MM 30-Month Owner’s Update….2021 Buick Encore GX.
















IN A NUTSHELL…..For my driving-needs, (arguably) the best automotive $$$$ I have ever spent.

Normally, I would have done a 2-year/24-month Owner’s Update, but, for various reasons, I just didn’t get to it this year. So, I am several months late. Anyhow, probably doesn’t matter, since I don’t really drive that many miles anymore (about 5-6K a year). Anyhow, for what it’s worth, here is my 30-month update, as I took delivery of the vehicle in early January 2021, and it is now mid-year of 2023. I have now about 12,000 miles on the vehicle, although I am also driving a 2016 Toyota RAV-4 that belongs to one of my neighbors…she asked me to take it out locally a couple of times a week or so while she is out of the country for three months….so I’m using if for some of my local errands. That way, the battery stays charged and the engine fluids lubed and circulated….the worst thing for a vehicle is to have it just sit for extended periods. (I might later do a thread on that vehicle if I have time).

Anyhow, back to the Encore GX. I am serious when I say this is probably the best vehicle on the market for my driving-needs/wants….I’m not just trying to sound like a Buick salesman. But, like with any vehicle (I haven’t seen what I consider a perfect vehicle yet), there are some flaws and negative-points…..and I’ll get to those in a minute.

First, I chose the GX for several reasons. I like the Buick nameplate…and have for many years. It was the perfect size for my driving-needs and manuverability/parking. Even with the ultra-short wheelbase, it has traditional Buick comfort in the Quiet-Tuning sound-insulation, relatively complaint suspension (AWD versions like mine have an IRS instead of a rear beam-axle on the FWD versions), tires with 55-series sidewalls that ride reasonably comfortably, rides very well for a vehicle with a wheelbase that short, and, in short, is a pleasure to drive, although not quite as smooth or quiet as my previous larger Buick Lacrosse and its V6. But this is far more versatile than the Lacrosse (the right-front passenger seat folds down flat, and long narrow objects up to 8 feet long can be carried inside), it is MUCH easier to maneuver and park at close-quarters than the Lacrosse. I now have a Disabled-Parking-Sticker, which also helps, and gives me the right to park in the specially-marked spaces. I average mid-high 20s on the gas-mileage locally in town (about what the EPA City-rating is), on 87-Octane regular, and have done over 40 cruising at the speed limit on Interstate highways, even though the EPA only rates it at 30 Highway. I get a lot of compliments on the Cinnamon/Bronze paint-color and the two-tone interior. My only complaint on the paint is that GM, like Ford, charges extra for any paint job that is not the base appliance-white.

As far as repairs go, there was only one needed so far…..a defective FWD/AWD actuator that that had to be replaced on the test-drive before I even took delivery…it would not go into AWD from the driver-actuated console-button. That delayed the delivery of the vehicle overnight while they replaced the part. No other repairs or warranty work needed, although the dash-screen electronics had an update which eventually cured an SD-card message-box on the screen that kept popping up needlessly every time the engine was started. The original plastic jack for the temporary spare tire was replaced, on a factory-recall, with a proper metal one (come on, GM…a PLASTIC jack?). A tire was replaced at about the 3 or 4-month mark because of a large metal bolt that punctured it (I am 100% convinced it happened in the dealer service-bay, but I could not prove it, so I ate the cost of a new tire, which they had in stock and would fit). Anyhow, I did not complain too much, since that Chevy/Buick/GMCdealership otherwise generally treats me very well….especially as a repeat customer. A small amount of damage from a severe storm wind-gust meant replacing a rubber trim-strip under one of the side windows and a light scratch on the front bumper paint…that wasn’t enough to make an insurance claim under the deductible, and SCRATCH-OUT could only get part of it out. Other than that, no damage anywhere in the last 30 months, and it is still, cosmetically, virtually 100% mint.

I really love this vehicle, and, if anything happened to it, would buy another Encore GX in a heartbeat…although there are some things on the new 2024 mid-cycle/partial redesign that I don’t care for, such as the new 19” Virtual Cockpit dash-screen, the Ford Escape look-alike front end, the firmer-riding 45-series tires on the all-new Avenir trim version (smoother-riding 55s stay on the base Preferred-Trim version), and the new color scheme for 2024 (the only new 2024 color I really like is the Copper Metallic).

