2026 Buick Encore GX

SUV · 1.2L Turbo I3 · AWD

71/100

AutoVault's overall score, weighted for what a suv is actually for — performance, technology, comfort, reliability, safety and value.

Specifications

Engine	1.2L Turbo I3
Horsepower	137 hp
Torque	162 lb-ft
0–60 mph	9 sec
Top speed	112 mph
Drivetrain	AWD
Seats	5
Combined MPG	27 mpg (25 city / 30 hwy)
Range	427 miles
MSRP	$27,700
Body style	SUV

The verdict

What's good

AWD available at a price point where rivals only offer FWD
Cabin materials feel noticeably premium versus Trailblazer and Trax
Tight turning circle makes urban parking genuinely easy
Buick's quiet ride tuning stands out among budget crossovers

What's not

Three-cylinder engine struggles visibly with highway merging
Small 13.2-gallon tank means filling up more often than expected
Rear passenger legroom is cramped for adults over six feet
Infotainment responsiveness lags behind Korean and Japanese rivals

The engine

1.2L Turbo I3

A small turbocharged three-cylinder tuned for efficiency, offering surprisingly usable low-end torque that lets it match or exceed the four-cylinders it replaced.

A clean-sheet GM inline-three (codename LIH), it is built at GM's Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico and shipped to GM Korea's Bupyeong facility, which assembles the Encore GX.

GM engineered the 1.2-liter triple to match or exceed comparable four-cylinder engines in torque output.
It pairs with a continuously variable transmission on front-wheel-drive Encore GX models.
Being an odd-cylinder layout, it uses a balance strategy to tame the inherent vibration of a three-cylinder design.

See the rest in AutoVault

The six sub-scores behind the 71 — performance, tech, comfort, reliability, safety and value
Market value today and year-by-year value history
All 4 trims with pricing
Studio photography — exterior, rear and interior
Side-by-side comparison with up to four cars

Open in AutoVault