Compare the2023 Nissan PathfinderVS 2023 Buick Enclave

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Pathfinder 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.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Pathfinder 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 Nissan Pathfinder 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 Pathfinder’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 Pathfinder and the Enclave have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, front seat center airbag, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Nissan Pathfinder is safer than the Enclave:

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Pathfinder its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Enclave has not been fully tested, yet.

The Pathfinder’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Enclave’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Pathfinder has a standard 760-amp battery. The Enclave’s 730-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

On the EPA test cycle the Pathfinder gets better mileage than the Enclave:

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

The Pathfinder stops shorter than the Enclave:

The Pathfinder’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 Pathfinder’s optional tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Enclave’s optional 55 series tires.

The Pathfinder Platinum handles at .76 G’s, while the Enclave Avenir pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Pathfinder Rock Creek has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Enclave (7.7 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Pathfinder to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Pathfinder is 7.1 inches shorter than the Enclave, making the Pathfinder easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Pathfinder has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Enclave can only carry 7.

The Pathfinder has 3.1 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more third row headroom and 1.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Enclave.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pathfinder’s middle and third row seats recline. The Enclave’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Pathfinder 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 Pathfinder. The Enclave doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Pathfinder’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Enclave’s (3500 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Buick Enclave is only 5000 pounds. The Pathfinder offers up to a 6000 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Pathfinder uses the Vehicle Dynamic 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 Pathfinder’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 Pathfinder’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Enclave’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Pathfinder to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Enclave doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Nissan Pathfinder will be $3886 to $6372 less than for the Buick Enclave.

The Nissan Pathfinder outsold the Buick Enclave by 90% during 2022.