Before I put myself in the latest edition of Buick’s Encore compact SUV, all of my research revealed that the 125-year-old automaker was moving in a direction of making luxury more attainable. To Buick, going through a rebirth meant bringing features you’d find on more expensive vehicles to a sub-$40k price point.
This is something Buick marketing director Samuel Russell reiterated in our conversation. “It’s about understanding luxury as a value equation versus luxury vehicles having to cost a high amount,” he explained.
So when I picked up my Encore GX in mid-level ST trim, I naturally had somewhat high expectations. The extent of my Buick experience is locked in Americana from the mid-20th century through classic rides and a couple of sedans older relatives had in the late 1990s and early 2000s. What I ended up realizing was that the ways in which Buick is trying to reinvent itself are thin enough that, unfortunately, any half-savvy buyer will see right through them.
An Exterior Worth Mentioning
I will say that Buick’s design team did a satisfactory job elevating the Encore’s outside lines. This isn’t a half-bad small SUV to look over. While the “copper ice metallic” (think muted orange) paint isn’t for everyone, it did suit this sheet metal nicely. This is the type of design Ford probably wishes it had for the EcoSport, given the square footage is identical.
The sliver-thin headlights are appealing, and a gaping mouth grille would allude to the idea that this is something more than an as-tested $35,000 vehicle. For a small footprint, the sightlines are generally good, with no real blind spot. Buick also did a nice job of elevating this AWD-equipped version off the ground just enough to feel capable without venturing into dune buggy territory.
A Forgettable Interior
When I first sat in the Encore GX, what struck me was just how…non-luxurious everything was. There’s a lot of plastic and generally cheap finishes. The seats are narrow and tough. The infotainment system is extremely basic and the center console has laughably small cup holders. I thought turning on some music on my initial drive home might buffer out some of the difference, but even a $500 Bose sound system couldn’t snuff out an unforgivable amount of road noise.
What’s more, the passenger seat has manual seat controls and there’s essentially no climate control beyond standard A/C. Anyone looking for a “luxury” option will certainly find more with similarly-priced vehicles, or something costing just a bit more.
There were more than $5,000 in add-ons in my tester, and the quality and layout of the interior just simply doesn’t warrant that cost. It has that instant “rental car” feel – something you’d drive on vacation, but not something you’d want to spend each day commuting in.
A Further Lack of Utility and Oomph
One of the ways I like to test these compact SUVs is by how much gear I can get in the back. If it can stow my small road bike with both wheels on, plus some other essentials, I call that a win.
The Encore GX couldn’t keep pace where the Honda HR-V I drove earlier in the year excelled. I had to remove my front wheel and that gulped up much of the real estate. There’s just not a lot of rear space, even with the seats folded down. Tall drivers need not apply here – you’re better off with something larger, especially if you plan to spend any time at all in the back seat.
Although the Encore’s push-button AWD system was capable of going up and down some graded gravel, that utility loses all impetus on any sort of regular road. I found myself mashing on the pedal to inspire the 137 horsepower as it gurgled up to highway speeds. Again, it’s not that smooth, alluring ride you’d expect from a marketed “luxury” brand.
Revving that engine also loses any net-benefit gas mileage in a vehicle that already gets below 30 mpg. I noticed that I was burning through fuel somewhat quickly – a feeling that grows more stale as excellent hybrid options emerge across the industry and in this category.
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Underpinning my time with the Encore GX is Buick’s stated ambition to be a fully-electric brand by 2030. Russell was quick to note that Buick participates in 40% of the overall auto segment (since it doesn’t have all vehicle categories, like a pickup, for example), but you have to wonder where a gas-powered small SUV would fit into a future lineup. He said that the Encore could be a potential entry point for new buyers to Buick in the form of either this existing gas vehicle or a future EV, but nothing has been formally confirmed.
He’s also quick to explain that Buick has a vehicle lineup for its “broadest audience in a long time,” but with competition fierce in the compact/subcompact SUV category, I’m inclined to think that the Encore GX is low on the shopping list. There’s just simply not enough here and it’s not priced competitively enough to warrant a serious look.
Buick doesn’t really land anywhere near the stable: The Mazda MX-30 is more fun to drive, the Subaru Impreza and Crosstrek have more overall utility and even within GM’s own portfolio Chevy and GMC have offerings worth a look.
So while a wider swath of buyers might be giving Buick a look for now, the Encore certainly doesn’t feel primed to age well, perhaps getting lost en route to that hopeful EV transition.
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