Buick Encore GX Comes to the U.S.: Comments

[Drew Dowdell]

Los Angeles - Buick introduced the Buick Encore GX to the U.S. at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The Encore GX is Buick's 4th entry into the crossover segment and sits slightly above the Encore in size and price.  The Encore GX will come with a host of standard safety features such as: 

• Forward Collision Alert
• Automatic Emergency Braking
• Front Pedestrian Braking
• Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
• Following Distance Indicator
• IntelliBeam headlamps with automatically-adjusting high/low beams

Available safety features depending on trim level will include: 

• Rear Park Assist
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert
• Rear Camera Mirror, provides a wide, less obstructed rear view while parking and driving
• Hands-Free Power Liftgate with logo projection, one of only two vehicles within the compact SUV segment to offer this feature
• Adaptive Cruise Control – Camera (camera-based)
• Head-Up Display
• Automatic Parking Assist with Braking
• High Definition Surround Vision camera system

The Encore will be powered either by a 1.2-liter Turbocharged or an up level 1.3-liter turbocharged engine.  In front wheel drive versions, both engines will send power to the wheels via a continuously variable transmission. All-wheel drive models get the 1.3-liter engine and a 9-speed automatic. AWD will also be driver selectable allowing for better traction or better fuel economy depending on driving conditions.  The top engine will produce an estimated 155-horspower and 174 lb.-ft of torque with a GM estimated 31 mpg highway rating. 

The Buick Encore GX goes on sale early 2020

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[David]

Love that Seattle View, Great Park to visit and just relax with someone special while taking in the view!

[smk4565]

I love uplevel 1.3 liter 3 cylinder engines!

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

I love uplevel 1.3 liter 3 cylinder engines!

Wasn’t it Mercedes that asked Ford for help on a three cylinder engine not so long ago, before abandoning it? It was destined for the A and B class I believe. 
 

Having said that, I would not touch a three cylinder engine with a ten foot pole. Best of luck with that Buick. 

[Robert Hall]

I wonder if the 3 cyl will turn up in Chevy models in the US eventually..

 

Edit: the new Trailblazer will have the same engines it sounds like. 

Edited November 21, 2019 by Robert Hall

[smk4565]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

I wonder if the 3 cyl will turn up in Chevy models in the US eventually..

Probably as the new engine in the Malibu so sales drop low enough to justify killing it off.  Then they'll replace it with another SUV.

[riviera74]

Better question: given all this Active Safety stuff in the Encore GX, when is that going to the rest of the Buick CUV line?  The Envision and especially the Enclave could use it.

As for the three cylinder engines, it is sad but count on it in the smaller Chevy CUVs within a year or so.

[ocnblu]

Oh there are plenty of Chinese language videos over onto the YouTube for the new Trailblazer... and yes... engine options appear to be shared between Chevy and Buick.

[Robert Hall]

47 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

 

As for the three cylinder engines, it is sad but count on it in the smaller Chevy CUVs within a year or so

Yes, the new Trailblazer will have these engines. 

1 minute ago, ocnblu said:

Oh there are plenty of Chinese language videos over onto the YouTube for the new Trailblazer... and yes... engine options appear to be shared between Chevy and Buick.

I read a Car & Driver article..the TB has the same engines as the Ency GX. 

Edited November 21, 2019 by Robert Hall

[regfootball]

I really like this little rig but TBH it would be fun to see something like a 1.8 turbo in this thing.  1.2 and 1.3 is really just too small.  This will help populate Buick showrooms again and they can either make bank on these for profit or flip right wads to the encore for volume.  This GX looks so much nicer than the Envision.  

Edited November 21, 2019 by regfootball

[ccap41]

31 mpg highway? That seems like super weak sauce. 

[USA-1]

A 3 banger is a ridiculously weak offering the 1.5L I4 would have been sufficient with similar mpg's.

[Drew Dowdell]

I'm sure it has something to do with Chinese displacement tax or something. 

That said, the Ford 1.0 Ecoboost in the Fiesta?Focus?  one of them... wasn't bad at all... it should have been the standard engine instead of a buy up engine. I think the CVT is a bigger killer than the 3-cylinder. At least a 9-speed auto is available. 

 

[Paolino]

These powertrains are killing me.

[ocnblu]

I want to try one out.  The power figures are pretty good.  Better than the 1.4t in the Trax, and it has larger displacement and one extra cylinder.