The 2020 Buick Encore GX Is a Bigger Sibling to the Wee Encore

From Car and Driver

• Buick is adding another SUV to its lineup. Called the Encore GX, this new model is larger than the existing Encore and smaller than the Envision.

• Similar in size to the Jeep Compass, the Encore GX will compete in the space between the subcompact and compact crossover segments.

• The Encore GX will go on sale in early 2020, and Buick will release more details over the next few months.

The Buick Encore's big sibling has arrived. A new model called the Encore GX that's already released for the China market is officially coming to the U.S., slotting in above the Encore and below the Envision in Buick's SUV lineup. Despite sharing its name with the existing Encore, this does not replace Buick's smallest crossover and will instead be sold alongside it, similar to Nissan's strategy with the larger Rogue and smaller Rogue Sport.

With a longer wheelbase than the tiny Encore, the Encore GX is around the same size as a Jeep Compass, Buick says. There aren't any specifications available yet, but we do know the Encore GX will have a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, an automatic transmission, and either front- or all-wheel drive. Buick promises that the Encore GX will offer more power than the standard Encore, which is being relegated to a single engine choice for 2020, a 138-hp turbocharged 1.4-liter four (the previous 153-hp turbo 1.4-liter four has been dropped).

The Encore GX's interior looks a fair bit nicer than the Encore's, with crisper displays in the instrument cluster and a more modern infotainment system. Buick says it will offer five more cubic feet of cargo space than the standard Encore. Driver-assist features such as automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist will be standard, while features such as a rear-camera mirror and a 360-degree camera view will be optional.

Expect the Encore GX to start around $26,000 or $27,000, fitting between the $24,195 Encore and the $33,190 Envision. It hits dealerships in early 2020.

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