2022 Buick Enclave vs 2023 Mazda CX-50

The 2022 Buick Enclave represented a significant shift in Buick's design philosophy. Historically, Buick's designs were conservative, with softer lines and functional interiors catering to an older demographic focused on comfort and tradition. However, over the past 15 years, Buick transitioned from a sedan-heavy lineup to an all-SUV portfolio, reflecting broader market trends. The Enclave, introduced in 2008 and redesigned in 2018, became a flagship model, offering a blend of style and functionality. The 2022 mid-cycle refresh brought new exterior enhancements, including a redesigned grille, fascias, headlamps, taillamps, and wheel designs. The Avenir trim level featured unique styling elements and 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave received a restyled center console with push-button gears and upgraded materials, with the Avenir trim offering climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and unique trim and seat stitching.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 showcased Mazda's signature styling with a blunt nose, long hood, and rakish windshield, exuding a subtle seductiveness. However, it also introduced a ruggedness with blistered and boxed fender swells, lower body cladding, and fake skid plates. The CX-50's design elements, including a black grille, mirror caps, and available 20-inch wheels, created an appealing look. The upcoming CX-50 Meridian Edition promised exclusive wheels, all-terrain tires, splash guards, and a roof-mounted load platform. The CX-50 offered two engine options: a 187-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder and a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder producing up to 256 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque. The top-of-the-line CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus featured black leather with caramel-colored accent stitching, a driver-focused design, quality materials, and polished metallic trim. Despite a few design quirks, the CX-50's interior and exterior were well-received.

The 2022 Buick Enclave kept things simple with a single powertrain option: a 3.6-liter V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, delivering 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available on all trims. The Enclave's maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. Known for its quiet and smooth ride, the Enclave excelled in providing a premium driving experience. The Avenir Technology package, with its premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping, enhanced the ride quality. The Enclave handled well on various terrains, from highways to city streets, and its QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology ensured a serene cabin environment. Despite its size, the Enclave's powertrain was responsive, and the nine-speed automatic transmission performed seamlessly. The Enclave's AWD and 7.5 inches of ground clearance made it capable of handling light off-road trails and wintry conditions.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 offered two engine options. The base 2.5 S model featured a 187-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 186 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. Mazda estimated a combined fuel economy of 27 mpg for this model. For those seeking more power and increased towing capacity, the 2.5 Turbo model was the better choice. It featured a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine producing up to 256 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque on 93-octane fuel, with a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The turbo engine provided smooth acceleration and minimal turbo lag. The CX-50 offered various drive modes, including Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Towing, with G-Vectoring Control technology ensuring natural vehicle behavior. The CX-50's ride quality was slightly firmer than the CX-5, and it exhibited some torque steer during tight turns. With 8.6 inches of ground clearance, the CX-50 handled off-road situations well, though it lacked a downhill assist control system. The CX-50's towing capabilities were impressive, with the turbo engine performing well even with a full load.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility thanks to its large windshield and windows. The standard eight-way power driver seat and six-way power front passenger seat, both heated and with power lumbar control, ensured comfort. Premium and Avenir trims added four-way power lumbar with massage and heated second-row seats. The Enclave's spacious cabin accommodated passengers comfortably in all three rows, with ample headroom, legroom, hip room, and shoulder room. The third row was suitable for six-footers, and the second-row captain's chairs made access easy. The restyled center console featured push-button transmission gears and a covered compartment with cupholders. The Enclave offered 23.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 57.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 97.4 cubic feet with both rows folded. Power-folding third-row seats added convenience.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50's interior featured power-adjustable heated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, heated side mirrors, and heated windshield wipers. Ventilated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control provided comfort. The driver and front passenger seats were comfortable for long drives, though they could use more side bolstering. The back seat was roomy, with rear air vents and charging ports. The rear doors opened to nearly 90 degrees, making entry and exit easy. Storage space was adequate, though some opportunities for additional storage were missed. The available smartphone charger was conveniently located under the center armrest. The CX-50 offered 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, with a long load floor but narrow space between the wheel wells. Maximum cargo space was 56.3 cubic feet, slightly less than the CX-5 due to the CX-50's lower roofline.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, with Premium and Avenir trims getting an 8-inch reconfigurable version. The Essence trim included an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The infotainment system could pair up to 10 devices, with two smartphones active simultaneously, and a built-in WiFi hotspot supported up to four devices. The system was user-friendly, though some graphics appeared dated. The Premium and Avenir trims featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system, which was superior to the standard six-speaker system. The Enclave also included a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM 360L and six USB ports. Notable available features included adaptive cruise control, head-up display, rain-sensing wipers, hitch guidance with hitch view, a digital rear camera mirror, and HD surround vision.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 came with a Mazda Connect infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and Mazda Connected Services, which provided access to a WiFi hotspot, remote engine starting, and automatic collision notification. The base 2.5 S model had an 8.8-inch display, while other trims included a larger 10.25-inch display. Historically, Mazda Connect did not offer touchscreen control, relying on center console buttons, steering wheel controls, and voice recognition. However, the 2023 CX-50 introduced touchscreen control for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The available 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround-sound system provided a satisfying audio experience. The CX-50 also offered an Active Driving Display (head-up display) that projected key information within the driver's line of sight, including blind-spot warnings.

The 2022 Buick Enclave saw significant updates to its driver-assist and safety tech. The Buick Driver Confidence Plus package became standard on all Enclaves, including features like automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-change alert with blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-keeping assistance with lane-departure warning, rear park assist, following-distance indicator, and automatic high-beam headlights. Other standard safety items included a Safety Alert driver's seat, rear-seat reminder system, and HD reversing camera. Premium trim added enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, surround-view camera, head-up display, and rear pedestrian alert. The Enclave received a four-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests, with an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 was expected to perform well in safety tests, similar to other Mazda models. It came with a generous standard package of driving assistance systems, with additional features available on the CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus. Exclusive features on this trim included Traffic Jam Assist, active blind-spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors with reverse automatic braking, and a surround-view camera system. The surround-view camera and parking sensors were particularly useful. The CX-50's driving assistance systems generally worked well, though the adaptive cruise control occasionally failed to recognize slower vehicles cutting in, requiring manual braking.