2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2022 Buick Enclave represented a significant shift in Buick's design philosophy, moving away from its traditionally conservative styling. This mid-cycle refresh brought several exterior enhancements, including a new grille, updated fascias, and redesigned headlamps and taillamps. The Avenir trim, in particular, stood out with its unique grille and 20-inch wheel design. Inside, the Enclave featured a restyled centre console with push-button gears and upgraded materials, offering a more luxurious feel. The Avenir trim further elevated the interior with standard climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and distinctive seat stitching, providing a comfortable and visually appealing cabin.

In contrast, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC maintained a more evolutionary approach to its design. The GLC 300 was redesigned, sharing a platform with the C-Class sedan, but its changes were subtle, with narrower taillights being the most noticeable update. The interior, however, received a more significant makeover, featuring a large vertical infotainment touchscreen and a tablet-like instrument panel. The GLC's design remained classy and timeless, with excellent materials quality and solid construction. While the GLC Coupe models carried over from the previous year, they retained their distinctive coupe-like roofline, setting them apart from the standard GLC 300.

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, providing 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. Despite its size, the Enclave delivered surprisingly responsive acceleration, and its nine-speed transmission performed seamlessly.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 featured a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, generating 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. It came with a 9-speed automatic transmission and 4Matic all-wheel drive as standard in Canada. The GLC 300 offered smooth acceleration, reaching 100 km/h in approximately 6.2 seconds. While not as lively as some competitors, it provided ample power for highway merging and passing. The GLC's suspension prioritized comfort, delivering a smoother ride than its rivals, and its nearly silent cabin added to the overall driving experience.

The 2022 Buick Enclave excelled in providing a spacious and comfortable interior. With easy ingress and egress, excellent visibility, and standard power-adjustable front seats, it ensured a pleasant driving experience. The Enclave's cabin offered ample room for passengers in all three rows, with the third row accommodating six-footers comfortably. The second-row captain's chairs added versatility, and the restyled centre console with push-button gears improved accessibility. The Enclave also boasted impressive cargo space, with 668 litres behind the third row, expanding to 2,758 litres with all seats folded.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC provided a well-appointed interior with comfortable front seats and synthetic leather upholstery that mimicked genuine hides. The GLC's cabin offered sufficient space for taller passengers in the front, while the rear seats accommodated average adults comfortably. However, headroom was slightly limited for taller occupants. The GLC's cargo capacity measured 620 litres behind the rear seats, which was smaller than some rivals but still adequate for most needs. The GLC Coupe's sloping roofline reduced cargo capacity to 500 litres and impacted rear headroom.

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 came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The Enclave's infotainment system allowed pairing of up to 10 devices, with a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. The Premium and Avenir trims also boasted a 10-speaker Bose audio system, although some users desired more power.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC showcased a new interior layout with an 11.9-inch touchscreen, offering sharp graphics and immediate responses. However, its lower placement on the dash made it more distracting to use. The MBUX infotainment system featured excellent voice recognition, but the lack of physical buttons for audio and climate controls was a drawback. Standard connectivity included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the available Burmester 3D Surround Sound system catered to audio enthusiasts.

The 2022 Buick Enclave made significant strides in safety by making the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package standard on all trims. This package included features like automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-change alert, and more. Additional safety features were available on higher trims, such as adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera. The Enclave received a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA and "Good" ratings from IIHS, except for an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC's crash-test results were not yet available, but it was expected to perform well based on Mercedes' reputation. The GLC 300 came with standard safety features like forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive headlights. The optional Intelligent Drive package added advanced features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist. The GLC Coupe shared similar safety features, with cross-traffic alerts and a surround-view camera as standard.