2022 Buick Encore

As the crossover segment continues growing at a rapid pace in the USA, it's quite easy for older competitors to fall behind. The Buick Encore is essentially a slightly fancier version of the Chevrolet Trax, and, having been on sale since 2013, it's beginning to show its age. It received a substantial facelift in 2017, adding some much-needed exterior and interior upgrades. Since then, there have been no significant changes to the Encore, apart from some return of the high-output 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine for the 2022 model. And, while it's generally smart to keep to a known recipe, in the case of the Buick Encore, that's exactly the problem. It was once a good subcompact crossover, but the competition keeps on setting new benchmarks. Are Buick's subtle annual updates good enough to keep the Encore competitive in such a hotly contested small crossover utility vehicle (CUV) segment?

The Encore Preferred FWD goes on sale for $24,600, while the Preferred AWD retails for $25,220. That's not the whole story, however. You have to add certain things to make it worth your while. That means the standard price of $24,600 plus $495 for a metallic hue and another $495 for the most basic safety package. These prices exclude Buick's $1,195 destination charge.

The Buick Encore is most at home within the confines of the city. The steering is light and precise, which is exactly what you want when zipping between lanes. Having said that, the Buick Encore isn't a car you'd describe as engaging. The desired level of feedback is hidden beneath a veneer of luxury and noise insulation. Some might see that as a negative, but if you just want to get somewhere in comfort and silence, the Buick does a good job.

On the open road, it's more of the same. The steering gets heavier the faster the car moves, but it never provides any sort of feedback. It doesn't feel too top-heavy, but it's also not sporty. You can go through a corner at a relatively high speed, which inspires a certain amount of confidence and there is comfort in knowing that the car is less inclined to lean through the corners, too. The suspension setup is most certainly tuned for comfort, so think of it as a sensory deprivation tank with four wheels. The Preferred trim can be ordered with an all-wheel-drive system, although this is no hardcore 4WD vehicle and there's no reason to order it unless you live in a cold-weather state and need the additional grip.

The Buick Encore is supposed to be a more upmarket version of the Chevrolet Trax, and, in the past, that used to be the case. The higher quality materials, real leather seats, as well as the layout of the dual-zone climate control buttons made a difference. Those were all things you could point at to justify the premium over a Trax. Since the full leather option is gone, along with the climate control, the interior just looks bland. As the premium interior was one of the main selling points, the Buick Encore makes less sense now than ever before.

Most of its rivals also offer more advanced engines that not only perform better but use less gas as well. The only remaining feature Buick can point at to justify the existence of the Encore is the excellent sound insulation. We can't deny that the Buick Encore is an eerily quiet car, especially compared to other cars in the segment. Unfortunately, that's not a compelling enough review to compete in this segment loaded with other talented crossovers for sale, all of which make it tough to recommend the Buick at all.

If you're interested in buying a subcompact crossover, value for money is likely the main concern. This is where the lean lineup starts to make a bit more sense. To get the more advanced safety systems that you get with Safety Package II, you previously had to pay nearly $30,000 for one of the more expensive models. Now, even if you spec the default Preferred trim with metallic paint, all of the safety features, and both the Active and Road Trip packages, the total only comes to only $27,000. That's still not great value for money within the segment, but better value for money, given the cost of the Buick Encore just two years ago at the upper end of the range.

This is the most obvious comparison because the Chevrolet Trax and the Buick Encore are the same vehicle. The price difference between the two models has historically been much bigger, but with Buick dropping the expensive models in recent years, and making the high-end safety tech available on the Preferred trim, that gap has now closed significantly. Pricing for the Trax starts at $21,400. Of the two, the Buick remains the more premium product. Though you can't have leather seats or dual-zone climate control anymore, the interior of the Buick still feels more refined. The choice between the two still depends on personal preference.

A Buick Encore SUV with a few optional extras is dangerously close in price to a top-spec Kia Soul. A mid-spec Soul is around $3,000 cheaper than the Encore Preferred. Not only is the Kia Soul a funky, high-quality vehicle with loads of standard kit, it also offers all of the safety equipment you have to pay for on the Buick as standard. Granted, you have to buy a Soul in S trim or higher, but with the S starting at $20,690, it represents a massive saving over the Buick. The top-spec Soul, which costs $27,650, comes with a lovely 201-hp 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Its seven-speed dual-clutch transmission isn't the most refined gearbox out there, but this particular model can sprint to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. The gap in performance between this and the Buick is massive. It's also more efficient, with EPA-estimated figures of up to 27/32/29 mpg. We'd opt for the Kia.