Buick News: 2020 Buick Encore GX Will Get Two Three-Cylinder Engine Offerings

[Drew Dowdell]

When the Buick Encore GX debuted in late May 2019, it was originally reported that it would have a Turbo-4 cylinder with more power than the current Buick Encore.  That turned out to be both true and false.  The engine will be more powerful than the current Encore, however it will be in 3 cylinder form rather than 4-cylinder.  GM Authority uncovered the fleet order guides yesterday and published the stats.

The Buick Encore GX will be offered with a 1.2 liter three-cylinder turbo that produces 137 horsepower at 5000 RPM and 166 lb-ft of torque at 2500 RPM. That is 1 less horsepower but 18 lb-ft more torque than the current base 1.4 liter turbo four. The 1.2-liter will only be available in front-wheel drive trims and paired only with a CVT.

The step up engine is a 1.3-liter three-cylinder turbo that produces 155 horsepower at 5600 RPM and 174 lb-ft of torque at 1500 rpm. That compares roughly the same to the offered but not often ordered 1.4-liter direct injected turbo offered in the Encore Sport Touring at 153 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 177 lb-ft at 2000 - 4000 rpm. This engine is offered with a CVT on front-wheel drive models and with a 9-speed automatic on all-wheel drive models. 

The Encore GX is the slightly bigger brother to the Encore, offering five more cubic feet of cargo room.  Built in China, the Encore GX will arrive in dealerships this fall. 

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[ccap41]

The optional 1.3T sounds pretty good for something this size. 

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

The optional 1.3T sounds pretty good for something this size. 

If only it hadn’t been ruined by the CVT in it. Just an absolute deal killer. 

[ccap41]

7 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

If only it hadn’t been ruined by the CVT in it. Just an absolute deal killer. 

Yeah, not ideal but the people buying these likely have no clue and would welcome the no-shift feeling more than the rare instance where an enthusiast like Drew buys one. 

[Drew Dowdell]

17 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

If only it hadn’t been ruined by the CVT in it. Just an absolute deal killer. 

 

9 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Yeah, not ideal but the people buying these likely have no clue and would welcome the no-shift feeling more than the rare instance where an enthusiast like Drew buys one. 

It's only in the FWD models.  The AWD get the 9-speed auto. I assume most of these are sold as AWD. 

[riviera74]

Why put in a CVT in any vehicle? Cost?  Alleged efficiencies?

As for the Encore GX, it should be sold as an AWD companion to the Encore here in the USA.

[Drew Dowdell]

17 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Why put in a CVT in any vehicle? Cost?  Alleged efficiencies?

As for the Encore GX, it should be sold as an AWD companion to the Encore here in the USA.

Cost and efficiency... yes. 

[surreal1272]

47 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Yeah, not ideal but the people buying these likely have no clue and would welcome the no-shift feeling more than the rare instance where an enthusiast like Drew buys one. 

Most of those clueless folks end up trading those in for a CUV with a real transmission, I’m willing to bet, when they realize that merging on the freeway or trying to pass someone is an exercise in futility. 

 

@Drew Dowdell-I’m thinking that it’s the opposite and that FWD models are the bigger sellers because they are far cheaper than their AWD models. Cheaper is the reason for the existence of the CVT anyway. 

[Drew Dowdell]

3 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Yeah, not ideal but the people buying these likely have no clue and would welcome the no-shift feeling more than the rare instance where an enthusiast like Drew buys one. 

Also, to be clear, the Encore was bought for my partner and I was to take the CR-V until we replaced that.  We just never did replace it, we sold it for scrap instead.  I use my Toronado as much as possible as a daily driver now. And then I have that Cruze that mostly just sits there. 

[ccap41]

25 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Also, to be clear, the Encore was bought for my partner and I was to take the CR-V until we replaced that.  We just never did replace it, we sold it for scrap instead.  I use my Toronado as much as possible as a daily driver now. And then I have that Cruze that mostly just sits there. 

Wait, WHAT? You sold the CRV for scrap and have a Cruze? When did this happen? 

[David]

59 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Wait, WHAT? You sold the CRV for scrap and have a Cruze? When did this happen? 

