment system supported up to 10 devices, with a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. The Premium and Avenir trims featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system, and the Enclave offered various safety and convenience features, including adaptive cruise control, head-up display, and HD surround vision.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus boasted a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Sync 4 software. Sync 4 provided over-the-air updates, Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The Nautilus also featured a 19-speaker Revel premium audio system, connected navigation, and wireless smartphone charging. The system offered an intuitive user interface, physical stereo and climate controls, and a natural voice recognition system. The Nautilus also included Phone as a Key, allowing smartphones to unlock and start the vehicle.

The 2022 Buick Enclave came standard with the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package, which included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-change alert, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional 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, and a surround-view camera. The Enclave received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings from the IIHS, except for an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.

The 2022 Lincoln Nautilus featured the Lincoln Co-Pilot360 1.0 suite, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Black Label added Co-Pilot360 1.0 Plus, with adaptive cruise control, lane-centring assistance, and a surround-view camera system. The Nautilus received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and was rated a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS.