This Is (Probably) the Next-Gen Buick Encore for the U.S.
Buick has revealed two new versions of the Encore in China: the Encore and the long-wheelbase Encore GX.
The GX is likely what the United States will get as its next-gen Encore, and it could keep the GX name.
Automotive News reports that the GX will be sold alongside the current-gen Encore in the U.S.
Last week at the Shanghai auto show, Buick unveiled two new crossovers: the next-gen Encore and the Encore GX. The regular Encore looks to be about the same size as the current model, while the GX (pictured above) rides on a longer wheelbase. Both have similar styling cues like wide grilles and spearlike chrome window trim, but the GX is more upright and traditional-looking, while the Encore looks lower and sportier. Both are much better-looking to our eyes than the stubby Encore that is currently sold in the United States.
According to unnamed sources, Automotive News reports that the larger Encore GX will make its way to the U.S.; the publication also says it will be sold alongside the current Encore instead of outright replacing it. The smaller new Encore (pictured below) won't be sold here, as it will be built only in China and is a bit too small for American audiences-although that never stopped the existing Encore from being a sales success.
Lending this report credence is a U.S. trademark for the Encore GX name that was uncovered by the website GM Authority, making it seem likely the GX moniker will be applied here. We expect that if this is all the case, the current Encore should only last a year or so alongside the new GX.
Not much information has been released about the two new Encores. Buick says they both get Ecotec four-cylinder engines with either a continuously variable automatic (CVT) or a nine-speed automatic transmission. In the U.S., the GX should get a turbocharged engine and the option of all-wheel drive. Both cars will ride on a new platform that will be shared with the next-generation Chevrolet Trax and a new GMC crossover.
We reached out to Buick, but a spokesperson declined comment when asked to give U.S.-specific details about either Encore. Considering that the current Encore made its debut as a 2013 model in the U.S., we expect the new GX to be revealed soon and go on sale by the end of 2019. Only time will tell whether the regular Encore will be sold in the U.S., too, but if the Automotive News report is true, we don't think it will.
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