2022 Buick Encore: Here’s What’s New And Different
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It might be difficult to believe, but the 2022 Buick Encore represents the tenth model year of the first-generation Encore, which entered the market for the 2013 model year. For the 2022 model year, the subcompact crossover gets a few (mostly) minor changes.
Model Line
For the 2022 model year, the base Encore (1SV) trim level has been deleted, making Preferred the one and only trim level.
| Model Year | Encore | Preferred | Sport Touring | Preferred II | Essence | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| 2019 | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||
| 2020 | √ | √ | √ | √ | ||
| 2021 | √ | √ | ||||
| 2022 | √ |
The change is typical for a vehicle whose assembly is being streamlined in an effort to reduce complexity and maximize returns.
Exterior
The 2022 Buick Encore sees no changes to the exterior. As such, the following exterior color options remain:
- Dark Moon Blue Metallic
- Quicksilver Metallic
- Summit White
- Ebony Twilight Metallic
- Cinnabar Metallic
- White Frost Tricoat
The crossover also continues to offer two aluminum 18-inch wheels. The standard wheel is a multi-spoke unit finished in Technical Gray pockets, while the second wheel is an LPO-level (dealer-installed) option with a five-spoke design and a Midnight Silver finish.
Standard wheel (RRU)
LPO-level wheel (SE4)
Interior
On the inside, the 2022 Buick Encore sees the deletion of the flat-folding passenger seatback. As a result, the seatback map pocket becomes standard for both the driver and front passenger seatbacks.
The 2022 Encore also gets a standard electric heater/defroster along with an outside temperature sensor, both of which technically were late changes for the 2021 model year. To clarify, the electric heater replaces the conventional heater core system, which should allow the cabin to warm up much more quickly in colder climates since this system doesn’t rely on engine heat.
Additionally, the eight-inch diagonal color touch screen audio system (IO5) has been replaced with a seven-inch unit (IOR). The change results in the loss of the dual USB ports associated with the IO5 system, while the IOR system introduces two USB ports of its own.
Mechanical
Under the hood, the turbocharged 1.4-liter I4 LUV engine is dropped in favor of the much newer 1.4L LE2 engine. That results in an increase of 17 horsepower and 29 pound-feet of torque, for a total output of 155 horsepower and 177 pound-feet with the LE2 compared to 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet with the LUV. Additionally, the oil pan heater has also been replaced by an engine block heater.
Notably, both of these mechanical updates were late changes for the 2021 model year.
Availability
Assembled by GM Korea at the GM Bupyeong factory in South Korea, units of the 2022 Buick Encore have already begun to reach dealer lots in the United States.
Chinese-market Buick Encore based on the GM GEM Platform
Looking ahead, it’s likely that 2022 or 2023 will become the final model years for the Encore as the newer Encore GX hits its stride from a sales volume standpoint. That said, a replacement for the Encore could be on the way via the Encore based on the GM GEM platform (aka Global Emerging Markets architecture), which has been on sale in China.
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Interested in GX MODEL.
John Gore…..I have a 2021 GX with the turbo 1.3L, 9-speed, and AWD Select package, and just love it.
Would have liked to see three more changes. #1, at least a 1,000 pound tow rating, currently the Encore isn’t rated to tow anything at all, have to take the small mower in for it’s yearly maintenance (about 900 lbs w/trailer) routine. And #2, it’d be great to have the glass on the hatchback be able to open. Why? My wife’s wheel chair that goes into the 1 1/4″ hitch receiver. It’d be nice to be able to open the glass, as it is right now you have to remove the wheel chair rack to open the hatch to get luggage in an out… come on GM this would b easy. #3, on board nav/system. Currently even the humble Hyundai Venue offers the above with the exception of the rear glass not being able to open. We’re empty nesters don’t need a big SUV or mini-van. Have always like the Encore. GM I’d be willing to pay more for the above, when you’ve spent $25K, another $1,000 to get the above would not be asking to much in the selling price. In closing … GM if someone will take an official stance on trailering and tell me the 1/1/4″ hitch for the “hitch-hauler” things, and the engine/trans can safely handle $1,000 pounds … I’m sold.
