2021 Buick Encore

There are two distinct Encores for 2021: the original model that debuted for the 2013 model year and the Encore GX, a slightly larger, updated take on the original idea introduced in 2020 that offers more amenities. Both are tall subcompact crossovers but they’re very different cars. In time GM may discontinue the Encore in the U.S. and the Encore GX will take its slot at the small end of Buick’s SUV lineup. For now, Buick is selling the original Encore, the car reviewed here, alongside the Encore GX because of its existing popularity.

Now in its ninth model year, the Encore is old but still in demand. It was Buick’s best-seller in 2018 and 2019. More than 100,000 of them found buyers in 2019 according to MotorIntelligence, outselling considerably newer rivals like the Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-3 and Mini Countryman. The Encore can’t match some of those crossovers on performance or standard technology, but it’s quiet, comfortable and offers plenty of nice features including a very user-friendly infotainment system.

The Encore shares its mechanical bits with GM’s less-expensive Chevrolet Trax, another aging small crossover, but boasts more upscale styling and finishes inside and out. The Encore does feel plusher and quieter inside than the Trax, but because Buick has been slowly streamlining the Encore lineup, some of the trims that truly differentiated it have been dropped.

For 2021 there are just two versions, Base and Preferred, and one engine: a turbocharged 1.4-liter four cylinder with 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. A previously optional 153-horsepower engine and the better-equipped Sprot Touring and Essence models have been dropped. The base Encore comes only with front-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive is optional on the Preferred for an additional $2,020.

The remaining engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that’s so smooth it’s nearly invisible. But forward progress is sedate unless the driver puts the pedal is to the metal, which creates more noise despite the considerable efforts Buick has taken to insulate the interior.

The Encore’s comfortable and compliant handling is in line with other up-level subcompacts and very small crossovers, but it allows a notable amount of body roll when cornering. The tall and narrow feeling of the cabin, tall drivers can easily reach over to the passenger door, reinforces the lean-prone feeling, but the Encore makes no pretense of being sporty and still feels controlled. For drivers who want a crossover this size with more athletic handling, the Mazda might be a better choice.

Buick emphasizes what the brand does best: quiet comfort. The Encore gets lots of sound deadening and even active noise cancellation technology. The combination blocks out all but the worst utterances of road and wind noise, except when then the engine is really worked hard. There’s lots of black plastic in the cabin, but it looks contemporary and a cut above the very basic-looking interior of the Trax.

The merits of the Encore’s tall-and-small proportions are in the eye of the beholder, but the high seating position makes for an expansive forward view and gives plenty of head room. The front seats are very comfy even for very tall drivers, but the rear seats tell a different story. Children in booster-style seats can ride comfortably without battling with front-seat passengers for space, but taller passengers in the back seat will feel confined. The Encore has more rear leg and head room than the tight confines of the Kona or CX-3, but comes up short of the Countryman or slightly larger crossovers like the Kia Seltos.

Cargo space is similarly stingy. The Encore offers 18.8 cubic-feet of space behind the rear seats and 48.4 cubic-feet with them folded. That’s more than the bottom-of-the-class CX-3 and the Countryman, but short of the Kona and way below the larger Seltos.

One benefit of the Encore’s small size is decent fuel economy, though it’s only average compared with the class. With front-wheel drive, the Encore is rated at 25 mpg in the city, 30 on the highway and 27 combined. All-wheel drive, a $2,020 option available only on the Preferred trim, drops the mileage by 1 mpg in every measure.

The base Encore starts at $24,195 including destination fees. Standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels, a six-way power driver’s seat, Bluetooth, OnStar, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, USB inputs and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls. The Encore’s interior controls are logical and easy to use and Buick’s infotainment system, displayed on a bright 8-inch screen, is a little old-fashioned looking but very intuitive.

Moving up to the Preferred ($25,595) trim adds only a remote starter and carpeted floor mats, but it unlocks many optional features which are not available on the base model, including all of the driver-assist safety technology and all-wheel drive.

The $495 Safety Package adds blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alerts as well as a 120-volt power outlet. The $695 Safety Package II adds forward collision warnings, lane departure warnings and front and rear parking assist as well as rain-sensing wipers. Notably, some of these features come standard on similarly-priced popular brand crossovers like the Kona.

The Encore hit mostly positive notes in safety and crash testing. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated it Good in all crashworthiness categories except for small overlap front passenger side tests, where it earned an Acceptable rating. The National Highway Traffic Safety rated it five stars in front and side impact testing and gave it four stars for rollover resistance.

The Encore is still a quiet and refined ride even after nine model years and feels more upscale than some of its popular domestic counterparts, but its pricing puts it into competition with newer, larger and better-equipped models. That sets the Buick up to be a difficult sell for many buyers, even if the price sharply undercuts actual premium brands.