2022 Buick Encore GX 1.2L Engine Unavailable Due To Chip Shortage

Buick has stopped building its popular Encore GX with a 1.2L turbocharged engine amid the ongoing semiconductor shortage. Normally standard equipment on entry-level versions of the premium small SUV, a company spokesperson has confirmed that the engine will be temporarily unavailable until further notice.

For now, that means that the Encore GX will come with just one engine choice: a 1.3L turbo rated at 155 hp with 174 lb-ft of torque. However, that may not be a bad thing given the fact that the 1.2L engine produced just 137 hp with 162 lb-ft. Our last review found the 1.3L to be quite sufficient for a vehicle of this size.

Interestingly, the 1.3L manages to have the same overall fuel economy as the 1.2L with 30 mpg according to EPA estimates. As a result, most shoppers may not have much of a reason to miss the 1.2L. That doesn't mean the base engine has been discontinued, but it isn't available now and may not be for some time.

In an email to CarsDirect, Buick spokesperson Chad Lyons added: "the engine remains part of the Encore GX program. Although the semiconductor situation continues to remain fluid globally, we remain confident in our team’s ability to continue finding creative solutions to minimize the impact of the shortage."

Having said that, a closer look finds that Buick's online configurator is now making consumers looking to buy the cheapest GX choose an all-wheel-drive model. In the case of the entry-level Preferred trim, that means stepping up to a price tag of $27,395. On paper, the 2022 Encore GX is supposed to start at $25,395.

The Encore GX remains the brand's most popular SUV here in the U.S. with 26,244 deliveries this year based on Q2 sales figures. That's significantly more than the 15,526 Envision SUVs the brand sold during the same period. The GX is sold alongside the standard Encore, a smaller and older SUV with far fewer features.

If you're looking to buy a GX with the 1.2L engine, you may want to act fast because, in some cases, 2021 models are already starting to sell out. Surprisingly, our analysis finds that Buick is already offering 0% APR for 72 months on both the 2021 and 2022 GX, giving buyers a good reason to choose the latest version.

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