2020 Honda Passport vs 2021 Buick Encore GX

The 2020 Honda Passport was a testament to Honda's consistent design philosophy, offering a familiar yet appealing aesthetic that resonated with loyal Honda buyers. Its exterior design, reminiscent of a scaled-down Pilot or an enhanced CR-V, struck a balance between ruggedness and athleticism. The Passport's elevated ground clearance and robust styling cues suggested off-road capability, while its interior maintained a sophisticated, utilitarian feel. The cabin, similar to the Honda Pilot, featured a mix of durable and soft materials, providing comfort and practicality without unnecessary flair. The Elite trim, in particular, boasted luxurious touches like heated and ventilated seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, and a spacious layout that emphasized width and comfort.

In contrast, the 2021 Buick Encore GX stood out for its stylish design, a significant improvement over its predecessor, the original Encore. The Encore GX offered a sleek, well-proportioned exterior that appealed to buyers prioritizing aesthetics. Available in three trims—Preferred, Select, and Essence—the Encore GX also offered a Sport Touring package for a sportier look. Inside, the Encore GX provided a high seating position and supportive front seats, though the rear seats were less accommodating for taller passengers. The interior storage was commendable, with a trunk capacity of 23.5 cubic feet, expandable to 50.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Despite its premium branding, the Encore GX's interior lacked some refinement, with certain features like the vibrating HUD and rearview camera mirror technology falling short of expectations.

The 2020 Honda Passport was equipped with a robust 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, provided smooth performance across various driving conditions. However, its fuel economy was less impressive, with FWD models achieving 20 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, while AWD models managed slightly lower figures. The Passport excelled in off-road scenarios, thanks to its torque-vectoring AWD system and drive modes tailored for snow, sand, and mud. It also boasted a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds, surpassing competitors like the Nissan Murano and Chevrolet Blazer.

The 2021 Buick Encore GX offered two turbocharged three-cylinder engines: a 1.2-liter producing 137 horsepower and a 1.3-liter delivering 155 horsepower. The larger engine, available with FWD or AWD, provided adequate power for highway cruising and city driving. The Encore GX's FWD models featured a CVT, while AWD models used a nine-speed automatic transmission. Despite Buick's QuietTuning efforts, the Encore GX's cabin was not particularly quiet, and its ride quality varied from brittle to bouncy. The Encore GX averaged 28.2 mpg during testing, slightly below the EPA estimate. While the Encore GX handled well on winding roads, its overall driving experience lacked the refinement expected from a premium brand.

The 2020 Honda Passport was praised for its practicality, offering ample space for passengers and cargo. Its size, slightly larger than the CR-V, provided a roomy interior with comfortable seating for four adults. The Passport's cargo area boasted 41.2 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, with additional under-floor storage. The SUV's interior featured thoughtful storage solutions, including a spacious center console and secondary shelf space in the front doors. The Passport's climate control and seat functionalities were user-friendly, enhancing comfort for all occupants.

The 2021 Buick Encore GX offered a high seating position and supportive front seats, though the rear seats were less accommodating for taller passengers. Interior storage was impressive, with a trunk capacity of 23.5 cubic feet, expandable to 50.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The Encore GX's fold-flat front passenger seat allowed for carrying long items, adding to its practicality. However, the rear lacked air conditioning vents, and the rear seat design was not as comfortable for extended journeys.

The 2020 Honda Passport featured a straightforward infotainment system, with higher trims offering an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The system was user-friendly, with responsive pinch, swipe, and tap functionality. Standard features included Bluetooth, a USB port, and a seven-speaker audio system, while higher trims added a 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The 2021 Buick Encore GX Essence trim came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system supported Bluetooth connectivity for two devices simultaneously and included Buick Connected Services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The test vehicle featured additional options like a navigation system, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a high-definition surround-view camera. Despite these features, the test car lacked the available Bose premium sound system. The Encore GX's infotainment system was praised for its quick response, intuitive interface, and useful steering wheel controls.

The 2020 Honda Passport prioritized safety, earning high scores from the IIHS and NHTSA, and was named an IIHS Top Safety Pick. It came standard with the Honda Sensing suite, including collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims offered additional features like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic detection.

The 2021 Buick Encore GX came standard with Buick Driver Confidence, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist. Blind-spot monitoring was standard on higher trims, and adaptive cruise control was available. The Encore GX also featured Teen Driver technology and automatic collision notification. In NHTSA crash tests, it earned a five-star overall safety rating, though the IIHS had not tested it.