Five Good Reasons to Choose the Encore GX

The industry was shocked when Buick first revealed the 2012 Encore model in 2011. Subcompact crossovers were practically underheard of at the time, much less a luxury model. It certainly wasn’t expected from Buick, which was not exactly the first brand that came to mind at the time for small vehicles. This was, after all, the brand that once sold the Electra 225, where the name itself informed you that it was 225 inches long. As it turned out, Encore pioneered a whole segment of subcompact SUVs while still holding a premium position, particularly when the larger Encore GX replaced it. While more than 50 inches shorter than those Electras, the Encore GX is perfectly sized and designed for many households. Ewing Buick GMC gives you some of the top reasons why.

Great Looks

With the new front end taken directly from the Buick Wildcat concept car, the GX looks as modern as tomorrow. Thin LED daytime running lights and the new modernized Buick logo preside over a high shark nose for a sleek appearance. A chrome-rimmed grille below looks purposeful, while the LED headlights are nestled in the side intakes, almost hidden. The side gives a smooth, clean appearance punctuated by a distinct muscular character line over the rear fender. Overall, the Encore GX looks like what it is: A small yet premium SUV.

Small Footprint, Spacious Cabin

One profile look at the Encore GX makes clear that cabin space was a priority. Front seat passengers enjoy over 41 inches of legroom and 40 inches of headroom. Rear seat numbers are smaller, but not as much as expected, with 38 inches of headroom and 36 inches of rear leg room. Behind the rear seats is 23.5 cubic feet of cargo space, which rises to 50.2 cubic feet when the rear seats are unnecessary. If the front passenger seat is also not occupied, you can fold its seat forward flat to carry an eight-foot-long item with the tailgate closed. 

Efficient Power

The cabin is spacious because the engine doesn’t need much room, but like the interior, the Encore GX powertrains are deceivingly effective. The base model engine is a 1.2-liter turbocharged inline-3, good for 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque that peaks at a low 2.500 rpm. It is paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and together, they are EPA-rated at 30/31/30 for the city, highway, and combined, respectively.

Everything above the base model upgrades to a 1.3-liter turbocharged inline-3. The size may not seem much larger, but the engine’s output bumps up substantially to 155 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque, peaking at an even lower 1,600 rpm. FWD models use the CVT, while AWD models switch to a conventional 9-speed transmission. The larger engine barely affects the fuel mileage, rated at 30 / 29 / 31 for FWD models and 27 / 23 / 28 for AWD models.

Comfortable and Tech-Savvy

The dash is dominated by the single housing for the standard digital driver’s information center and equally standard 11-inch center infotainment touchscreen, which is a substantial increase in size over the 8-inch screen on the 2023 model and the base models of most competing models. Smartphone mirroring from AppleCarPlay and Android Auto is wireless on all models, so you never have to worry about remembering to disconnect from your car before exiting. Wireless charging is also available. 

The base model’s seats are cloth, available in leatherette for the Sport Touring trim and full leather for the Avenir flagship model. Buick’s quiet tuning brings serenity by diminishing engine, road, and wind noise and makes the Encore GX feel like a larger vehicle.

Safety and Driver Assist Features 

Although it is a smaller SUV, it doesn’t mean Buick didn’t have room for safety and driver-assist technology:

• Forward Collision Alert 
• Front Pedestrian Braking 
• Automatic Emergency Braking 
• Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning c
• Following Distance Indicator – Helps you maintain a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead.
• IntelliBeam Auto High Beams – Automatically activates your high beams in the dark and alone on the road and dims them when approaching vehicles are detected. 

Available are features such as:

• Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Adaptive Cruise Control

Those are the top five reasons, but you will find more during your visit to Ewing Buick GMC, where we have a wide selection of Encore GX models to test drive. For many couples and young families, the Encore GS is all the vehicle they need while providing a notable bit of luxury reward every time they drive. For others, this will be a comfortable second car.