Compare the2022 Buick EnclaveVS 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L

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 Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Enclave and the Grand Cherokee L 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 Grand Cherokee L has not been tested, yet.

The Enclave’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Grand Cherokee L’s (6 vs. 5 years).

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Enclave has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Grand Cherokee L.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Enclave has a 170-amp alternator. The Grand Cherokee L’s standard 160-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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick 7th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 11th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick fifth in reliability, above the industry average. With 41 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 24th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Buick fourth in reliability. Jeep is ranked 19th.

The Enclave’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 20 more horsepower (310 vs. 290) and 9 lbs.-ft. more torque (266 vs. 257) than the Grand Cherokee L’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Buick Enclave uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Grand Cherokee L with the 5.7 V8 engine requires mid-grade for maximum efficiency, which can cost 5 to 40 cents more per gallon.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Buick Enclave, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Grand Cherokee L.

The Buick Enclave’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Jeep Grand Cherokee L only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Enclave is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than on the Grand Cherokee L.

The Buick Enclave may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 650 pounds less than the Jeep Grand Cherokee L.

The Enclave has 2.8 inches more front headroom, 1.6 inches more front hip room, 3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear hip room, 3.6 inches more rear shoulder room, .3 inches more third row headroom, 3.2 inches more third row legroom, 5.6 inches more third row hip room and 5.4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Grand Cherokee L.

The front step up height for the Enclave is 2.2 inches lower than the Grand Cherokee L (18” vs. 20.2”). The Enclave’s rear step up height is 1.5 inches lower than the Grand Cherokee L’s (18.7” vs. 20.2”).

The Enclave’s cargo area provides more volume than the Grand Cherokee L.

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 Grand Cherokee L’s liftover is 32.2 inches.

The Enclave’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Grand Cherokee L’s standard power windows’ rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Enclave the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Grand Cherokee L can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its extra cost Uconnect Access can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

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 Grand Cherokee L.

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. Wireless charging costs extra on the Grand Cherokee L.