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A Next-Generation Buick Encore Is In The Works: Exclusive

A replacement for the current, first-generation Buick Encore subcompact crossover is on the way, GM Authority has learned from sources familiar with the matter.

Before we get into the details, let’s first review the landscape: Buick encore sales in 2020 totaled 41,752 units, a drop of 59 percent over the 102,402 units sold in 2019. In just 12 months, the subcompact CUV went from being the 8th most popular General Motors vehicle sold in the U.S. to the 15th.

Sales Results - Q4 2020 - USA - Buick

MODELQ4 2020 / Q4 2019Q4 2020Q4 2019YTD 2020 / YTD 2019 YTD 2020YTD 2019
CASCADA-100.00% 077-99.53%12 2,535
ENCLAVE+21.64% 12,33810,143-24.78%38,480 51,156
ENCORE-77.76% 6,33828,497-59.23%41,752 102,402
ENCORE GX* 16,965**44,841 0
ENVISION+1.12% 8,4748,380+5.16%34,942 33,229
LACROSSE-96.97% 14463-96.82%230 7,241
REGAL-96.10% 591,514-76.03%2,484 10,363
BUICK TOTAL-9.96% 44,18849,074-21.35%162,741 206,926

The primary reason for the drop in Encore sales was another product from the Tri-Shield brand that competed for the same general segment: the slightly larger but significantly more more modern Buick Encore GX. With sales of 44,841 units, the Encore GX outperformed the regular Encore in 2020, despite being more expensive.

Buick Encore GX

This is a problem for Buick, but it’s one that we believe has an obvious solution. The subcompact crossover segment is starting to fragment into two distinct sub-segments which we could call ‘premium’ and ‘budget’. Premium vehicles, in this context, have average transaction prices (ATP) several thousand dollars higher than their budget counterparts.

Currently, Buick competes in both of these subcompact sub-segments with the Encore (budget offering) and Encore GX (premium offering). By comparison, most rival such as Ford, Honda, Jeep, Nissan and Toyota are operating in only one or the other.

Chinese Buick Encore

Back to the next-gen Encore: we’ve confirmed via our sources that GM is, in fact, planning to replace the first-gen Encore currently on sale in the U.S. and Canada with another model. In other words, Buick will continue competing in both sectors of the subcompact crossover space. This is significant in and of itself, as it runs contrary to rumors that GM will simply discontinue the aging Encore, without a replacement.

As for the direction that GM will take in replacing the first-gen Encore, one needs to look no further than China. Local versions of the Encore and Encore GX went on sale in China in 2019, and the duo is seeing healthy levels of success in the local market. While the Encore GX is the same GM VSS-F-based model as its counterpart sold in in North America, the “regular” Encore received a complete overhaul for China, moving from the Gamma II platform that underpinned the first-generation model (and continues to underpin it in the U.S. and Canada) to the new GEM platform.

Short for Global Emerging Markets, GEM is essentially a simplified version of VSS-F. As its name implies, GEM was not originally intended to be used as the basis for vehicles sold in the U.S. or Canada. In fact, not a single GEM-based vehicle is currently on sold in either of the two countries. However, all signs now point to General Motors changing its position on the matter. In fact, a GEM-based Buick Encore for North America would likely be much cheaper to manufacture than the current model, since the primary goal of GEM is to keep costs to a minimum.

Model Market Platform Starting Price
2021 Buick Encore U.S. Gamma II $23,200
2021 Buick Encore GX U.S. VSS-F $2,420
2021 Buick Encore China GEM 125,900 yuan / $19,500
2021 Buick Encore GX China VSS-F 155,900 yuan / $24,108

In the case of the Encore family, the GEM-based Encore has a starting price of 125,900 yuan in China, which translates to about $19,500 USD (at current exchange rates). The Encore GX, meanwhile, starts at 155,900 yuan, or $24,108. That makes for a healthy gap between the two models, much healthier than the one that currently exists between the original Encore and Encore GX in the U.S.

Chinese-market Buick Encore on GEM platform (left) and Encore GX (right).

Chinese-market Buick Encore on GEM platform (left) and Encore GX (right)

In conclusion, we believe that GM is currently hard at work making the necessary changes to the GEM-based Encore in order to sell it in the U.S. and in Canada. We’ll be back to report more as soon as we have it, so be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Buick Encore news, Buick news and ongoing GM news coverage.

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David has been writing about motoring and motorsport since he was 13 and racing since he was 19. He is British, and therefore apologizes for taking up too much of your time.

