BUICK Encore Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Buick refreshed the Encore lineup for the 2024 model year and added significant styling changes and cabin upgrades for the small-sized crossover vehicle.

Based on the same platform as the Chevrolet Trailblazer (with the small b in its name), the Encore aimed at the premium segment with a product that could've been ordered with front or all-wheel drive. Moreover, the technological upgrades made by Buick on this car pleased the deep-pocket buyers, even though the car's price was actually lower than on the 2023 version.

The exterior featured LED headlights that resembled wings and were seen for the first time on the Wildcat EV concept car. Also, on the front fascia, the broad grille was hosted on the lower bumper and was adorned with chromed surrounding. Buick also offered the vehicle with LED taillights, depending on the trim level. It also added gloss black front and rear bumpers.

Inside, the automaker ditched the analog instrument cluster. It replaced it with an 8" configurable display. Furthermore, atop the center stack, the carmaker installed an 11" touchscreen that featured Android Auto and Wireless Apple CarPlay. Another essential upgrade for the car was the introduction of higher-quality materials for the upholstery.

For the drivetrain, Buick offered a choice of two turbocharged gasoline engines, which were paired with either a CVT or a nine-speed automatic. Power went to the front or all wheels, regardless of the trim level.

Buick introduced the second generation of the Encore in 2019 with new safety features and an original image. It was still based on a newly developed platform.

After the North-American and the Chinese market well received the first generation of the Buick Encore, GM decided to develop a new platform, named GEM, for the emerging markets. It was a joint effort between GM and the Chinese car-maker SAIC. The Encore was one of the first products to use it.

The designers had a difficult job to build a car that was inexpensive to produce, but it had to look good. The big front bumper made the car look bigger and broader. The lower apron featured two side-scoops and a grille at the bottom. From the side, the sub-compact SUV featured a muscular stance, with enlarged rear quarter panels and sculptured door panels. In the back, the bumper was tall and featured two fake-exhausts on the sides.

Since the car grew in size compared with its predecessor, the Encore GX offered more legroom for the rear passengers. The front passenger seats were wider than on its predecessor. For the dashboard, the designers installed an integrated infotainment system under the center vents. For the base model, the instrument cluster featured two analog dials and a small screen between them.

Under the hood, Buick Encore GX featured a choice of two engines that offered 137 hp and 155 hp, respectively. The latter was available with an all-wheel-drive system.

A small SUV was a great idea on a market that asked for something that looked able to go on unpaved roads and still park in tight spaces and cross a curb in the process.

Buick took the platform of the European Opel/Vauxhall Mokka and re-badged-it as the Encore. It was designed as a small SUV with a front or all-wheel-drive system to transport up to five passengers and some luggage in the trunk. GM introduced the Encore in 2013, and after three years, it showed the facelifted version.

The design team worked hard to develop the look of the 2017 Encore. They designed a completely new front fascia with new headlights. Unlike the 2013 model, the Encore featured a different grille design that dropped the cascade-grille with chromed vertical slats. It looked more like its European cousin, the Mokka. Along with the front fascia, the bumper and the lower apron were restyled. The taillights looked slightly different, as well.

Inside, the 2017 Encore featured a flowing design of the dashboard, with the infotainment unit integrated between the central vents and not on top of them. The controls for the audio system were different. The instrument cluster featured an upgraded display between the speedometer and the tachometer. The Encore offered enough room for the front passengers, but limited for the rear occupants, especially if three sat on the bench.

Buick offered the Enclave with a front- or all-wheel-drive system, and only with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The small SUV featured a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine with either 140 hp or 155 hp under the hood.

Buick tried to gain more traction on the market with a small-sized premium crossover named Encore in 2014, competing in a segment where mass-market brands provided most vehicles.

While some automakers tried to make their SUVs larger, Buick tried to gain success by shrinking its vehicles and making them more suitable for the urban environment. That’s how the Encore appeared in 2013 as a subcompact crossover. GM built it on the same platform, Gamma II, as the European Opel Mokka and the Chevrolet Traxx. To make it appealing for those looking for a small-sized vehicle, the Encore had to be safe, and GM achieved that. The car got five stars from the NHTSA, and its fuel-efficient engines made it a great alternative for other small-sized vehicles. Furthermore, it was available with a front or an all-wheel drive system.

Sporting Buick’s signature waterfall grille with 13 chromed vertical slats made the Encore stand out from the crowd. That was flanked by organic-shaped headlights fitted with clear lenses and projector beams. The lower bumper sported a black lower section made to withstand better against curbs or small scratches in the parking lot. Furthermore, a silver trim covered the lowest side of the apron, mimicking a skid plate. A pair of fog lamps in black scoops flanked the front bumper and were emphasized by chromed trims.

From its profile, the subcompact crossover showed its tall stance and short overhangs, ideal for urban driving environments. The windshield followed almost the same line as the sloped hood, and a set of roof rails adorned the top of the car. Thanks to the sculptured door panels and the enlarged rear fenders, the Encore looked muscular, while the black trims around the wheel arches and the side sills created the impression of a vehicle with a high ground clearance. Buick’s designers had to follow the same shape as its European sibling, the Mokka and made an almost vertical tailgate adorned at the top by a roof spoiler.

But most importantly, Buick hoped that the interior would be its strongest advantage in the segment. Thanks to the leather-wrapped cabin and rich features, it provided customers with an upscale experience. In front of the driver, the automaker installed an instrument cluster with a binocular design where it fitted the speedometer and tachometer on the outer sides, flanking the fuel and coolant temperature gauge and a small TFT display between them. Atop the center stack, the Encore featured a seven-inch color LCD for the IntelliLink voice-activated radio that sent its sound through a standard Bose sound system. The car offered 18.8 cu-ft (533 liters) of trunk space behind the split-folding rear seat and 48.4 cu-ft (1,372 liters) with the rear seat folded.

There was only one engine-gearbox option for both versions of the 2WD and 4WD Encore, and that was a 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline unit that was paired with a six-speed automatic.