Compare the2022 Buick EnclaveVS 2020 Nissan Pathfinder

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The Enclave’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The Enclave has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Pathfinder SV/SL/Platinum offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Enclave has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Pathfinder SV/SL/Platinum has a cross-path warning system.

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Buick Enclave is safer than the Nissan Pathfinder:

	Enclave	Pathfinder
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	216	337
Neck Injury Risk	15.6%	42%
Neck Stress	198 lbs.	464 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	53/40 lbs.	516/475 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Buick Enclave is safer than the Nissan Pathfinder:

	Enclave	Pathfinder
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	69	114
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
Hip Force	204 lbs.	457 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	41 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	18 inches
HIC	251	338
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	42 G’s
Hip Force	554 lbs.	661 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

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

There are over 84 percent more Buick dealers than there are Nissan dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Enclave’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Enclave has a standard 170-amp alternator. The Pathfinder’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Enclave’s reliability 21 points higher than the Pathfinder.

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 Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick 7th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 13th.

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 Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick fifth in reliability, above the industry average. With 28 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 21st.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Buick fourth in reliability. Nissan is ranked 13th.

Engine

The Enclave’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 26 more horsepower (310 vs. 284) and 7 lbs.-ft. more torque (266 vs. 259) than the Pathfinder’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Enclave AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Pathfinder (21.7 vs. 19.5 gallons).

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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Buick Enclave higher (6 out of 10) than the Nissan Pathfinder (3 to 5). This means the Enclave produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Pathfinder every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Enclave stops shorter than the Pathfinder:

	Enclave	Pathfinder
60 to 0 MPH	130 feet	137 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	141 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Enclave has larger tires than the Pathfinder (255/65R18 vs. 235/65R18).

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

Suspension and Handling

The Enclave offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Pathfinder’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Enclave’s wheelbase is 6.7 inches longer than on the Pathfinder (120.9 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Enclave is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the Pathfinder.

The Enclave Essence handles at .82 G’s, while the Pathfinder Platinum 4x4 pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Enclave Avenir executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Pathfinder Platinum 4x4 (28.4 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 29.2 seconds @ .53 average G’s).

Chassis

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 Pathfinder 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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Enclave has 3.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Pathfinder (157.3 vs. 154).

The Enclave has .4 inches more front headroom, 2.2 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear hip room, 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.8 inches more third row legroom, 6.5 inches more third row hip room and .2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Pathfinder.

The front step up height for the Enclave is 1 inches lower than the Pathfinder (18” vs. 19”). The Enclave’s rear step up height is 2.1 inches lower than the Pathfinder’s (18.7” vs. 20.8”).

Cargo Capacity

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

	Enclave	Pathfinder
Behind Third Seat	23.6 cubic feet	16.2 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	57.7 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	47.4 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	97.4 cubic feet	79.5 cubic feet

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

	Enclave	Pathfinder
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	26.2”/54”/90”	19.2”/43.7”/78.9”
Max Width	52.7”	45.9”
Min Width	48.5”	45.4”
Height	30.8”	31.4”

Pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the Enclave Premium/Avenir’s third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Servicing Ease

The Enclave uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Pathfinder uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Enclave has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The Pathfinder doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

Ergonomics

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 Pathfinder 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 Pathfinder’s parking brake has to released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Enclave and the Pathfinder have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Enclave is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Pathfinder prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Enclave’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Pathfinder’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. The Pathfinder SV/SL/Platinum’s rear windows don’t open automatically.

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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Enclave Avenir’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Pathfinder SV/SL/Platinum’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Consumer Reports rated the Enclave’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Pathfinder’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Enclave has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The automatic headlight on/off feature is not available on the Pathfinder S.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Enclave (except Avenir Technology Package) detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

The Enclave’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Pathfinder and aren’t offered on the Pathfinder S.

The Enclave’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Pathfinder offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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 is only available on the Pathfinder SV/SL/Platinum.

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 Pathfinder.

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 Pathfinder.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Enclave owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Enclave will cost $15 to $2010 less than the Pathfinder over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Enclave is less expensive to operate than the Pathfinder because it costs $236 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Enclave than the Pathfinder, including $45 less for a muffler, $219 less for a starter, $4 less for fuel injection, $5 less for a fuel pump, $57 less for front struts and $170 less for a timing belt/chain.