Compare the2023 Lexus GXVS 2023 Buick Enclave

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Buick Enclave doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The GX’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Enclave doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Buick Enclave doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

The Lexus GX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Enclave doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The GX has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Enclave doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GX. But it costs extra on the Enclave.

The GX’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Enclave doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GX and the Enclave have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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.

The Lexus GX weighs 441 to 833 pounds more than the Buick Enclave. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The GX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Enclave’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the GX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Buick covers the Enclave. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Enclave ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The GX’s 6 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Enclave runs out after 100,000 miles.

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 GX’s reliability 75 points higher than the Enclave.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GX second among midsize premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Enclave isn’t in the top three in its category.

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

The GX’s 4.6 DOHC V8 produces 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (329 vs. 266) than the Enclave’s 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lexus GX is faster than the Buick Enclave:

The GX has 3.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Enclave FWD’s standard fuel tank (23 vs. 19.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The GX has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Enclave AWD’s standard fuel tank (23 vs. 21.7 gallons).

For better stopping power the GX’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Enclave:

The GX stops much shorter than the Enclave:

For better traction, the GX has larger tires than the Enclave (265/60R18 vs. 255/65R18).

The GX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Enclave’s standard 65 series tires.

The GX has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Enclave; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The GX has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Enclave doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The GX 460 Luxury has a standard automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Enclave doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The GX’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Enclave’s (57% to 43%). This gives the GX more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the GX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Enclave (8.1 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the GX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The GX is 1 foot shorter than the Enclave, making the GX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the GX is quieter than the Enclave Essence (73 vs. 78 dB).

The GX has .5 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more rear headroom than the Enclave.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GX’s middle seats and third row seats (except Base/Black Line Edition) recline. The Enclave’s third row seats don’t recline.

The GX has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Enclave doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the GX. The Enclave doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The GX’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the right swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Enclave’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The GX’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Enclave’s (6500 vs. 1500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the GX uses the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Enclave doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The engine in the GX is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Enclave. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Buick. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 25% lower rating, Buick is ranked fifth.

The GX’s front and rear power windows all open or close 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 Enclave’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

The GX has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Enclave doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The GX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Enclave doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the GX offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Enclave doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The GX will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the GX will retain 46.1% to 47.91% of its original price after five years, while the Enclave only retains 43.19% to 43.97%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GX is less expensive to operate than the Enclave because it costs $391 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the GX than the Enclave, including $216 less for a water pump, $154 less for front brake pads, $37 less for front struts and $49 less for a power steering pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus GX, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Buick Enclave isn't recommended.