Buick Encore GX crossover SUV bridges the generations
I’ve always had a fondness for the Buick brand, even though my generation only saw them as vessels for AARP cardholders. The cliché of “Grandma’s Buick” was burned into the mind of anyone born during the 1990s. The brand nevertheless has survived economic recessions and a Werther’s Original hard candy reputation without losing sight of why people like Buicks.
The 2024 Encore GX, the smallest in the Buick lineup, serves as the gate greeter to attract and introduce young car buyers to the brand.
With a reasonable price and attractive styling, the Buick
Encore is a suitable option for people looking for a luxurytype compact crossover. Moreover, Buick did not make the mistake of trying to “look young” to attract a younger audience. Instead, they built a sincerely comfortable SUV with practical features while focusing on the one key luxury aspect: space! Anyone with memories of riding in the marshmallowy seats of a Buick sedan can agree that this brand understands comfort.
For 2024, Buick tweaked the styling on the Encore with a sleek, narrow set of headlights sporting the brand’s updated Tri-Shield logo that could stare down Clint Eastwood. It’s a rather handsome crossover SUV with sculpted bodylines that add some definition to an otherwise bland profile.
This top tier Encore GX Avenir hosts all the goodies. A leather interior, heated front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and adjustable lumbar support. Its combination of Ocean Blue metallic with Whisper Beige upholstery was a refreshing visual in today’s modern sea of gray, white and silver-painted traffic. The Avenir trim level also sets itself apart with 19-inch Pearl Nickel aluminum wheels and a Hollywood smile front grille.
Jesus Garcia
The interior features a 19inch curved digital dashboard housing the infotainment screen and instrument gauges. Stepping inside the spacious and minimalist interior gave me a nostalgic feeling for the bench seat lounges of 20thcentury sedans. Interior cargo space is further amplified by the rear and passenger seats folding flat, providing the necessary room to haul the bounty from your local visit to Costco or IKEA. The available 7speaker Bose audio system fills the air with whatever ambient noise you desire, unless you prefer to travel in silence. In that case, the Encore’s cabin cancels out the noises of the outside world.
Driving impressions are what you’d expect from a vehicle like this. It won’t make your hair stand on end or provoke a surge of adrenaline. But it will cradle you in its soft seats and numb but effortless steering. Its small size makes navigating urban congestion a breeze with modern tech to aid you, like blind spot detection, forward collision alerts, automatic emergency braking and a safety setting for teen drivers.
Surprisingly, the Buick Encore has two engine options, depending on trim level. Entry level models feature a turbocharged 1.2L three-cylinder*
engine developing 137 horsepower and managed by a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Higher trim Encores and all-wheel drive variants receive a turbocharged 1.3L four-cylinder engine making 155 hp and 174 pounds-feet of torque with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Both engines won’t launch off the line when you feed it a boot full of throttle but they are plentiful enough to surf through city traffic while averaging 31 mpg.
The 2024 Buick Encore price starts at the $25,000 benchmark, and the Avenir trim with options stays well under $40,000. While its German competitors may offer a more premium aesthetic, they can’t match the Encore’s attractively low price point. With good fuel economy, a plush ride and ample interior room, the Buick Encore hits the right marks for relevancy.