2023 Buick Encore GX vs 2022 Buick Enclave

The 2022 Buick Enclave represented a significant shift in Buick's design philosophy. Historically, Buick's designs were conservative, catering to an older demographic that valued comfort and tradition over cutting-edge style. However, the Enclave marked a departure from this approach, featuring a more modern and upscale design. The 2022 model received a mid-cycle refresh that included a new grille, updated front and rear fascias, and redesigned headlamps and taillamps. The Avenir trim level stood out with its unique grille, body-colored lowers, and 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Enclave boasted a restyled center console with push-button gears and upgraded materials, enhancing the overall luxury feel.

In contrast, the 2023 Buick Encore GX did not carry forward Buick's historical design legacy. The Encore GX's styling was a break from the past, featuring rounded exterior surfaces and a tall stance that resulted in awkward proportions. Even with the optional Sport Touring Package, which added different bumpers, a black mesh grille with red inserts, and 18-inch wheels, the changes were subtle and did not significantly enhance the vehicle's appearance. Inside, the Encore GX Essence trim offered leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and power-adjustable front seats. However, the interior was dominated by plastic materials, reminding occupants that the Encore GX was at the bottom of Buick's model hierarchy.

The 2022 Buick Enclave kept things straightforward with a single powertrain option: a 3.6-liter V6 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This setup delivered 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. The Enclave came standard with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive was available on all trims. The SUV's maximum towing capacity was 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. The Enclave's ride quality was exceptional, thanks to the optional Avenir Technology package, which included a premium ride suspension and continuously variable real-time chassis damping. The Enclave handled various terrains with ease, providing a smooth and quiet ride, enhanced by Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technology.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX offered two turbocharged three-cylinder engine options. The standard 1.2-liter engine produced 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, while the optional 1.3-liter engine delivered 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available only with the 1.3-liter engine. The FWD models used a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while AWD models featured a nine-speed automatic transmission. The 1.3-liter AWD test car provided decent acceleration, but power delivery was not smooth, requiring a patient driving approach. The Encore GX excelled in ride comfort and noise reduction, thanks to its well-damped suspension and standard active noise cancellation. However, the driving experience was marred by slow and lifeless steering and significant body roll.

The 2022 Buick Enclave excelled in interior space and comfort. Ingress and egress were effortless, and visibility was excellent. The Enclave featured an eight-way power driver seat and a six-way power front passenger seat, both heated and with power lumbar control. Premium and Avenir trims added four-way power lumbar with massage and heated second-row seats. The Enclave's spacious cabin comfortably accommodated passengers in all three rows, with ample headroom, legroom, hip room, and shoulder room. The second-row captain's chairs made accessing the third row easy. The Enclave also offered impressive cargo space, with 23.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 97.4 cubic feet with both rows folded.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX provided competitive passenger space for its segment. Headroom in both rows was comparable to rivals like the Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30, and Subaru Crosstrek. However, the Subaru offered more front legroom, and the Kia Seltos provided more rear legroom and cargo space. The Encore GX's cargo capacity was 23.5 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 50.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The front seats were placed far inboard, reducing the feeling of spaciousness, and lacked thigh support. Despite the limited cabin size, the Encore GX offered ample small-item storage, including large door pockets and a space-efficient wireless phone charger. The instrumentation was well-executed, with clear and informative displays.

The 2022 Buick Enclave featured a standard 4.2-inch driver information center, with Premium and Avenir trims getting a larger, 8-inch reconfigurable version. The Essence trim came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as wireless phone charging. Premium and Avenir trims added navigation. The Enclave's infotainment system could pair up to 10 devices, with two smartphones active simultaneously. A built-in WiFi hotspot supported up to four devices. The Premium and Avenir trims also featured a 10-speaker Bose audio system. Other notable features included adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, and HD surround vision.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch driver information display. Optional features included a built-in navigation system, a head-up display, wireless phone charging, and an eight-speaker Bose audio system. Standard tech included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The interface was user-friendly, with clear graphics and menu layouts. The 8-inch touchscreen was adequate for the Encore GX's dashboard, and the infotainment system was easy to use.

The 2022 Buick Enclave saw significant updates in its driver-assist and safety tech. The Buick Driver Confidence Plus package became standard on all Enclaves, including features like automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane-change alert with blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-keeping assistance with lane-departure warning, rear park assist, following-distance indicator, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional features on higher trims included enhanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, and rear pedestrian alert. The Enclave received a four-star rollover resistance rating from NHTSA and "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests, except for an "Acceptable" score in the updated side-impact test.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX came standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and a Teen Driver system. Optional safety features included adaptive cruise control, automatic park assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, a 360-degree camera system, and a rearview camera mirror. The Encore GX was an IIHS 2022 Top Safety Pick and received a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in the rollover category.