2024 Buick Encore GX

Having first gone on sale in the USA as a 2020 model, the 2024 Buick Encore GX crossover is not new anymore and has now come in for its mid-life facelift. It shares its FSS-V platform with the Chevrolet Trailblazer, and like that car, it's a smidge bigger than most other subcompact crossovers, including its Encore sibling and the Hyundai Kona. This puts it in the subcompact-plus class with rivals such as the Mazda CX-30 and Volkswagen Taos. That's a tough spot to land, considering the Encore GX has traditionally been a less sophisticated car than these accomplished competitors, with weak engines and forgettable handling. Now Buick has had the opportunity to treat us to a substantially revised 2024 Encore GX to fix those faults and give it a compelling USP. But with the exact same engines and a maximum of 155 horsepower on offer, it starts the race with somewhat of a disadvantage. Can it redeem itself in other areas?

With a $25,600 MSRP, the price of the 2024 Buick Encore GX Preferred is actually lower than it was last year and represents good value. It comes with the 137-hp 1.2-liter engine, and upgrading it to the 155-hp 1.3 will cost you $395. The other two trims have the more powerful engine as standard; the Sport Touring (ST)costs $26,800, and the Avenir $31,900. These prices are for the FWD variants, and upgrading the Preferred to AWD costs $2,000 because it also adds the bigger engine; AWD adds only $1,600 to the ST and Avenir because they already have the 1.3. Keep in mind that these prices exclude the $1,295 factory-to-dealer destination fee.

Despite a restyle and a new digital cockpit, Buick has not changed the suspension and powertrains, which is a shame. The Encore GX is relatively refined and quiet, with good ride quality that seems to be mostly free of the Chevy Trailblazer's jitteriness, but it's also utterly forgettable to drive with no sporting bent. Going about your day sedately at city speeds, it pulls off the semi-premium impression convincingly thanks to its quiet ride and the adequate low-down torque of the larger engine. But when you start to press on, the three-cylinder takes on a gruff note, and it soon becomes evident that there is little reserve power after that initial whiff of turbo boost, making the Encore GX hard work on the highway when passing or climbing steep hills. Rivals are generally much more exciting to drive, and almost all of them are significantly quicker too.

If you liked the previous one, the upgraded Encore GX, with its dashing new looks and digital cockpit, will be just what the doctor ordered. The car does a fine job around town, with adequate pull from the engine, good refinement, and many features. But it doesn't stand up to comparison with its rivals behind the wheel, most of which are much more fun to drive and a lot quicker. Buick hasn't fixed the one thing that bothered us most, so it's again the driving experience that lets the Encore GX down and places it well down the rankings in the subcompact crossover class.

We would pick the FWD Sport Touring. It's only $1,200 more expensive than the Preferred and comes with a more powerful engine, nicer looks, leatherette upholstery, and an auxiliary electric heater. The Avenir's 19-inch wheels just firm up the ride, and we can live without its leather seats. The ST with the Comfort package gets several nice Avenir features anyway, such as the heated front seats, power driver's seat, and rear-seat armrest with cupholders. The Advanced Technology package adds wireless charging and the remaining missing driver assists that not even the Avenir has, such as adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera. Specced like this, it comes out cheaper at just over $30k with destination than an Avenir with no extras added.