2022 Honda Odyssey vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that offered practicality and style, appealing to families who valued convenience. Its design featured kinked sliding doors and dramatic character lines, giving it a distinctive look. The Elite trim level, with its dark gray 19-inch aluminum wheels, topped the lineup, which included the LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring trims. Prices ranged from $33,040 to $48,770, excluding the destination charge. Inside, the Odyssey boasted a classic open-concept design with quality materials and a low console between the front seats, providing ample storage space. The center stack, though cluttered with switchgear, was user-friendly, with commonly used functions placed near the infotainment display. The expansive windshield and small front quarter windows enhanced visibility, making the Odyssey a standout choice for those who wanted to see and be seen.

In contrast, the 2022 Buick Enclave embraced a more conservative yet upscale design, reflecting Buick's shift towards SUVs. The Enclave's exterior received a mid-cycle refresh, featuring a new grille, fascias, and wheel designs. The Avenir trim level stood out with its unique grille and 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave offered a restyled center console with push-button gears and upgraded materials. The Avenir trim included climate-controlled front seats, heated second-row captain's chairs, and unique trim and seat stitching. The Enclave's cabin exuded a sense of luxury, with the Avenir-exclusive seat pattern adding visual appeal. While not reaching the luxury levels of a Cadillac XT6, the Enclave's materials and comfort features were a cut above, making it an attractive option for those seeking a premium SUV experience.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It was a front-wheel-drive minivan, lacking the all-wheel-drive and hybrid options available in competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica and Toyota Sienna. The Odyssey's EPA fuel economy estimate was 22 mpg in combined driving, which was lower than the hybrid Sienna's 36 mpg and the plug-in hybrid Pacifica's 30 mpg. Despite this, the Odyssey was enjoyable to drive, offering quick acceleration, responsive handling, and composure on various road types. However, its brakes were prone to heating up during downhill driving, leading to pedal vibration and audible grumbling. This issue was more pronounced when the van was fully loaded, highlighting the need for more heat-resistant brakes.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine with direct injection, delivering 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. It came standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive available on all trims. The Enclave's maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. 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 handled various terrains with ease, providing a serene cabin experience thanks to Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology. The powertrain was surprisingly responsive, offering good acceleration for a vehicle of its size. The nine-speed automatic transmission performed seamlessly, and the engine produced pleasant sounds at wide-open throttle, adding a touch of personality to the driving experience.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered easy access with wide-opening doors and a lower ride height compared to most SUVs. Inside, the Odyssey Elite featured quality leather, supportive front seats with power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, and a tri-zone automatic climate control system. Storage space was abundant, with numerous compartments for stashing items. The second-row seats provided ample legroom and could be configured for various needs, thanks to the Magic Slide feature. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, offering good leg support and foot room. Behind the third row, the Odyssey provided 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space, which could be expanded to 88.8 cubic feet by folding the third-row seat. Removing the second-row seats created a massive 144.9 cubic feet of cargo space, though the seats were heavy and challenging to reinstall.

The 2022 Buick Enclave offered easy ingress and egress, with excellent visibility thanks to its large windshield and window openings. The Enclave's cabin was spacious, accommodating passengers comfortably in all three rows. The third row was suitable for adults, and the second-row captain's chairs facilitated access to the rear seats. The restyled center console featured push-button transmission gears, with a covered compartment housing cupholders. The Enclave provided ample cargo space, with 23.6 cubic feet 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 made accessing the cargo space easier, enhancing the Enclave's practicality.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite was equipped with a range of technology features, though its infotainment system lagged behind competitors. Starting with the EX trim, the Odyssey offered an 8-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Navigation and HondaLink connected services were available on the Touring trim. The Odyssey Touring and Elite included CabinWatch and CabinTalk technology, allowing the driver to monitor and communicate with rear-seat passengers. The rear-seat entertainment system, standard on Touring trim, featured a 10.2-inch display with media playback options, though it was considered outdated. The Elite trim added an 11-speaker premium audio system and a wireless charging pad. Despite these features, the Odyssey's infotainment system was underwhelming, with a small screen and limited voice command capabilities.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, with Premium and Avenir trims offering a larger 8-inch 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 Enclave's infotainment system supported pairing up to 10 devices, with a built-in WiFi hotspot for 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, though it lacked power for back-seat passengers. The Enclave also included a three-month SiriusXM 360L trial and six USB ports. Notable available features included adaptive cruise control, head-up display, and HD surround vision, enhancing the Enclave's technology offerings.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was well-equipped with safety features, including the standard Honda Sensing suite. This package included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. The Odyssey also featured automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. However, the Honda Sensing system lacked refinement, with occasional false warnings and abrupt responses. The blind-spot monitoring system's warning light was poorly positioned, and its radar coverage was limited. Despite these issues, the Odyssey earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2022 Buick Enclave received significant safety updates, with the Buick Driver Confidence Plus package now standard on all trims. This package included automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-change alert with blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-keeping assistance, and more. Additional standard features 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, and a surround-view camera. The Enclave experienced no false alarms during testing. The NHTSA had not published crash-test ratings for the 2022 Enclave, but it received a four-star rating for rollover resistance. The IIHS awarded the Enclave "Good" ratings in most crash tests, with an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.