Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs Buick Encore GX

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid offered a rugged appearance thanks to a substantial and blocky design. When it was redesigned in 2019, Toyota introduced a trapezoidal grille, derived from its truck lineup, and surrounded it with angled bodywork to frame the headlights. This design choice intended to add visual heft. Over time, other manufacturers like Honda and Mazda adopted a similar approach with their CR-V and CX-50 models.

The interior of the RAV4 Hybrid continued the angular theme with a multi-tiered dashboard featuring beveled cutouts. The basic layout of the cabin was typical for vehicles at the time, boasting an infotainment touchscreen mounted atop the dash and a generous array of physical buttons and knobs for primary controls. Material quality was average for its class and price, featuring hard plastics with lightly padded surfaces where touch was most frequent. Interestingly, the base model and the new Woodland trim lacked a leather-wrapped steering wheel, opting instead for a urethane wheel and center armrest that felt rubbery and cheap. However, most other trims included leather coverings. The build quality was commendable, with no noticeable creaks or squeaks even on rough roads.

In contrast, the 2024 Buick Encore GX took inspiration from the 2022 Wildcat concept, resulting in one of the best-looking Buicks in recent times. This refreshed model for 2024 featured a completely new front end, with sleek daytime running lights positioned above the grille and angular LED lamps flanking it a bit lower. The vehicle also sported a new Buick logo. The top-tier Avenir trim featured a unique grille and some chrome trim. The rear saw minimal changes, except for new LED tail lights on the top two trims. Overall, the Encore GX presented a handsome package, enhanced by the available 19-inch wheels.

Buick offered a wider range of colors for the Encore GX, including brilliant red, deep blue, maroon, and even a near-orange Copper Ice Metallic. Some of these colors provided options for a black roof, mirrors, and roof rails, giving the vehicle a more personalized look. Inside, the most significant change was the relocation of HVAC vents to accommodate a new 19-inch glass panel for the digital gauge cluster and touchscreen. Although there were some concerns about the panel's functionality upon using the car, it undeniably gave the interior a premium, techy appearance. Typical of GM, the interior featured some cheap-feeling plastics, and the only color options were black or cream, limiting customization at this price point.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid was powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor/generator and a CVT driving the front wheels. An additional electric motor on the rear axle provided AWD, collectively generating 219 horsepower. This setup enabled the RAV4 Hybrid to accelerate to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds. Although not the fastest, it was competitive within its class. Compared to its siblings, the standard RAV4 was half a second slower, while the plug-in hybrid RAV4 Prime managed an impressive 5.5 seconds. Within its category, the Kia Sportage hybrid had a slight edge in acceleration, while the Honda CR-V Hybrid was on par at 8 seconds.

Driving the RAV4 Hybrid felt natural, with brakes that operated like a conventional vehicle. Initial brake engagement activated regenerative braking to charge the battery, while more aggressive stops employed the physical brakes without any noticeable transition. The suspension effectively managed bumps and potholes, ensuring a smooth ride and confident cornering. The driving dynamics were satisfactory, if not particularly thrilling, but this characteristic was common among its rivals.

The 2024 Buick Encore GX didn’t introduce any changes under the hood. It remained available in FWD or AWD, with the base Preferred trim featuring a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine producing 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque, mated to a CVT. All trims could be upgraded to a 1.3-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine offering 155 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. In tests, this turbocharged engine provided reasonable responsiveness, accelerating to 60 mph in about nine seconds. Though not particularly quick, it was competitive within its segment. However, there was noticeable roughness during take-off and a slow downshift response during highway passing, taking about two seconds to deliver the required power. This hesitation could be a drawback in urgent situations, although the Encore GX performed well as a city car with a smooth-riding suspension.

A notable feature was the selectable AWD system, allowing drivers to control power distribution and potentially save fuel. However, rivals offered automatic AWD systems that adjusted power distribution without driver intervention, which could be more convenient.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid offered spacious front seats suitable for larger passengers, while the rear seats comfortably accommodated average-sized adults. Although the RAV4 boasted slightly more rear headroom than the Honda CR-V or Kia Sportage, it fell short on legroom, though in practice, these differences were minimal. Installing a rear-facing infant seat might require adjusting the front seat. The rear seat cushions were positioned low, providing less thigh support for taller passengers on long trips.

