2024 Buick Encore GX FWD Sport Touring ST
Written by Marco Carvajal
Buick is reinventing itself with modernized low-priced elegant and attractive cars that anyone can enjoy driving.
The new 2024 Buick Encore GX I am driving is a small sports premium SUV that feels like a new car model, from a new automaker, but surprisingly this is one of the lowest-priced cars in the market, starting at $25K.
The Encore is Buick’s most popular model in the US and it gets better with the brand’s new modern look and a new tri-shield logo.
The new Buick Encore GX has a revised exterior and interior with a similar technological design to new Chevrolet vehicles like the Trailblazer. Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac, are owned by the same group, General Motors.
The Buick Encore for the North American market and the Chevrolet Trax are assembled at GM’s Bupyeong factory in Incheon, South Korea, the former Daewoo factory. Then the SAIC-GM Dongyue South plant in China produces the Buick crossover for China.
Driving the Encore GX in the city or on the highway, demonstrates its ability to excel, making it a great option for drivers looking for a high-quality compact SUV with superior features at a low price.
Encore GX
The new Encore GX subcompact SUV offers refined seating for up to five passengers and reasonable cargo space. It comes with a sporting bold exterior and a nice elegant interior with generous space.
The 2024 Buick Encore GX is one of the best deals you can find in the compact SUV segment. With its elegant design, comfort, and performance, this vehicle offers a very good driving experience for a very affordable price.
The sporty checkmark-shaped daytime running lamps, as well as its own uniquely designed grille and exterior accents, enhance the look of this compact SUV.
The 40/60 split rear seats and available flat-folding front-passenger seatback help you to use your Encore with different seating and space formats depending on your needs.
The available large panoramic moonroof completes the luxury style of this compact SUV, giving you plenty of light and helping you feel in contact with nature and your surroundings while driving the stylish Encore GX.
Buick feels like a new car and a new brand
Drivers test-driving or buying a new Buick would be surprised by the value, comfort, and beauty of the new car models. Many people think of Buick as an old car, an old brand that our grandparents or parents used to drive, but after driving a new Buick you will change your mind, the new generation Buick models are impressive, modern, and offer great value with low pricing.
Starting at $22K you can buy a brand new very good looking Envista crossover with a 3-year or 36,000 miles basic warranty and a 5-year or 60,000 miles powertrain warranty.
The model I am test driving 2024 Encore GX is a good and very attractive compact SUV with an amazing low pricing starting at $25K only.
Encore GX trim models
There are three trim models available for the 2024 Encore GX:
- Preferred Starting at $25,600
- ST or Sport Touring Starting at $26,800
- and finally the top of the top-of-the-line Encore GX Avenir with pricing starting at $31,900.
The Buick Encore I am driving is part of the ST or Sport Touring line. It has a medium price in the lineup and offers very good luxury and features.
Then the top of the top-of-the-line Avenir line offers everything you can get when buying a Buick.
The three Encore GX models available offer a very good-looking interior and a good Turbo engine with very good fuel economy with 29 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway on the Front Wheel Drive Engine with a fuel tank capacity of 13.2 gallons and 50 liters.
The interior of this compact crossover feels spacious with five seats and a large cargo capacity of up to 50.2 cubic feet.
The new 11” Diagonal Ultrawide Infotainment Display is modern and very intuitive with easy-to-access large controls that merge with an 8-inch diagonal driver information center.
You can select the standard ECOTEC 1.2 L Turbo engine, or upgrade to a more powerful optional ECOTEC 1.3 L Turbo engine FWD with a Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT), or the AWD version with a 9-speed transmission.
2024 Buick Encore GX ST
Starting at $26,800, the second trim model on the lineup the Encore GX Sport Touring trim comes standard with Rear Cross Traffic and other features. This is the best deal of the lineup with a low price but more features than the base preferred trim and with a much lower price than the top-of-the-line Avenir.
