Real Buick Encore Reviews: Is It Worth It?

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Most small crossovers ask you to accept an unwritten contract: pay less, but live with highway road noise, cheap hard plastics, and cramped back seats. The Buick Encore GX mostly refuses that trade. It parks like an agile hatchback while offering the quiet, planted ride of a larger luxury crossover. Here’s what stands out once you get past the glossy marketing materials and actually drive one.

What You Notice on the Road

Spend ten minutes behind the wheel, and the cabin quietness immediately stands out. Buick uses QuietTuning technology, a combination of sound-deadening insulation and active noise cancellation. It actively neutralizes low-frequency hums and road buzz that typically make long commutes exhausting.

Power comes from a standard 1.3-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine. While a three-cylinder might sound like a cost-cutting compromise on a spec sheet, it delivers impressive punch in stop-and-go city traffic. The turbocharger delivers torque low in the rev range, offering sprightly acceleration off the line while conserving fuel. While highway passing requires a moment of advance planning, the powertrain is remarkably well-calibrated for daily driver demands.

Trim Breakdown and Specifications

Buick keeps the lineup simple with three well-defined variants:

• Preferred: The value-driven entry point comes loaded with standard features, rather than feeling like a bare-bones base version.
• Sport Touring: Adds sporty visual flair, including gloss-black exterior trim, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and a responsive nine-speed automatic transmission.
• Avenir: The top-tier trim offers a premium cabin experience with perforated leather seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, and pearl nickel wheels.

Key technical specifications across all trims:

• Engine: 1.3-liter turbocharged three-cylinder.
• Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive standard; all-wheel drive available on all trims.
• Cargo Volume: 23.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats.
• Seating: 5 passengers with a 40/60 split-folding rear bench.
• Towing: Up to 1,000 pounds with available Trailering Package.

Smart Interior Tech and Daily Cargo

The dashboard features an 11-inch touchscreen paired with an 8-inch digital driver display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, eliminating morning cord-tangled headaches. Importantly, physical climate control knobs remain, so you never have to tap through multi-layered menus just to adjust the fan speed on the move.

Behind the rear seat, 23.5 cubic feet easily swallows grocery runs or sports gear. Folding the 40/60 rear seats opens up extra space, and an available flat-folding front passenger seat allows long items, like lumber or rolled rugs, to extend straight through. At 171 inches long, the Encore GX easily slips into tight parking spots that reject full-sized SUVs.

Standard Driver Safety

The standard Buick Driver Confidence package includes Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Alert, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Following Distance Indicator, and IntelliBeam automatic high beams.

Crucially, all-wheel drive can be paired with any trim level, giving entry-level buyers winter traction without forcing them into expensive top-tier packages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is it family-friendly?

A: Yes, it comfortably seats a family of four with ample trunk space for strollers and luggage.

Q: Can it tow?

A: Up to 1,000 pounds when equipped with the Trailering Package.

Q: What does “GX” mean?

A: Grand Crossover, indicating a roomier, higher-tier model than the original Encore.

Experience the cabin quietness for yourself by scheduling a local test drive today.