A while back, he posted about it here. Will have to search his posts, but I know he posted about getting ride of the CRV.

[Drew Dowdell]

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

Wait, WHAT? You sold the CRV for scrap and have a Cruze? When did this happen? 

Yeah, back at Thanksgiving time. The brake lines had all rusted out and so had the front subframe holding the engine in. It was going to cost many thousands to fix, so we just sold it for $1000.  My partner's dad had a series of strokes last September and can't drive anymore, so we ended up with his Cruze, with very low mileage for its age, as a second car as soon as the CR-V was gone.  We're probably going to put it on the market soon. 

In other news, I signed the paperwork this afternoon for my rental property to go on the market as well. It's about damn time the agent got around to that. 

[David]

12 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Yeah, back at Thanksgiving time. The brake lines had all rusted out and so had the front subframe holding the engine in. It was going to cost many thousands to fix, so we just sold it for $1000.  My partner's dad had a series of strokes last September and can't drive anymore, so we ended up with his Cruze, with very low mileage for its age, as a second car as soon as the CR-V was gone.  We're probably going to put it on the market soon. 

In other news, I signed the paperwork this afternoon for my rental property to go on the market as well. It's about damn time the agent got around to that. 

Congratulations, I hope all falls in place so you can unload the rental property, sell your existing house and end up in a new house with that CT6 Sport you want!

[smk4565]

The base engine sounds pretty anemic, the optional unit should be okay.   Booo CVT's.

[daves87rs]

Another Buick made in China...

Also heard the gist of those GXs will be high end models anyways...

[ocnblu]

And here I thought tiny turbos were "over", a thing discredited by reality... only here, they're going even further into the realm.  The power figures sound good for the "Stage II" version, but I wonder what a modern, normally aspirated 2.0 would do in its place.

[ccap41]

3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

And here I thought tiny turbos were "over", a thing discredited by reality... only here, they're going even further into the realm.  The power figures sound good for the "Stage II" version, but I wonder what a modern, normally aspirated 2.0 would do in its place.

It would have zero bottom end to mid range, not ideal for a vehicle like this. 

[Drew Dowdell]

I would have liked to see the 1.6T they used in the Cascada in there. 200 hp and 206 lb-ft of torque with an overboost to 221 lb-ft would have moved this along smartly and given it the premium feel it needs to be a Buick. 

[David]

Sad Panda on the 3 banger, not a luxury engine or experience one would want in an auto.

[surreal1272]

These engine choices and numbers are just weak sauce on what is supposed to be a premium level CUV. Congrats Buick, You gave it as much power as the average Kia Soul (which is actually offered with more power if one chooses).

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, dfelt said:

Sad Panda on the 3 banger, not a luxury engine or experience one would want in an auto.

I will never have a three cylinder anything and sure as hell not one with a supposed premium badge on it. Between that and the CVT, it just ruins an otherwise nice looking little CUV. 

[Drew Dowdell]

The only 3 cylinder I would consider is a motorcycle.

[regfootball]

I would have no issue with a 1.5 cylinder, either a three or a four and something outputting similar to the 170/200 in the Terrain.

Rogue Sport, which i see as a competitor to this is kind of the same deal.  Nice attractive package, and paltry engine output.  Rogue sport has pathetic power ratings.  Honestly the optional engine here should be the base considering its a Buick, and there should be an optional mill in that 170/180hp and 200 torque plus range.  Or drop the new 2.0 LSY in it.  OH WAIT they save those big 2.0 engines for XT5's now.

thanks EPA

Edited August 10, 2019 by regfootball

[daves87rs]

12 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I would have liked to see the 1.6T they used in the Cascada in there. 200 hp and 206 lb-ft of torque with an overboost to 221 lb-ft would have moved this along smartly and given it the premium feel it needs to be a Buick. 

Sound  good...could even add maybe a 2.0 turbo and watch how it moves... 🙂 

[riviera74]

If the new Encore GX comes here, it needs the 2.0T instead of the 1.6T simply because the standard Chinese engine will be too weak considering US traffic patterns.

[ocnblu]

Question:  do you have to mix the gas and oil on the new Encore GX?