Buick Enclave vs Lexus RX: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Lexus RX burns about $2,100 of fuel annually against $2,650 for the Buick Enclave. That $550 yearly gap compounds to roughly $2,750 over five years and $4,400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Lexus RX leads in both cycles — 37 mpg city and 34 mpg highway against 20 and 27 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Buick Enclave is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (SIDI), the Lexus RX with 4 (SIDI & PFI, SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, SIDI & PFI; PHEV). Across 26 recorded Buick Enclave configurations and 59 for the Lexus RX, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Buick Enclave is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive, the Lexus RX with Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Lexus RX emits 89 g/mile of CO2 versus 387 g/mile for the Buick Enclave. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.