Driving the new 2024 Buick Encore GX ST (Sport Touring) trim you can feel that Buick is a new and modern brand with a colorful contrast from the past to new cars that new young generation drivers can enjoy.
The boldly styled Sport Touring model is attractive and looks young and modern.
Engine
The GX is available with two different engines with reasonable, but not a lot of power.
The ST trim model comes standard with the FWD ECOTEC 1.3 L Turbo engine with a Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT), producing 155 horsepower @ 5600 rpm, and 174 lb-ft torque @ 1600 rpm.
The available All-Wheel Drive with a Drive Mode Selector with a 9-speed transmission makes this small SUV a good car for the country and the city or for a fun drive around the beach.
Noise isolation is excellent and helps to get a very luxury feeling inside the cabin.
According to Buick, the Encore has a large 1,000 lbs of available towing capability which is a great tool to have, and impressive on a small SUV.
Exterior style
Standard features include updated interior and exterior accents, Buick Driver Confidence safety systems, and keyless start with the pushing of a button.
A new flat-bottom steering wheel, ST logo embroidered on front-seat head restraints. The new gloss-black grille and new front fascia with unique gloss-black accents. Capless fuel fill and more features.
The ST trim is sporty and attractive with gloss-black rear bumper accents, new and exclusive 18″ high-gloss black-painted wheels, and LED taillamps to complete a unique design exclusive to this Sport Touring model.
From its smooth, quiet ride to its agile response and maneuverability, this compact SUV offers a comfortable and enjoyable driving experience in a variety of environments and roads.
Safety systems
Buick Driver Confidence, the Standard Suite of Advanced Safety and Driver-Assistance Features keeps you safe on the road and shows how the brand keeps reinventing and modernizing.
The Encore GX includes standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert.
A suite of six safety and driver-assistance technologies is standard on all Encore GX models and includes Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, IntelliBeam Auto High Beams, Following Distance Indicator, Lane Keep Assist With Lane Departure Warning.
The new Buick Encore GX also offers an optional Rear Camera Mirror that uses a camera to provide you with a wide and less obstructed view behind the vehicle while you’re driving. You can switch between the modern camera view and the traditional rear-view mirror.
Technology
The new Encore GX includes premium tech features like Wireless Smartphone Compatibility and available Wireless Smartphone Charging.
Three years free of charge of OnStar Remote Access Plan on the Preferred and Sport Touring models.
Three Years of OnStar Premium Plan on Avenir, and finally 3 years of In-Vehicle Wi-Fi Hotspot on the top-of-the-line Avenir model.
Competition
The Encore GX offers great value and low prices. It competes with car brands like Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mazda, and Toyota.
The GX offers more value and lower pricing than some of its competitors, but the challenge for Buick is to demonstrate to new drivers that Buick has reinvented itself and to be able to attract new car buyers to Buick showrooms for a test drive, but once a driver becomes more familiar with new Buick models like the Encore GX that I driving, then it is easier to get those shoppers into their new Buick.
If you are not familiar with the low pricing of the Encore GX, it can look and feel even more premium, almost as premium as some of the more expensive European luxury brands.
Buick producing only four car models
Selecting and buying a Buick model is easy with a very straightforward lineup and trim models available.
The American car manufacturer has made the car shopping process as easy as possible with just four car models and each of these cars is offered in three different trim models.
Buick produces only four vehicle models in the United States. In ascending pricing order: Envista, Encore GX, which I am test driving, Envision, and Enclave.
Buick pricing is very low when compared to the recent skyrocketing high car prices. The Envista starts at only $22,400, then the Encore GX starts at $25,600.
The Envision model is larger and more luxurious with pricing starting at $33,400. Then the top of the line Buick Enclave starts at $43,900.
Buick cars are usually offered in three trim models, the base model, ST or Sport Touring, and the top-of-the-line trim model Avenir. It is easy to select and decide on what trim model you want to purchase.