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Comments

  1. Nice. We can expect so a new Trax/Tracker, maybe even the Onix sedan, since they all are based on GEM?

    Reply
  2. Why didn’t GM do this from the start? If they had kept the (budget) Encore updated, maybe it wouldn’t have had such s big sales drop. Or if they think the Encore GX steals it’s sales, make the two more distinctive from each other (starting with a different model name to avoid confusion).

    Reply
    1. Keep in mind that the sales drop experienced by the Encore in 2020 was in large part a result of production cuts in order to make room for the Encore GX.

      Reply
      1. I’ve seen a ton of these in rental fleets so I’d say that’s a factor too. It’s a great rental box checking car: “SUV”, “luxury” brand, cheap, available AWD.

        Reply
        1. I bought and Encore GX last year after I initially came home with and Encore but went back 3 days later and changed my mind and paid the extra $2k for the GX and I am soon happy I did…

          Reply
      2. Alex,

        Combined Encore and Encore GX sales still represent a significant drop from 2019.
        Another ripple effect of COVID-19 ?

        Will the new GEM Encore be better than the outgoing model, or just cheaper?

        Recently, I have found myself — and not alone — defending the Chevy Trax against Consumer Reports’s criticism. However, my experience with cars of this size/price class is limited to one short drive and a few longer rides in my daughter’s 2019 Trax, which I found to be perfectly acceptable.

        Is the current Encore better than the current Trax?

        In this size/price vehicle, what would you deem better than the Trax or Encore?

        Reply
        1. “Combined Encore and Encore GX sales still represent a significant drop from 2019.
          Another ripple effect of COVID-19 ?”

          I wouldn’t call the decline a ripple effect. I would call it a direct effect of COVID-19. When plants are down, it’s difficult or nearly impossible to make up the volume.

          As for what’s better, it depends on what “better” means. Dollar for dollar, it’s hard to beat the Trax and Encore (they both transact below their advertised prices). To that end, both the Trailblazer and Encore GX are better than the Trax and Encore… but they are also more expensive. Besides those, the Jeep Compass, Toyota CH-R and Kia Seltos are pretty good. Everything else is sub-par.

          Reply
          1. Thanks for the reply.
            I guess I would want them both: an economical 4WD with a sunroof, a way to plug in her Apple phone for music and GPS use, and an automatic transmission, and, for me, a fully loaded luxury barge … I mean rowboat.

            Reply
          2. Other manufacturers (their competitors) didn’t suffer the same percentage loss. Blaming it on China virus is an excuse. The reason why GM fails to the competition is because they make excuses just like you’re doing and they don’t take responsibility or accountablility. They never learn and that’s why they always fall behind the competition. What’s that definition of insanity again?

            Reply
    2. Might have been feeling the markets. Eventually an EV like Bolt EUV might have some weight in decision making.

      I was just thinking GM not only has segment crushing Encore, now Encore GX, that Acura has nothing…

      Reply
    3. Maybe they should have gone all Alfred P. Sloan on the two segments. Budget: Chevrolet. Premium: Buick. Problem solved.

      Reply
    4. GM never plans ahead regarding Federalization. This was a chronic problem with Opel (Cascada, Adam) & now in China with Buick and Chevy.
      The easy potential for Federalization should be built into every model especially if market conditions change. In an oil crisis only Cruise would be ready right away. Also, Buick Blue EVs should be ready.
      I’m not a fan of Chinese built imports due to ethnic cleansing but, nonetheless, the world will do nothing and Buick will soon be all made in China.

      Reply
  3. This is good. It would be super nice if they would build it in the USA or where the current Encore is built in South Korea. But what seems to evident is that this could be a sign that GM would be willing to (hopefully/maybe) import the LaCrosse to the USA as well if there seemed to be a market. I just don’t see where there are enough numbers (market share) for them to go back to building one here. Guess what I’m saying is that they originally said the GEM version would not be offered for sale in the US, but that has changed. Other things can and will change as well.

    Reply
  4. From worlds #1 superpower to receiving a platform for global emerging markets. The race to the bottom never ceases to amaze me! Really doesn’t matter if you voted for the old orange guy or the old plain guy, you vote with your checkbook! You only have yourself to blame letting corporate America screw your kids and grandkids.

    Reply
    1. Jofa

      Does your maid show up driving a Bentley?

      Reply
      1. No, I wouldn’t let her drive a turd. Her outfit goes much better with a C8.

        Reply
        1. Joda
          Sounds like she cleans much more than just your house. It also sounds like you live in a country that we haven’t bombed the $h!t out of yet. Give us a few years.