My favorite features on my own 2021 Encore GX? Buick comfort. Buick reliability, which is generally good by American-brand standards. The traditional fore-aft transmission-shifter, without annoying zig-zags (the only Buick in the American market so-equipped, although the upcoming 2024 Buick Envista will also have one). The overall versatility. The driver-controlled FWD/AWD button. The no-gas-cap refueling. Ease of driving/manuvering/parking, and the 360-camera surround-view that makes parking even simpler. The hands-fee hatch-lid opening in back….you swipe your leg under the rear bumper to activate it. The fact that the annoying engine start-stop feature can be de-activated with a console push-button, although I’d prefer a once-and-for all deactivation switch, which, apparantly, the EPA will not allow manufacturers to do. The de-activate switch has to be pushed each time the engine starts up. I like the extremely high MPG on the highway, the perfect-for-my-butt seat height getting in and out, the relatively simple-to-use controls and dash-screen, and the precise thunk/click sounds when the doors shut on the well constructed body. I also like the fact that this vehicle, like several other small Buick and Chevy crossovers, is at least built in a Korean plant with Union labor….I’d prefer supporting an American plant, but at least Korea is an ally of ours, and not a potential adversary like Communist China, where some Buicks are built in plants with exploited labor.

Every vehicle has flaws, though, and the GX is no exception. Although it is more refined than some previous three-pot engines from other manufacturers, I’ve never particularly liked the 1.3L Turbo three-cylinder used in some versions of the GX (other versions get an even smaller 1.2L turbo-three). The 1.3L’s power level is adequate for the kind of driving I do, and it is reasonably smooth, particularly at low throttle, but it sounds a little gruffy, even with the Buick Quiet-Tuning, in acceleration from low speeds. The engineers who designed it set the cold-engine fast-idle speed at 1600 RPM, which is almost exactly at the engine’s torque-peak, so if you start the engine when cold (or, in some cases, even after just sitting for a short period), I found it is best to wait about 15 seconds or so until the fast-idle drops back down to 1000 RPM or so. If you try and shift into gear at the 1600 RPM fast idle, the torque really tugs hard on the vehicle and transmission, and you have to ride the brake pedal hard if you are slowly pulling or backing out of a parking space. Unlike with my previous Lacrosse V6, the oil-use computer in this engine calls for quite frequent oil-changes and a quick reduction in oil-life….probably because of the turbo. More-expensive pure-synthetic oil is now required by GM for this vehicle…again, probably because of the turbo. The brakes squeak audibly when cold for about the first 3-4 pedal applications, and when the vehicle has been sitting a little while…..this is a known issue on this vehicle, which uses new copper-brake linings required by the EPA. GM authorizes a pad-replacement if customers complain, but it has only limited effectiveness. I decided not to replace mine, since, squeak or no squeak, they are durable pads and, the way I drive, are going to last a LONG time. The Brake-Pad-Life monitor on the screen shows about 86% of both front and rear pad-life left after 12,000 miles…which means they will probably last about 80,000 miles or so. Why replace them and take a chance on getting quicker-wearing pads just to address a squeak?…and the squeak is not even there most of the time. The dome-light rocker switch, above the mirror, overhead, is extremely flimsy, and care has to be taken not to accidentally brush it, as it will flick on the dome lights when not desired. One other quirk in the vehicle…some of the electronics seem to occasionally have a mind of their own. The electronic trunk-lid will sometimes pop open unexpectedly when you go to release the latch on a car door, so you have to close it. The doors sometimes seem to unlock by themselves when sitting overnight or for some time, when I didn’t ask them to. The rear-wiper (sometimes) doesn’t work in some Park or Neutral transmission settings…you usually have to start rolling for it to activate.

So there, you have it. Yes, some quirks and problems, but, overall, I am in love with this vehicle…I wouldn’t trade it for anything else on the market right now except a Chevy Bolt EUV if I were in the market for an EV….which I am not. Buick has dragged their feet about getting hybrids and EVs into the American market. There are some other vehicles I like and think highly of….Lincoln Corsair, Ford Bronco Sport, GMC Terrain/Acadia, Toyota Corolla Cross, Chevy Trailblazer (which is the Encore GX’s platform twin), and maybe the upcoming Chevy Trax and Buick Envista, but, for me at least, none of these as much as the Encore GX. I might consider another GX in a year or two, if I can get used to the new 19” screen and if it will set up the way I want it, although I don’t have enough miles on this present vehicle to consider a trade anytime soon. But, even so, soon, Buick will not offer any more gas-engine vehicles in the American market (the upcoming Envista may be the last one), so it may end up being then-or-never, since, because I have no charging-outlet, I am not a good candidate for an EV.

MM

 

Just for comparison, this is what the new 2024 Encore GX top-line Avenir trim looks like....although I much prefer the older 2020-2023 models, and, for me, the 45-series tires on the new Avenir would probably be a deal-breaker. I also think the dark lower-body cladding and wheels on the new 2024 Preferred version (bottom) look better than the body-paint and wheels on the Avenir.


















.....notice how the 2024 Preferred version has simpler-to-use climate controls on the lower dash instead of the Avenir's all-electronic panel.

 

glad the car fits your needs and wants well. i've no doubt it's convenient in town being short with a short wheelbase.

i do like the front of yours more than the refresh.

