2022 GMC Terrain vs 2022 Buick Encore GX

The 2022 Buick Encore GX bore a striking resemblance to its sibling, the Encore, making it difficult to distinguish between the two, especially in the same color. Both SUVs featured Buick's signature trapezoidal "waterfall" grille, high beltline, and similar headlight styling, front fascia designs, and fog light locations. The Encore GX, however, had a slightly longer wheelbase and additional length, which helped it appear less tall and stubby. The optional ST (Sport Touring) appearance package enhanced its looks with body-color bodyside and rocker moldings, custom grille, sport bumpers with red accents, 18-inch aluminum wheels, and an "ST" badge on the liftgate.

Inside, the Encore GX offered an attractive cabin with soft-touch materials and minimal hard plastic. The base models came with cloth seats, while the top Essence trim featured leather seats. Our test vehicle had heated seats in Whisper Beige leather with Ebony accents, adding a touch of elegance. The heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel was well-sized and functional, though the rotary toggles embedded in the spokes were cumbersome. Overall, the controls and instrumentation were straightforward and user-friendly.

The 2022 GMC Terrain received updates to its front styling, wheel designs, taillights, and interior trim. The new AT4 trim level featured a bolder grille design, black 17-inch alloy wheels with sport-terrain tires, and AT4 badges. Our test vehicle came with Ebony Twilight metallic paint, the AT4 treatment, and a black leather interior. It was equipped with the Tech Package, Infotainment Package II, GMC Pro Safety Plus Package, a Skyscape panoramic sunroof, and a three-year subscription to OnStar services, bringing the MSRP to $41,810.

The Terrain's interior was roomy and offered numerous comfort-enhancing features and storage solutions. The AT4 trim included power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control with rear air-conditioning vents. The back seat was spacious and comfortable, with plenty of legroom and foot room. Cargo space measured 29.6 cubic feet behind the back seat, expanding to 63.3 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The front passenger seat could also be folded down for longer items.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX offered two turbocharged three-cylinder engines: a 1.2-liter unit producing 137 horsepower and a 1.3-liter motor making 155 hp. The 1.2-liter engine was standard on the Preferred and Select trims, while the 1.3-liter unit was standard on the top Essence trim and optional on the lower trims. Front-wheel drive (FWD) was standard, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available as an option. FWD models used a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while AWD models had a nine-speed automatic.

In our test vehicle, the 1.3-liter turbo engine and CVT proved to be a capable powertrain, though it was a bit buzzy and harsh. The power was adequate for merging and highway driving, but the engine stop/start feature was somewhat annoying. The ride was not as settled as expected from a Buick, and the interior was noisier than anticipated. Despite Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technologies, noise, vibration, and harshness levels were intrusive.

The 2022 GMC Terrain came with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. The previously available turbocharged 2.0-liter engine was no longer offered. The 1.5-liter engine could handle a trailer weighing up to 1,500 pounds. The nine-speed automatic transmission did a decent job of keeping the Terrain in the torque band, though there was a delay off the line.

The Terrain AT4 could be run in FWD mode to conserve fuel, with AWD and Off-Road modes available when needed. The AT4 model had 7.9 inches of ground clearance, which was less than some competitors. The ride was smooth on highways and city streets, but the sport-terrain tires generated extra road noise. Off-road performance was limited, with the front end scraping on rough terrain. The Terrain's powertrain met expectations for fuel economy, achieving 26.2 mpg on the evaluation loop.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX, despite its small size, provided a comfortable and easy-to-live-with experience. Ingress and egress were effortless, and the controls were clearly marked and legible. The slightly elevated ride height offered excellent visibility, aided by the optional rear camera mirror. Front-seat headroom and legroom were adequate, though rear-seat knee room was tight. Cargo space measured 23.5 cubic feet behind the rear bench seat, expanding to 50.2 cubic feet with the seat folded. The two-level cargo floor created a flat load floor when the rear seats were folded, and the optional hands-free power liftgate added convenience.

The 2022 GMC Terrain's interior was roomy and offered numerous comfort-enhancing features and storage solutions. The AT4 trim included power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control with rear air-conditioning vents. The back seat was spacious and comfortable, with plenty of legroom and foot room. Cargo space measured 29.6 cubic feet behind the back seat, expanding to 63.3 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The front passenger seat could also be folded down for longer items.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX came with a standard eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth audio streaming, Buick Connected Services with a built-in WiFi hotspot, front and rear USB ports, OnStar telematics, and SiriusXM satellite radio. A navigation system was available on Select and Essence trims, along with built-in Amazon Alexa capability. Our test vehicle had the Advanced Technology package, which added HD surround vision, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, and a memory card receptacle. The Convenience package included automatic parking assist with braking, wireless phone charging, a rear camera mirror and washer, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

The 2022 GMC Terrain offered two infotainment systems: a 7-inch touchscreen for SLE trim and an 8-inch touchscreen for SLT, AT4, and Denali trims. Both systems included Bluetooth smartphone connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and GMC Connected Services through OnStar. Our test vehicle had the larger screen and the Infotainment Package II upgrade, which added connected navigation, improved voice recognition, and a Bose audio system. The voice recognition system was excellent, accurately responding to various prompts. The Tech Package option included a head-up display, front and rear park assist sensors, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX came standard with a range of driver assistance features, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, following-distance indicator, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assistance with lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. Teen Driver technology and a tire-fill alert system were also included. The Encore GX performed well in NHTSA crash tests, earning five stars for overall crash protection. The IIHS awarded it "Good" ratings in all crash tests, with "Superior" ratings for front crash prevention.

The 2022 GMC Terrain came standard with the GMC Pro Safety Package, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following distance indicator. The GMC Pro Safety Plus Package, available on SLE, SLT, and AT4 trims, added adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, rear parking sensors, and a Safety Alert Seat. The IIHS awarded the Terrain mostly "Good" crash-test scores, though it received a "Marginal" rating in a new side-impact test. The NHTSA had not evaluated the 2022 Terrain's crashworthiness at the time of this review.