          Reply
          1. I think you did try on January 6th.

            Reply
            1. If they wouldn’t have been billy bobs and serious folks who knows what might have happened

              Reply
              1. Please use commas.

                Reply
    2. We’ve always gotten the most cost effective platforms money can build in the US and Europe. Automakers don’t intentionally waste money because car is built for a superpower. Why GEM was segregated from the global line up never made sense from a business standpoint. With a balls deep recession this it’s a smart move for GM.
      It’s a beautiful design, not 8n any way inferior to Stellantis or even Ford architectures. You read too much into the GEM name which was only coined as a Wall Street stock selling point.
      (I thought GEM was a modified Gamma and not VFF architecture?)

      Reply
      1. It makes sense because of 4 letters: IIHS.

        US-market crashworthiness requirements are pulling ahead even from Europe, and to meet them you have to modify underlying structure very significantly. Combined with fuel economy and electrification (four more letters: CARB), you have to push materials like aluminum, magnesium and composites.

        Therefore you can’t toss last-gen models to China anymore, because the price of your car isn’t going to drop to an acceptable level in the 8 or so years it takes to get it over to China.

        Reply
      2. It also sounds like the DaimlerChrysler-FCA-Stellantis golf cart division, Gem Cars.

        Reply
    3. So true.

      Reply
    4. GEM borrows much from Gamma III and can be pushed up. FCA uses platforms GM would never consider fit for the US but with extra engineering tg these models are great.

      Reply
  5. i can’t wait for the next generation 3cylinder cvt dream machine!!! it is going to be awesome!!!

    Reply
  6. Hey GM build us another crap car slash SUV. The idiot said GM name two different cars the same known name and confuse the s*** out of us seniors and you did what you always do raise the prices so we’re ridiculous level basically we’re talking about $5,000 for 8 in more space. The regular encore was selling great all you had to do was add two or three safety electronic packages. The other car slash SUV should have had a different name call it the eclair for all I really care about names give it a bigger engine not some three cylinder crappy toy engine and gee whiz you’d have a BMW killer in a small SUV. Give the newer car a diamond stitched interior car seat maybe something like a refrigerated box and one or two other doodads.

    Reply
    1. Call it a Napoleon . That’s the luxury name. It’s also French.

      Reply
  7. So the current GEM platform is to get updates to make it saleable in the US like crash worthiness etc., etc. Good. Considering that the little Encore was for a while Buick’s top selling model, it might be a good thing that it gets a replacement.

    Reply
    1. It’s a beautiful design GM should not waste. Anyway reviews on GX haven’t been stellar. Buick isn’t a popular brand and couldn’t be reinvented over the last decade. It’s a Chinese built space filler sitting beside GMC.

      Reply
      1. It’s made in S Korea which is not China

        Reply
        1. Yet.

          Reply
  8. Save the employee hours and ramp-up investment updating ICE models and convert them to EVs. Since fewer cars are being sold anyway, let the conversion be the next generation for each model.

    No reason to stretch out the transition period longer than it needs to be. BEV and HFC vehicles is where the competition will be anyhow, and your customers will thank you for not selling obsolete products.

    Signed,
    A happy, transitioned driver

    Reply
  9. Kind of disappointed that they dropped most of the higher end models and options on the Encore. I understand their logic that doing so will prevent it from competing with the GX, giving (in accounting logic) a natural progression. However, I know some Encore owners who love their loaded Encores, but are not a big fan of the GX, for whatever reason. I don’t see a problem with internal competition, why not give people who want a high end (and profitable) choice? I think that’s part of what made Encore popular in the first place (esp seniors), Encore kind of started the option of going small without giving up luxury options. Some people don’t want or need change, but if they don’t like the GX, they’re not going to buy a new Encore and move to a lower model, and/or give up the options that they like.

    Reply
  10. Why does GM need so many small turbo engines? They’ve got the 1.2t and 1.3t for the Encore GX/Trailblazer, the 1.4t for the Encore/Trax, the 1.5t for the Malibu/Equinox/Terrain, the 1.6t for the now defunct Buick Cascada, and the 2.0t for the Camaro, Cadillac and an optional upcharge on the Malibu,Blazer/Terrain. Why doesn’t GM just use the 1.5t in the Encore/EncoreGX/Trax/Trailblazer, create a 1.8t for the Malibu/Equinox/Terrain and create a 2.2t for Cadillac to differentiate Cadillac from the rest of GM vehicles?

    Reply
  11. Price it right from the start. These 20% / $4500 / $5000 price reductions is just ridiculous and confusing!

    Reply

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