The Encore GX is the slightly larger and slightly pricier of Buick’s two subcompact crossover SUVs. It offers front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), modest three-cylinder power, and carries up to five occupants.
2026 Buick Encore GX Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Buick Encore GX
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Buick Encore GX
Changes for 2026 are minimal. Brilliant Red paint replaces Cinnabar Metallic, a 16-inch spare tire is available for all trims, and a tire inflator kit is now standard. The rear cargo net that was standard is no longer included. The Encore GX debuted for 2020 and received a styling update and a new touchscreen and digital instrument cluster for 2024.
Design
The Encore GX is small and looks stubby. The hood curves down to a wide, low-set grille topped by boomerang-shaped LED headlights and daytime running lights. A short wheelbase makes the belt line look high, and Buick breaks up the flanks with a character line that bisects the doors, strongly defined rocker panels, and a notable hip line above the rear wheels. The window line rises toward the rear, where it meets forward-facing rear pillars. The Sport and Avenir have LED taillights, and the Avenir has clear lenses. Roof rails are standard, and the Sport is offered with a black roof. It’s all set on standard 18-inch alloy wheels except for the Avenir, which gets 19s.
Powertrain
Buick powers the FWD Encore GX with a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that makes 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque and is paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). AWD versions feature a 1.3-liter turbocharged three-cylinder that makes 155 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque and use a nine-speed automatic. With FWD, the Encore GX Preferred gets EPA fuel economy ratings of 30 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, 30 mpg combined, while the Sport and Avenir are rated at 29/31/30 mpg with FWD and 26/28/27 mpg with AWD. With an optional towing package, the Encore GX can tow up to 1,000 pounds.
Interior
The base Encore GX comes with cloth and synthetic leather upholstery and manually adjustable front seats, while the Sport trim gets synthetic leather upholstery. Moving up to the Avenir brings real leather upholstery, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory, heated front seats, a power-adjustable fold-flat front passenger seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a heated steering wheel. A power liftgate and a panoramic moonroof are available. The Encore GX has 23.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 50.2 cubic feet behind the first row with the second row folded flat. Longer items can fit thanks to the available fold-flat front passenger seat.
Technology
The Encore GX comes standard with an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, an 11-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker audio system, a satellite radio trial, Wi-Fi hotspot capability, remote start, and eight years of OnStar Basics, which includes voice recognition, remote commands, real-time traffic and navigation information, and automatic crash response. Also available are wireless phone charging and a seven-speaker Bose audio system.
