My FWD model had moments of torque steer because of it generating a rather impressive 174 pound-feet of torque at just 1,600 rpm. Acceleration was more than adequate and there’s plenty of power for fast highway cruising. ![]() The little 1.3L turbocharged three-cylinder delivered better performance than I expected. ![]() Standard safety features on vehicle tested From bottom to top, the three trim levels for an Encore GX are Preferred, Select and Essence.Įncore GX prices compare well to similarly equipped models of competitors like the Audi Q3, Jeep Renegade and Lexus UX. SiriusXM satellite radio will also be standard, while adaptive cruise control will be available in the safety package on the base Preferred trim level. They’ll have a welcome new standard feature: wireless Apple CarPlay, which isn’t available on ’20s. All prices exclude destination charges.Įncore GX prices will only rise about $100 when 2021 model vehicles arrive later this year. It stickered at $28,500 before options, $33,120 as tested. I tested a well-equipped FWD Encore GX Essence with the 1.3L engine and CVT. The Encore GX’s size and price fit neatly between the Encore and Envision in Buick’s lineup. It’s a $395 option on front-drive models and standard on all-wheel-drive GXs, which also get a conventional nine-speed stepped automatic. Prices start at $24,100.Īn optional 1.3L three-cylinder turbo produces 155 hp. That drivetrain is available only with front-wheel drive. The base drivetrain is a 137-horsepower, 1.2L turbocharged three-cylinder engine linked to a continuously variable automatic transmission. At 171.4 inches long, it’s 3 inches longer, with more passenger and cargo space. The Encore GX is bigger than the Encore that’s currently Buick’s top seller. Judging by the Encore GX, which arrived at dealerships in small numbers this year just before coronavirus blew a hole in everybody’s plans, the answer is “at least one more.” ![]() The remaining question is, how many sizes and types of SUV do people want? There will always be customers for sedans, coupes and convertibles, but the heart of the car market has shifted to taller vehicles with decent cargo space, commanding sightlines and available all-wheel drive. Buick bet on SUVs early and big, though it was easy to overlook in the early days when the Encore was the first and only premium subcompact SUV sold in the U.S. The Encore GX completes a transition that began nearly a decade ago, when some farsighted exec recognized the approaching flood of SUVs as a rising tide that could lift a moribund brand. The final piece of the puzzle arrived earlier this year in the 2020 Encore GX, an appealing small SUV sure to become Buick’s best seller in a jiffy. Get used to it, because as the 2021 model year hits its stride, General Motors’ oldest brand no longer has a single traditional car in its lineup. (Mark Phelan/Detroit Free Press/TNS)ĭon’t look now, but Buick is the shape of the auto industry’s future, and that shape is an SUV. The 2020 Buick Encore GX small SUV’s controls include a touch screen, voice recognition, dials and buttons.
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