2020 Buick Encore GX vs 2021 Volvo XC40

At first glance, one might suspect the 2020 Buick Encore GX is just the range-topping trim of the Buick Encore, a subcompact SUV. But closer examination reveals that it's a slightly larger, more upmarket small crossover. It has a longer wheelbase and heavily revised bodywork. But most crucially, it has more interior space and more powerful engines, which address the two biggest critiques of the Encore.

The Encore GX has a higher base price than the non-GX Encore, which then invites tougher competition. Starting at more than $25,000 brings it against some seriously competent small SUVs, such as the Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona. So, should Buick be careful what it wished for by creating a better—but more expensive—Encore?

Introduced for the 2019 model year, the Volvo XC40 enters 2021 with one major change—the addition of an all-electric powertrain option. The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge is the Swedish automaker’s first mass-market electric vehicle, in fact.

The Recharge will be sold alongside gasoline versions of the XC40, which carry over largely unchanged, and compete against small luxury crossovers like the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, and Lexus UX. With its electric powertrain, the Recharge is a de facto Tesla Model Y competitor. It’s also priced similar to high-end versions of the Ford Mustang Mach-E, although the two electric crossovers have somewhat different philosophies.

In addition to that zero-emission powertrain, the Recharge gets an Android-based operating system, over-the-air (OTA) software update capability for all vehicle systems, and some updates to driver-assist tech. These changes don’t apply to gasoline 2021 XC40 models, but Volvo does plan to add the Android operating system to more vehicles in the future.

Since the Recharge is the main new thing for the 2021 XC40, that’s what we focused on for this review. While the gasoline XC40 is available in three trim levels—Momentum, R-Design, and Inscription—with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), the Recharge is only offered in a single trim level, with standard AWD.