2023 Ford Escape vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2022 Buick Enclave was a testament to Buick's evolution from conservative styling to a more modern SUV-focused lineup. Historically, Buick's designs were characterized by softer lines and functional interiors, catering to an older demographic prioritizing comfort over cutting-edge aesthetics. However, the Enclave marked a significant shift, reflecting Buick's strategic pivot towards SUVs, a move that aligned with broader market trends. The 2022 model, part of a mid-cycle refresh, featured several exterior enhancements, including a new grille and updated fascias, headlamps, and wheel designs. The Avenir trim, in particular, stood out with its unique styling elements and luxurious interior touches, such as climate-controlled seats and distinctive seat stitching, offering a near-luxury experience.

In contrast, the 2023 Ford Escape embraced a more European design language, moving away from the rugged, boxy aesthetic of its predecessors. The 2023 refresh introduced a more traditional front end with a stylish LED light bar and the Ford logo prominently displayed. The Escape, one of Ford's smaller SUVs, offered a sleek design that rivaled competitors like the Mazda CX-5. Inside, the ST-Line Elite trim featured diamond-stitched leather upholstery, though it felt somewhat hard and plasticky. Despite this, the seats were comfortable, and the interior was designed for durability. The Escape's steering and suspension provided a comfortable ride, making it a practical choice for long drives.

The 2022 Buick Enclave was powered by a 3.6-litre V6 engine, delivering 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque through a nine-speed automatic transmission. In Canada, all trims came standard with all-wheel drive, offering a maximum towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms. The Enclave was renowned for its quiet and smooth ride, enhanced by the Avenir Technology package, which included a premium ride suspension and real-time chassis damping. This setup allowed the Enclave to handle various terrains with ease, providing a serene cabin experience thanks to Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology. The Enclave's powertrain was surprisingly responsive, offering good acceleration despite its size and weight.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered multiple powertrain options, including a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine could be configured with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Higher trims, like the ST-Line Elite, featured a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively with all-wheel drive. While the Escape's suspension was soft and compliant, it provided a comfortable ride over rough roads. The brakes offered predictable stopping power, and the steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness found in some competitors.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility due to its large windows. Standard features included an eight-way power driver seat and six-way power front passenger seat, both heated, with tri-zone climate control. The Enclave's spacious cabin accommodated six adults comfortably, with ample headroom and legroom in all three rows. The second-row captain's chairs provided easy access to the third row, and the restyled centre console featured push-button transmission gears. The Enclave boasted significant cargo space, with 668 litres behind the third row, expanding to 2,758 litres with all seats folded.

The 2023 Ford Escape provided a comfortable interior with supportive seats and well-positioned armrests. The head-up display was adjustable for drivers of different heights. However, the Escape fell short in cargo space compared to some competitors, offering 1,061 litres behind the second row and 1,851 litres with the second row folded. Passenger space was slightly less than some rivals, but the back seat offered good headroom, and the front-seat backs were designed to maximize space for rear passengers.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information centre, with an 8-inch version on higher trims. The Essence trim included an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation and a 10-speaker Bose audio system. The Enclave's infotainment system supported up to 10 devices, with a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. Standard safety features included a following-distance indicator and HD rear vision camera, with additional options like adaptive cruise control and a head-up display available on higher trims.

The 2023 Ford Escape impressed with its Sync 4 technology, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a 13.2-inch screen on higher trims. The larger screen enhanced the cabin's look and offered an intuitive interface with tiles for navigation, music, and Bluetooth pairing. A Wi-Fi hotspot was available with a subscription. The system was easy to navigate, though it was occasionally slow to respond. The Escape offered a standard six-speaker sound system, with a Bang & Olufsen system optional on higher trims.

The 2022 Buick Enclave came standard with the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package, which included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-change alert, and more. Additional features on higher trims included enhanced automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. The Enclave received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with top scores in frontal and side-crash tests. The IIHS awarded it "Good" ratings in most tests, though it received a "Marginal" score in the updated side-impact test. The Escape came standard with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. Co-Pilot360 2.0 added features like adaptive cruise control and lane-centring technology.