2021 Buick Encore GX vs 2021 Ford Edge

The 2021 Buick Encore GX was praised for its stylish design, a significant improvement over the original Encore, which had been humorously nicknamed “the shoe” by GM insiders. The Encore GX came in three trim levels: Preferred, Select, and Essence, with an optional Sport Touring (ST) package available for all trims. Buyers could choose between front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD), with two turbocharged three-cylinder engines on offer. The 1.2-liter engine was exclusive to FWD, while the 1.3-liter engine was available with both FWD and AWD. Pricing ranged from $24,200 to $30,600, with our test model, an Essence trim with the 1.3-liter engine and several upgrades, totaling $35,065. Despite its high price, Buick offered significant discounts for current GM customers and attractive lease deals for non-GM owners.

Inside, the Encore GX’s cabin met the expected quality levels for a small SUV, though it wasn’t as refined as its exterior. The analog gauges were hard to read, and the head-up display (HUD) vibrated on rough roads, detracting from the overall experience. The interior design had some flaws, such as the inconvenient placement of the fuel gauge indicator lights and the vibrating HUD, which highlighted the vehicle’s lack of refinement for its price point.

The 2021 Ford Edge retained its styling from the 2019 refresh, which successfully integrated the current Ford look with the existing Edge body shell. The Edge offered a cleaner alternative to the more aggressively styled Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Titanium trim featured extra chrome, while the ST trim boasted a blacked-out grille, 20-inch wheels, and a body kit. The ST-Line provided the ST’s exterior styling without the performance upgrades.

Inside, the Edge’s design showed its age, with awkward tweaks to accommodate new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium trim included leather upholstery, while the ST trim had sporty front seats with added bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Despite these updates, the interior didn’t feel as fresh as the exterior.

The 2021 Buick Encore GX offered two turbocharged three-cylinder engines. The standard 1.2-liter engine produced 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, while the 1.3-liter engine delivered 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. The larger engine was available with both FWD and AWD, but the FWD models experienced some torque steer. The FWD models used a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while the AWD models had a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Encore GX’s ride quality was inconsistent, feeling brittle on poorly maintained roads and bouncy over bumps. Despite Buick’s QuietTuning efforts, the cabin wasn’t particularly quiet. The Encore GX handled well on winding roads, but its overall lack of refinement was noticeable, especially given its premium positioning.

The 2021 Ford Edge featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Edge ST performance model had a twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 engine, generating 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, with standard AWD and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Edge ST also had model-specific suspension tuning and an optional package with upgraded brakes and 21-inch wheels. The Edge’s towing capacities ranged from 3,958 pounds for the base FWD model to 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered Edge ST. While the Edge ST wasn’t quite on par with performance SUVs like the Porsche Macan, it offered a sporty driving experience and impressive refinement for its age.

The 2021 Buick Encore GX had supportive front seats with power adjustments and heating, but the rear seats were less comfortable, with limited legroom and a low, flat cushion. Interior storage was good, with 23.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 50.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. The test vehicle had a hands-free power liftgate and a fold-flat front passenger seat for carrying long items.

The 2021 Ford Edge offered competitive interior space, with the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers and ample legroom in both rows. Cargo space was generous, with 39.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 73.4 cubic feet with the seats folded. Higher trim levels featured a foot-activated power liftgate. The Edge’s rotary shift knob freed up space on the center console, but the narrow console width limited its usefulness. A storage nook below the console was difficult to reach and easy to forget about.

The 2021 Buick Encore GX Essence came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity for two devices, and Buick Connected Services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The test vehicle also had a navigation system, natural voice recognition, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a high-definition surround-view camera. Wireless smartphone charging was available through the optional Convenience Package. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with quick response times, impressive voice recognition, and a simple interface.

The 2021 Ford Edge featured the latest Sync 4 infotainment system with a 12-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Edge ST included a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The Edge also had four USB ports, including two rear USB ports added for the 2021 model year. Sync 4’s simple graphics and straightforward menu layouts made it easy to use, and not all competitors offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2021 Buick Encore GX came standard with Buick Driver Confidence, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on Select and Essence trims, while adaptive cruise control was available. The Encore GX also featured Teen Driver technology and a Tire Fill Alert system. The adaptive cruise control’s stop-and-go function required manual reactivation after a few seconds, and the lane-keeping assist felt unnatural. The Encore GX earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, but the IIHS had not tested it.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS “Top Safety Pick,” with top ratings in all crash tests and front crash prevention tech. However, it received lower ratings for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use, and headlights. The NHTSA gave the Edge a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover tests. The Edge came standard with Ford Co-Pilot360, which included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, post-collision braking, dynamic brake support, and rear parking sensors. Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and lane centering was standard on all but the base SE trim, along with Evasive Steering Assist.