Compare the2022 Buick EnclaveVS 2021 Lexus GX460

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Enclave are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GX460 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Enclave has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The GX460 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Enclave uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The GX460 uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Enclave and the GX460 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Enclave the rating of “Top Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 213 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GX460 has not been tested, yet.

There are over 8 times as many Buick dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Enclave’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Enclave’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the GX460’s camshafts. If the GX460’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Enclave has a standard 170-amp alternator. The GX460’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are better in initial quality than Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick 7th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is ranked 12th.

The Enclave’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 9 more horsepower (310 vs. 301) than the GX460’s 4.6 DOHC V8.

As tested in Car and Driver the Buick Enclave is faster than the Lexus GX460:

On the EPA test cycle the Enclave AWD gets better fuel mileage than the GX460 (17 city/25 hwy vs. 15 city/19 hwy).

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Enclave’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The GX460 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Buick Enclave uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GX460 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Enclave has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GX460 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Buick Enclave, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the GX460.

The Enclave stops shorter than the GX460:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Enclave offers optional 20-inch wheels. The GX460’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The Enclave has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The GX460 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For superior ride and handling, the Buick Enclave has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Lexus GX460 has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Enclave’s wheelbase is 11.1 inches longer than on the GX460 (120.9 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Enclave is 4.9 inches wider in the front and 4.6 inches wider in the rear than on the GX460.

The Enclave Essence handles at .82 G’s, while the GX460 pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Enclave’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the GX460’s (39 feet vs. 41.1 feet).

The Buick Enclave may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 750 pounds less than the Lexus GX460.

Unibody construction lowers the Enclave’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The GX460 uses body-on-frame design instead.

The front grille of the Enclave uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The GX460 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Enclave uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The GX460 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Enclave Essence is quieter than the GX460 (38 vs. 43 dB).

The Enclave has 27.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the GX460 (157.3 vs. 129.7).

The Enclave has 4.6 inches more front headroom, 2.5 inches more front hip room, 6.8 inches more front shoulder room, 4.2 inches more rear legroom, 2.5 inches more rear hip room, 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.4 inches more third row headroom, 4.2 inches more third row legroom, 5.4 inches more third row hip room and 2.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the GX460.

The front step up height for the Enclave is 3.7 inches lower than the GX460 (18” vs. 21.7”). The Enclave’s rear step up height is 3.3 inches lower than the GX460’s (18.7” vs. 22”).

The Enclave’s cargo area provides more volume than the GX460.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Enclave easier. The Enclave’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.5 inches, while the GX460’s liftover is 33.8 inches.

The Enclave’s cargo area is larger than the GX460’s in almost every dimension:

The Enclave’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The GX460’s swing out door blocks loading from the passenger’s side.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Enclave’s power cargo door can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The GX460 doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening cargo door.

The Enclave Premium/Avenir has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and tachometer readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The GX460 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Enclave’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The GX460’s parking brake has to released manually.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Enclave’s available exterior PIN entry system. The GX460 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Enclave’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The GX460’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Enclave’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The GX460’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

The Enclave has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the GX460.

The Enclave Premium/Avenir has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the GX460.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Buick Enclave has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The GX460 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Enclave is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The GX460 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Enclave owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Enclave will cost $315 to $1175 less than the GX460 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Enclave is less expensive to operate than the GX460 because typical repairs cost much less on the Enclave than the GX460, including $123 less for a muffler, $385 less for a starter, $8 less for fuel injection, $8 less for a fuel pump and $462 less for a timing belt/chain.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Buick Enclave will be $4845 to $8183 less than for the Lexus GX460.