2023 Nissan Pathfinder vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2022 Buick Enclave was a testament to Buick's evolution from its traditionally 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 that valued comfort over cutting-edge aesthetics. However, over the past 15 years, Buick shifted its focus entirely to SUVs, reflecting broader market trends. The Enclave, introduced in 2008, played a pivotal role in this transformation, offering a fresh and appealing design that resonated with both critics and consumers. The 2018 redesign further elevated its status, positioning it as the flagship model in Buick's SUV lineup. The 2022 mid-cycle refresh brought several exterior enhancements, including a new grille and updated fascias, while the Avenir trim added unique styling elements. Inside, the Enclave featured upgraded materials and a restyled centre console, with the Avenir trim offering additional luxury touches like climate-controlled seats and unique stitching.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder, redesigned for the 2022 model year, continued to impress with its blend of traditional and forward-thinking design elements. Its futuristic headlights and angular C-pillar gave it a modern aesthetic that was expected to remain relevant for years. The interior was praised for its clean lines and sensible layout, making it both visually appealing and practical. The Pathfinder offered a range of trims, from the base S to the top-tier Platinum, each with its own set of features. The Rock Creek trim stood out with its rugged styling and off-road capabilities, including an off-road tuned suspension and all-terrain tires. The interior of the Rock Creek featured a dark aesthetic with orange accents, while the exterior boasted a striking forest green paint with bright orange touches. The SL and SL Premium trims added advanced features like ProPILOT Assist and a Bose audio system, while the Platinum trim offered additional luxury with second-row captain's chairs and a digital instrument cluster.

The 2022 Buick Enclave was powered by a 3.6-litre V6 engine, delivering 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 Enclave boasted a maximum towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms (5,000 pounds). Known for its quiet and smooth ride, the Enclave featured Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology, providing a serene cabin experience. The Avenir Technology package further enhanced the ride with a premium suspension and real-time chassis damping, ensuring a comfortable drive across various terrains. Despite its size, the Enclave's powertrain was surprisingly responsive, offering good acceleration and a pleasant engine sound.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder was equipped with a 3.5-litre V6 engine, producing 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. The Rock Creek trim offered a slight power boost, with 295 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. Like the Enclave, the Pathfinder featured a nine-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The Rock Creek trim also included a taller suspension and off-road shocks, enhancing its off-road capabilities. While the off-road tires provided a rougher ride on paved roads, they offered a more comfortable experience on trails. The Pathfinder's engine was smooth and quiet, but the new shifter design was criticized for being unintuitive. The vehicle also featured a rotary drive mode dial with various settings, including an All-Terrain mode for the Rock Creek trim. The Pathfinder's standard towing capacity was 1,587 kilograms (3,500 pounds), but the Rock Creek and other trims (except the base model) could tow up to 2,720 kilograms (6,000 pounds).

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered a spacious and comfortable interior, with easy ingress and egress and excellent visibility. Standard features included an eight-way power driver seat and six-way power front passenger seat, both heated and with power lumbar control. The Enclave's cabin was roomy, accommodating six full-size adults comfortably across its three rows. The second-row captain's chairs provided easy access to the third row, and the seats could flip and fold for added versatility. The restyled centre console featured push-button transmission gears, and the Enclave offered ample cargo space, with 668 litres behind the third row, 1,634 litres with the third row folded, and 2,758 litres with both rows down.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder provided up to 2,279 litres of cargo space with the second and third rows folded flat. With the second row in use, it offered 1,274 litres, and with all seats upright, 470 litres of cargo space. The first two rows provided ample headroom and legroom, while the third row was suitable for shorter trips. The Platinum trim's second-row captain's chairs included a removable centre console, and the seats had quick-release functionality for easy access to the third row. The Pathfinder featured 12 cupholders and four bottle holders, along with plenty of storage compartments. The Rock Creek trim's roof racks were practical, supporting up to 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of cargo.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information centre, with Premium and Avenir trims offering a larger 8-inch version. The Essence trim came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, supporting Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The system could pair up to 10 devices, with two active simultaneously, and included a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. The Premium and Avenir trims also featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system. Standard safety features included a following-distance indicator, HD rear vision camera, and Teen Driver technology. Notable available features included adaptive cruise control, head-up display, and HD surround vision.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with SL, SL Premium, and Platinum trims offering a larger 9-inch version. The system supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and was praised for its ease of use, despite some dated graphics. The Pathfinder included four USB ports, Bluetooth connectivity, satellite radio, voice recognition, and a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot. The SV trim added a third-row USB port, while the SL trim added wireless device charging and a second third-row USB port. The Pathfinder's tech offerings were functional, if not cutting-edge.

The 2022 Buick Enclave made significant strides in safety, with the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package standard on all trims. This included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-change alert with blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, rear park assist, following-distance indicator, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional features on the Premium trim included 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 in most IIHS crash tests.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder offered a comprehensive suite of standard driver-assistance features, including forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, forward and reverse collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, rear parking sensors, driver-attention monitoring, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and ProPilot Assist. The SV trim added front parking sensors and a 360-degree parking monitor, while the SL trim added traffic-sign recognition. The Pathfinder was rated as a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS.