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2023 Buick Encore GX

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Make
Buick
Model
Encore GX
Year
2023
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CarsDirect Target Price
$27,195
Expert Rating
2.9

Our expert ratings are based on seven comprehensive criteria: quality, safety, comfort, performance, fuel economy, reliability history and value.

You can interpret our ratings in the following way:

: Outstanding vehicle. Only the most exceptional vehicles achieve this rating.

: Very Good vehicle. Very good and close to being the best vehicle in its class.

: Good vehicle. Decent, but not quite the best. Often affordable, but lacking key features found in vehicles of the same class.

: Below average vehicle. Not recommended, and lacking attributes a car buyer would come to expect for the price.

: Poor vehicle. Simply does not deserve to be on the road.

Select a Trim
Select a Trim
2023 Preferred Front-Wheel Drive Price:   -  From $27,195
2023 Select Front-Wheel Drive Price:   -  From $28,595
2023 Preferred All-Wheel Drive Price:   -  From $29,195
2023 Select All-Wheel Drive Price:   -  From $30,595
2023 Essence Front-Wheel Drive Price:   -  From $31,795
2023 Essence All-Wheel Drive Price:   -  From $33,395

Overview

What's New

The 2023 Buick Encore GX continues without change. The subcompact crossover debuted in 2020 as an all-new model.

Choosing Your Buick Encore GX

Buick offers the Encore GX in three trim levels: Preferred, Select, and Essence. Pricing starts at $25,595 including destination and climbs to $30,195 for the Essence.

Engine Choices

The standard engine for front-wheel drive versions of Preferred and Select is a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder. A more powerful 1.3-liter turbo is available on the Select ($1,895) and standard on the Essence.

The 1.3-liter is included with the optional all-wheel drive system ($2,000) on the Preferred and Select. AWD costs $1,600 on the Essence because the larger engine is already standard.

Front-drive models carry a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while AWD versions use a nine-speed automatic.

Engine TypeHorsepowerTorqueFuel Economy (Combined)
1.2L Turbo 3-Cylinder137 hp162 lb-ft30 mpg
1.3L Turbo 3-Cylinder155 hp174 lb-ft30/27 mpg (FWD/AWD)

Passenger and Cargo Capacity

The Encore GX is a subcompact crossover with room for five, along with 23.5 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seat. With it folded, load space increases to 50.2 cubic feet. We consider the overall interior room to be above average for the smallest class of crossovers.

Buick Encore GX

Safety Features

Every Encore GX comes with lane-keeping assist, road departure warning, automatic headlights, and automatic emergency braking. The Safety Package II for the Select and Essence adds blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert for just $200.

Exclusive to the Essence trim is the $1,935 Advanced Technology Package, which includes surround-view cameras, adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, and a head-up display. To this, buyers can add a Convenience Package ($770) with an automated parking system, a rearview camera mirror, a rear camera washer, and automatic wipers.

Connectivity

The infotainment system for every trim provides an 8-inch touchscreen, six speakers, four USB ports, satellite radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

Navigation is only available on the Essence in the Advanced Technology Package, which also furnishes HD radio, SiriusXM with 360L, and an SD card reader. Wireless phone charging is part of Essence's available Convenience Package.

Buick Encore GX

2023 Buick Encore GX Preferred – MSRP From $25,595

The Preferred comes equipped with manual climate control, cloth seats with leatherette trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a cargo cover, proximity keyless access, LED fog lights, and 18-inch silver aluminum wheels. The $995 Cold Weather Package adds heated front seats, remote start, and a 10-way power driver seat.

2023 Buick Encore GX Select – MSRP From $26,995

The Cold Weather Package is standard on the Select, along with dual-zone automatic climate control and machined-finish wheels. A hands-free power liftgate is available for $595.

2023 Buick Encore GX Essence – MSRP From $30,195

The Essence gains a leather interior with an eight-way power passenger seat, a heated steering wheel, a cabin air purifier, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a universal home remote, and a household-style power outlet. The exterior receives LED headlights and taillights.

The power liftgate is included in the available Convenience Package. Buyers can top off the Essence with the $1,500 Buick Experience Package, which adds a panoramic sunroof and high-gloss wheels with chrome inserts.

Compare Encore GX Trims Side-By-Side

CarsDirect Tip

The 2023 Buick Encore GX in Select trim is clearly the best value. We consider it a lot of small crossover for the money. A fully loaded Essence provides an unusually high level of luxury and convenience for this class, although you pay for every bit of it.

author image
Automotive Editor
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Prices & Deals

Expert Review

Pros
  • Snazzy styling
  • Easy to drive
  • Good list of tech features
  • Perky optional engine
Cons
  • Lackluster base engine
  • Can get expensive
  • Uncomfortable seats
  • Tight rear legroom
Expert Rating
2.9

Our expert ratings are based on seven comprehensive criteria: quality, safety, comfort, performance, fuel economy, reliability history and value.