Cargo space behind the rear seats was 37.5 cubic feet, only marginally less than the non-hybrid RAV4. This was an impressive feat as hybrid models often sacrificed cargo space for battery packs. By comparison, the Honda CR-V offered 39.5 cubic feet and the Kia Sportage 39.3 cubic feet, indicating no significant advantage among these hybrids. Folding the rear seatbacks created a flat cargo floor, though shorter individuals might struggle to reach them. Interior storage was another strength for the RAV4, featuring a wide shelf in the dashboard for the front passenger, a phone tray in front of the center console, large cupholders, and a spacious center armrest bin. However, a wireless charging pad, an increasingly common feature, was not available due to chip shortages.

The 2024 Buick Encore GX, as a subcompact SUV, provided utility within its category norms. It offered 23.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 50.2 cubic feet when those seats were folded down. When the front seat was folded flat, the Encore GX could accommodate items up to eight feet long, like surfboards. However, it had a modest towing capacity of just 1,000 pounds.

Inside, the Encore GX could be equipped with heated seats and a heated steering wheel, though ventilated seats were not available. The base seats were two-way power adjustable, with eight-way adjustable options only available on the top Avenir trim or via the Comfort package. An available seven-speaker Bose audio system added to the interior experience.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid benefitted from a new and greatly improved infotainment system for 2023. The graphics were modern and sharp, with logically arranged menus. The screen's placement on top of the dashboard minimized driver distraction. Most trims included an 8.0-inch display, with higher trims upgrading to a 10.5-inch touchscreen. However, the base display's small on-screen buttons required precise interaction. Standard features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, although a wireless charging pad remained optional. The system supported over-the-air updates and offered a Wi-Fi hotspot, along with remote vehicle monitoring and control. The top trim upgraded the instrument panel to a fully digital display. Standard audio came from a six-speaker system, with the top Limited trim boasting an 11-speaker JBL system for enhanced sound quality.

For the 2024 Buick Encore GX, a striking 11-inch touchscreen was paired with an 8-inch digital gauge cluster, housed under a single pane of glass. While initially impressive, the screen seemed to underutilize its real estate, giving an appearance of malfunction. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with available USB-A and USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad, and a 120-volt outlet. The rear camera mirror, providing a video feed for a wider rear view, was a noteworthy feature.

The Encore GX’s infotainment system was user-friendly, focused on simplicity. It featured tiles for smartphone mirroring, climate control, settings, camera views, and a Wi-Fi hotspot, avoiding the complexity of systems found in other vehicles that included features like Amazon Alexa or unique apps.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid earned commendable safety ratings, receiving five stars for overall and side crash protection from the NHTSA, with four stars for frontal and rollover tests. The IIHS awarded it the highest score of "Good" in most tests, except for the new moderate overlap frontal and side-impact tests where it received an "Acceptable" rating. It was also named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS.

Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.5 suite came standard across all RAV4 Hybrid models, including forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and a traffic sign reader. The XLE trim added blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, while the Limited trim included front and rear parking proximity sensors with automatic braking, and optional surround-view camera and digital rearview mirror.

The 2024 Buick Encore GX featured the standard Driver Confidence package, encompassing lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert, a following distance indicator, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitoring was included in all trims. Additional safety features like rear park assist, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and a 360-degree camera were optional.

Unique to the Encore GX were the Teen Driver and Buckle to Drive features. Teen Driver allowed parents to monitor and receive report cards on their young drivers’ habits, while Buckle to Drive prevented the vehicle from shifting out of park unless the driver’s seat belt was fastened. This feature could be disabled if needed.

The NHTSA awarded the 2024 Encore GX five stars overall, including for frontal and side crashes, and four stars in rollover tests. Although the 2024 model had not yet been rated by the IIHS, the 2023 model scored "Good" for crashworthiness and "Superior" for front crash prevention. However, its headlights received mixed ratings, and the LATCH system was rated "Acceptable."