You could have made the title how GM will kill the encore. Come on no USB ports? No flat seat back for the rear GM must have more political Shenanigans than Congress. The Encore is about $5,000 less than 2 g x model and my 2017 is relatively fully equipped with a lots of high-tech features like Lane change warning and full surround front and rear sensors. I really think the people of GM must have a 5th grade education level
I have to agree, seems as of the last 2 years the only vehicles that put any emphasis on are the ones with a base price of least of $40K. GM, like the rest of the manufacturers need to understand we need more vehicles in the $25K starting point. And GM … not everyone wants a big SUV, there’s a saying in baseball … there’s more action in the minor league than the major league, your past success with the original Encore should have proved it, and for some reason you seem to grasp defeat right out of the jaws of success. Another case in point the great Lumina coupes an sedans … bullet proof, and solid proof you can build a world class vehicle … but you killed them off too. Owned three Euro sedans, 2 LS models, my son a Z-34.
Folks – the two USB ports are staying for 2022. What happened is that they got deleted from the prior 8-inch infotainment system, but the new infotainment system has two USB ports as well. We have updated the article to clarify this.
It’s too dorky and goofy looking to me. This is the company that can’t give us a 2 door rear wheel drive Regal or a big 220 inch long long Electra land yacht. How can this company compete with other luxury car makers when they have given up on cars? One of my vehicles is a 1984 LeSabre with a strong running 455 Buick engine along with a TH 350 transmission. That weak 307 Oldsmobile engine and TH 200 transmission had to go. I added a few more goodies like 3 inch exhaust pipes along with glasspack mufflers to give it a Harley Davidson rumble kind of sound., 160 MPH speedometer, etc. I wanted to find out fast my car was buy I got scared when I hit 150 and then I started slowing down. It’s a blast to drive and most of the I leave the windows down do that can hear the glasspacks. The only bad thing about my car is the gas mileage. I’m getting about 8 or 9 miles to the gallon on the highway
OR, AN ELECTRA 225 from the 70’s would be a good one……….I have a 2021 Colorado with the Camaro Engine, and a speed limiter ECM at 98 MPH…..Government Control out of Control.
Bring back the regal.
And in all the years this has been available they never saw fit to upgrade the interior with a proper center console and armrest. Dang the bean counters.
The Buick Encore GX has one… and is the replacement for the Encore.
I have a 2018 Buick I love it but as time going on the warranty should be longer than two years on some parts, the electrical blinks on or pop on an off like 2017 but I still have no big problems yet that goodness an also I the think money people pay trunk should have a automatically open on Buick Touring Sport that what they have an it actually can be a little quiet it’s loud at some points. But I like everything else about. If didn’t have auto start it would be loud. I only have 29292 Miles on it. I may trade in the future but not right now it probably be a Buick cause used by foreign cars alot GMC need to step there game up get with the program an offer better warrantees an deals.
Trade it before warranty is out. My 2016 was perfect until right after the warranty. Then multiple engine problems. GMs offer was free year of OnStar to help with future towing needs which I think would have indeed been frequent. Dumped the rough running POS on local Toyo dealer in trade and never looked back
Are you smater than a 5th grader ,,Not the thinking mines at GM . Oh and Mary thank you for placing Koren workers to work But not Americans . Must be on the same side as the 4th grade level president , if that …
If they got rid of the USB ports, does that mean Apple CarPlay and Android Auto no longer work on it? Or does the new smaller head unit have wireless connection now?
Think of the ramifications of losing the ‘free engine jacket heat’… Now, you will burn PLENTY OF EXTRA GAS just to heat the cabin….. If you figure the engine is at best 30% efficient when converting gasoline heat (about 115,000 BTU/Gallon) to mechanical energy, and then the alternator is probably about 65 % efficient – you end up using about 34,000 btu of that to get about 8000 btu of heat….
That’s another thing: Is the heater going to run off the ubiquitous 12 volt system? Looking at the photograph above – if that is what the 2022 will have – they will need about 170 amperes of the 14 volt alternator to run the heater…. So that means they will have to have a whopping 250 ampere alternator (like the big trucks with the extra heavy duty house-trailer towing packages have).