You can interpret our ratings in the following way:

: Outstanding vehicle. Only the most exceptional vehicles achieve this rating.

: Very Good vehicle. Very good and close to being the best vehicle in its class.

: Good vehicle. Decent, but not quite the best. Often affordable, but lacking key features found in vehicles of the same class.

: Below average vehicle. Not recommended, and lacking attributes a car buyer would come to expect for the price.

: Poor vehicle. Simply does not deserve to be on the road.

author image
Automotive Editor

Outliving The Smaller Version. Since Buick introduced the Encore GX in 2020, the automaker has had two SUVs with an Encore badge on sale. Both the Encore and Encore GX compete in the subcompact segment, though the latter is slightly larger in size. For 2023, Buick simplifies things by discontinuing the Encore and choosing to only offer the Encore GX.

The Encore GX occupies an interesting spot in the segment. It’s not quite a true luxury vehicle, but it’s a little more upscale than the average mainstream option. For Buick, this is a good place to be, as luxury options have gone further upstream with higher price tags. From mainstream brands, only Mazda has tried to occupy the same gray area with the CX-30.

Sharp Exterior And Interior Design. The 2023 GX has sharp exterior sheet metal that helps it stand out compared to most of the mainstream subcompact SUVs on sale. The SUV’s front end has angular headlights, a tidy front grille, and fog light housings that are connected by a trim piece to give the GX a smiling face. The overall silhouette of the GX is more hatchback than SUV, which is a good thing in our eyes.

The GX’s odd placement in the market results in an interior that falls into no man’s land. The dashboard has a sweeping, two-tiered design that looks better than a lot of mainstream options, while material quality lands somewhere in between.

Big In Some Places, Small In Others. For consumers looking for a small SUV that’s easy to drive on tight, urban roads, the Encore GX will certainly fit the bill. At just 171.4 inches long and 71.4 inches wide (without the mirrors), the GX is an easy SUV to drive and park. Unfortunately, the GX’s small size results in a small cabin.

While the front seats have enough room for adults, the rear seats are tight with 36 inches of legroom and 38.1 inches of headroom. Additionally, getting three adults to sit side by side is a squeeze, as the GX only has 53.6 inches of rear shoulder room. Passengers will have a hard time getting comfortable in the GX, as the SUV’s seats are narrow.

The GX is also on the back foot on the cargo capacity front. The subcompact SUV has 23.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and a total of 50.2 cubic feet of cargo space. These figures trail rivals from both mainstream and luxury brands.

Buick Encore GX

Get The Optional Engine. Buick offers the GX with two engines. We cannot stress how important it is to upgrade to the larger, more powerful engine. While it’s an option, it’s a worthy one that results in a huge difference on the performance front.

The standard engine in the GX is a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that makes 137 horsepower. That, even for a small SUV, is a tiny amount. Performance from the engine is underwhelming, with painfully slow acceleration. The continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is partially to blame.

The larger turbo 1.3-liter three-cylinder engine makes a more meaningful 155 hp and comes with a traditional nine-speed automatic transmission for all-wheel-drive models. The result is far better acceleration, more responsive shifts, and more responsiveness. The GX’s optional engine is one of the least powerful ones available in the class and the SUV certainly suffers for it.

Final Thoughts. The 2023 Buick Encore GX doesn’t have a lot of redeeming qualities. It has a stylish design and is easy to drive, but it falls behind competitors in nearly every other category. It has a small cabin, uncomfortable seats, underpowered engines, and an interior that doesn’t feel luxurious enough for its placement in the class. There are much better options to explore.

For a luxurious subcompact SUV, check out the Mazda CX-30. It has high-end materials, above-average fit-and-finish, and a gorgeous design. The CX-30 is available with a 250-hp engine, has athletic handling, and high-tech tech features. The Volkswagen Taos is one of the roomier subcompact SUVs available. It has 65.9 cubic feet of total cargo space, 37.9 inches of rear legroom, and great fuel economy figures.