 

You would probably find it too small for your needs...although I do realize that I'm also talking to an Ex-Miata owner, and interiors don't get much smaller than that.


Yes, the turning-circle for U-Turns is delightful...although, because of extra underbody hardware, the AWD version I have may not turn quite as tight as the FWD version. That's because of more restricted front-wheel swivel-action.

Yes.....the Buick stylists are trying to apply the styling of the concept Wildcat show-car to most of their latest models. You can clearly see it in the front end. Not quite my cup of tea....although some people are going Ga-Ga over the Wildcat.

 

Great review Mike!!
Agree 100% ... very similar as my now former Equinox checked everything as yours... except engine power (for me) and needed a little more room

As of Tues... solved... Traverse Redline...plus my needed Bulldawg theme

 

Thanks.


Yes, the Equinox definitely has more engine under the hood....but it also has to pull more weight and a somewhat larger vehicle.

Well, congratulations on the new Traverse. . It's a sister to the Buick Enclave and to the (former) GMC Acadia, although the post-2017 Acadia shrunk down to a smaller platform. Both the Traverse and Enclave are known for cavernous room inside for their outside dimensions, good ride/driving-comfort, and a third-row seat actually usable for many adults.


One known issue with the Transverse, though, is the 9T65 transmission, particularly on the early-production 9-speed models....it can have shifting-quirks. The very similar 9T60 transmission in my former Lacrosse had some hiccups and slipping in the mid-gear ranges. So pay attention to how the tranny shifts, and if there is any slipping (RPM-flare) in hot temperatures, or harsh 1-2 engagement when it is very cold outside before the unit has warmed up.

 

Another great review by mmarshall.

At one time Buick was a brand name that had an image above it's other GM brothers and sisters.

I always considered the buick just below the Cadillac and above the Chevy's and GMC's for style and coolness, when shopping similar models.

Nicer trim, better looks, etc. IMO

 

Thanks. This was actually more of an Owners' Report than a review per se.

Today, Buick occupies a niche that falls about mid-way between Chevy and Cadillac. Ford lost out on that share of the market (and competition for Buick) a number of years ago, when they (needlessly, IMO) discontinued the Mercury Division.

I actually (much) prefer Buicks to Cadillacs. Recent Cadillacs, say for the past 10-15 years, have simply not impressed me. They cost a lot more than Buicks, don't give you that much more for all that extra money, are rather poorly-built, have reliability problems, don't ride that smoothly any more, are overly-complex electronically, and, IMO, chase after the German sport-sedan crowd too much. The Division has long-forgotten who their Bread-and-Butter customers are, and who made the division the (former) success it was for decades.

I will, however, give recent Cadillacs good marks for one thing. They have what is arguably the best self-driving system currently on the market.....much better than Tesla's. While not 100% foolproof or totally self-driving, it is probably the most credible system available today.

 

Good advice and thx!!!

 

How is the overall front seat comfort, especially the drivers seat? Is there adequate leg room, support etc.?

 

It's a very well-designed platform for space efficiency. In a vehicle only 14 feet long, long narrow objects up to 8 feet long can be carried with the right front seat folded flat.

The tall roofline and lack of a sunroof gives it plenty of headroom, front and rear (I'm 6' 2"). Legroom in back is not particularly good for adults, but OK for a subcompact crossover, and I usually don't have anyone in back. Legroom up front is quite good, though legroom is not usually an issue with me in most vehicles, because I like to sit fairly close to the wheel with my long legs bent. (with my face at least a foot or two from the airbag, though). It was the same way when I was a pilot.....I liked to sit close the yoke and pedals.

Front seats (fabric and leatherette on the Select trim version) are generally comfortable, with small side-bolsters...not traditional Buick-soft or perfectly-shaped for one's lower-back, but not slab-hard like you find in some older Subarus and Kias, The rear seat is about average for this class....flat and firm, also with small side bolsters. I generally don't drive aggressively, so side-support in hard cornering is not an issue with me.

 

I like the interior of the new one, but the front end of yours for sure

 

Yes, you are not alone. Reviewer after reviewer seems to be going Ga-Ga over these new dash-wide screens......although personally I'm not yet convinced. My brother's new 2024 Kia Seltos also has one...a little smaller than the one in the new Encore GX.

I will say one thing, though, that I do like about GM's new screens...they use real glass for their surface (presumably automotive safety-glass???) instead of clear plastic like most units. That, of course, adds weight, but will also make the inevitable dust and fingerprints much easier to clean without scratching the surface.

 

Are you sure they are actual glass?

 

Several references from credible publications list it as glass, not plastic. Here are a couple of them.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a4...e-gx-revealed/


https://www.youngowosso.com/new-2024...-encore-gx.htm



.........and from Buick itself........

https://media.buick.com/media/us/en/...-encoregx.html