If they are adding a special ‘high-voltage’ alternator just for the heater – I can’t see how that minimizes complication nor maximizes performance…..
The last time GM tried Eschewing free Engine Heat in favor of burning extra gasoline, was to my knowledge the 1960 Corvair – with its gasoline heater – which was obviously more efficient than what is proposed here.
But Chrysler burned Chevy in ads about how poor the Corvair’s (a direct competitor to the very fine Plymouth Valliant and Dodge Dart) gas mileage was in the wintertime – since the 198 Cu In ‘Slant Six’ was highly efficient to begin with, and utilized the standard ‘free heat’ from the engine block.
This advertising campaign was so successful that the 1961 Corvair went BACK to utilizing waste engine Jacket Heat – as a for instance the VW Bug had since its inception in the 1930’s… Of course VW ALSO recovered heat with a muffler mounted heat exchanger to ALSO recover the exhaust gas heat.
This is one of the few DISADVANTAGES of a totally electric car – but there – there is no free engine heat available…… Here in this Buick – there is plenty there for the taking – but GM would rather customers burn much, much more gasoline….
I think the ‘5th grade’ comments are more than generous….Talk about a wet-dream idea…..
Well Truck Gal: the figures I mentioned were only good for a VERY PUNY 2400 watts of heat (8200 btu/hour – almost nothing for a car cabin heater/defroster). My Volts and Bolts have on average 7,000 watt heaters, which if run on the car’s 14 volt system, would draw a STOUT 500 amperes (about 2 starter motors simultaneously).
In the volt application, even the 7000 watt heater is considered worse-than-mediocre, and other members of my family turn on the gasoline engine in that car to run on the much ‘hotter’ engine jacket heat.
My point is – just by the nature of things, – the thing CANNOT work very well in cold climates – I doubt where I live if it could even clear the windows just a little bit.
But as others have mentioned – perhaps they are trying to ‘force discontinuance’ of this model, by making it undesirable.
As an aside – the wall mounted gas oven built-in I installed 11 years ago in my then new home has a single centrally mounted burner for ‘full power’ baking or broiling…. The only under $1,000 gas ovens these days are so called ‘hybrid’ models with a BEYOND WHIMPY 1000 watt ‘broiler’ (3413 btu/hour). People have complained that ‘toy’ counter oven appliances have 50% more than even this, and that the food in those very pricey ovens turns out horribly if a broil cook is attempted.
Frigidaire is no longer a GM subsidiary, but, in view of the foregoing, it should be.
The C32 electric heater is an auxiliary heater, it doesn’t replace the normal heater core, just helps out. The Cruze with this same engine had this as well.
CompactChevTruckGal:
Talk to the author of this article then…… He says the electric heater will (unbelievably) REPLACE the standard heater.
“….The 2022 Encore also gets a standard electric heater/defroster along with an outside temperature sensor, both of which technically were late changes for the 2021 model year. To clarify, the electric heater replaces the conventional heater core system, which should allow the cabin to warm up much more quickly in colder climates since this system doesn’t rely on engine heat….”.
Another Quirk to add to the pile. I have a 2021 Encore GX with the “standard” 18″ wheels. They are 5 stud on 115 bolt pattern. I ordered new wheels to use with snow tires (Canada) and the 18″ wheels for a bse Encore were ordered. Naturally the bolt pattern was different . Standard Encore gets 5x105MM and Encore GX gets 5×115. . Did the same with the cruise and cruise Deisel. HOW DUMB!!
This engine found its way in the Mexico made Chevy Trax bound for Brazil, since 2016, along when the engine debuted in the 2016 NG Chevy Cruze. It was the only market that demanded that engine. And guess what? There was a manual 6 speed option ( low option penetration though ) for it as well. Had an opportunity to drive one for two weeks and the mileage was much better than the current 1.35L 3 cilynder engine on the GX.
Why the US marketing / sales people took 6 more years to make that “smart” decision?
Same engine could have gone to the Sonic…..
GM has left us in the dark too long as to whether they are going to give us the new GEM-platform Encore here in the U.S. or not. Somebody in the organization needs to spill the beans on that one way or another.