Check 2023 Buick Encore GX Near You »

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Specs & Features

Highlights
Overall Crash Safety Rating
Not Available
Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque
1.2L I-3 / 137 HP / 162 ft.lbs.
Transmission
2-spd sequential shift control CVT w/OD
Drive Type
Front-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Highway/Combined
29 / 31 / 30 Mpg
Passenger Capacity
5
Bumper to Bumper Warranty
36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Mechanical Specs
Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque
1.2L I-3 / 137 HP / 162 ft.lbs.
Drive Type
Front-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Hwy/Combined
29 / 31 / 30 Mpg
Brakes
4-wheel Disc
Front Suspension
Strut
Rear Suspension
Semi-independent Torsion Beam Beam
Spare Tire And Wheel
Compact Steel
Fuel Tank
13.2 Gal.
Recommended Fuel Type
Regular Unleaded
Average Cost To Fill Tank
$50
Dimensions & Capabilities
Maximum Cargo Volume
50.2 Cu.ft.
Passenger Volume
Exterior Length
171.4 "
Exterior Width
71.4 "
Exterior Height
64.1 "
Front Headroom
39.7 "
Rear Headroom
38.1 "
Front Legroom
40.9 "
Rear Legroom
36.0 "
Front Shoulder Room
55.4 "
Rear Shoulder Room
53.6 "
Front Hip Room
Rear Hip Room
Curb Weight
Wheel Base
102 "
Turning Radius
Exterior Features
Door Count
4 Doors
Wheels
18.0 " Silver Aluminum / 18.0 " Silver W/painted Accents Aluminum
Paint
Clearcoat Monotone / Clearcoat Two-tone / Clearcoat Monotone With Badging / Metallic Monotone / Tri-coat Monotone
Exterior Mirrors
Dual Power Remote Heated, Convex Spotter Passenger
Bumpers
Body-colored With Metal-look Insert / Body-colored With Colored Insert / Front Body-colored With Metal-look Insert
Grille Moldings
Black W/chrome Accents / Colored / Black W/body-color Surround
Rear Spoiler
Lip
Exhaust
Stainless Steel
Interior Features
Seating
Passenger Capacity
5
Seat Trim
Cloth/leatherette
Front Seat Type
Bucket
Heated Front Seats
Driver And Front Passenger Heated-cushion, Heated-seatback
Front Driver Seat Direction Controls
6-way / (8-way Power)
Front Passenger Seat Direction Controls
4-way
Front Armrests
6-way / (8-way Power)
Rear Armrests
Rear Seats
60-40 Bench
Radio & Infotainment
Radio
Siriusxm Am/fm/satellite, Clock, Seek-scan / Siriusxm Am/fm/satellite, Seek-scan
Speakers
6
Radio Steering Wheel Controls
Apple Car Play
Android Auto
Bluetooth w/ Hands-Free Connectivity
Convenience Features
Steering Wheel Type
Telescopic Tilt
Climate Control
Automatic Air Conditioning
Cruise Control
With Steering Wheel Controls
Sun Roof
Express Open/close
Rearview Mirror
Day-night
One Touch Open Window
Front And Rear
Tinted Windows
Deep
Vanity Mirrors
Dual Illuminated
Remote Keyless Entry
Keyfob (all Doors)
Power Outlets
1
Safety Features
Overall Crash Safety Rating
Not Yet Available
Overall Front Crash Safety Rating
Not Yet Available
Overall Side Crash Safety Rating
Not Yet Available
Rollover Crash Safety Rating
Not Yet Available
Front Impact Airbags
Driver And Passenger
Driver Side Impact Airbags
Seat Mounted
Knee Airbag
Driver And Passenger
Passenger Side Impact Airbag
Seat Mounted
Rear Side Airbag
Rear Side-impact Airbag
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Front
Anti-Lock Brakes
4-wheel Anti-lock Brakes (abs)
Forward Collision Warning
Forward Collision Alert With Automatic Emergency Braking Forward Collision Mitigation
Blind Spot Sensor
Lane Change Alert With Side Blind Zone Alert Blind Spot
Lane Departure Warning
Lane Keep Assist With Lane Departure Warning Lane Departure
Autonomous Cruise Control
Pedestrian Detection
Front Pedestrian Braking Pedestrian Detection Prevention
Driver Attention Alert
Daytime Running Lights
Auto High Beams
Intellibeam Auto High-beam
Adaptive Headlights
Parking Sensors
Rear Park Assist Rear
Security Systems
Security System
Panic Alarm
Ignition Disable
Immobilizer
Warranty
Bumper To Bumper Months Miles
36 Months / 36,000 Miles
Major Components Months
60 Months / 60,000 Miles
Included Maintenance Months
Roadside Assistance Months
60 Months / 60,000 Miles
Corrosion Perforation
72 Months / 100,000 Miles
Accessories Months
48 Months / 50,000 Miles

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