Buick Encore GX Sales Place Mid-Pack During Q3 2022

December 1, 2022 6:13 pm

Buick Encore GX sales decreased in the United States and Canada during the third quarter of 2022.

Buick Encore GX Sales - Q3 2022 - United States

In the United States, Buick Encore GX deliveries totaled 9,825 units in Q3 2022, a decrease of about 40 percent compared to 16,500 units sold in Q3 2021.

In the first nine months of the year, Encore GX sales decreased about 60 percent to 24,296 units.

MODEL	Q3 2022 / Q3 2021	Q3 2022	Q3 2021	YTD 2022 / YTD 2021	YTD 2022	YTD 2021
ENCORE GX	-40.45%	9,825	16,500	-60.29%	24,296	61,179

Buick Encore GX Sales - Q3 2022 - Canada

In Canada, Buick Encore GX deliveries totaled 1,107 units in Q3 2022, a decrease of about 37 percent compared to 1,771 units sold in Q3 2021.

In the first nine months of the year, Encore GX sales decreased about 38 percent to 3,581 units.

MODEL	Q3 2022 / Q3 2021	Q3 2022	Q3 2021	YTD 2022 / YTD 2021	YTD 2022	YTD 2021
ENCORE GX	-37.49%	1,107	1,771	-38.33%	3,581	5,807

Competitive Sales Comparison (USA)

Buick Encore GX sales during the third quarter of 2022 placed the premium marque’s entry mid-pack among 20 models in the mainstream subcompact crossover segment when ranked by sales volume. The Jeep Compass took the top spot with a 14 percent sales droop to 20,631 units, while the Honda HR-V dropped to second place with a 47 percent slide to 19,539 units, and the VW Taos jumped up two spots to take third place with a 44 percent bump to 18,880 units. The Chevy Trailblazer (see running Chevy Trailblazer sales), the Encore GX’s corporate cousin and VSS-F platform mate, remained in fourth place with a 32 percent drop to 17,388 units. The Encore GX placed 11^th with a 40 percent drop to 9,825 units. The Chevy Trax (see running Chevy Trax sales), the Trailblazer’s corporate cousin, placed 15^th with a one percent bump to 6,329 units, while the Buick Encore (see running Buick Encore sales), the Trax’s platform mate, placed 17^th with a 13 percent slide to 3,487 units.

Note that Buick fields two entries in this segment, the Encore GX and Encore. The two crossovers are mechanically not related despite carrying the same base name. In fact, the Buick Encore GX slots between the “regular” Buick Encore and Buick Envision in the brand’s vehicle lineup.

Sales Numbers - Mainstream Subcompact Crossovers - Q3 2022 - United States

MODEL	Q3 22 / Q3 21	Q3 22	Q3 21	Q3 22 SHARE	Q3 21 SHARE	YTD 22 / YTD 21	YTD 22	YTD 21
JEEP COMPASS	-13.59%	20,631	23,875	10%	9%	+15.40%	66,966	58,029
HONDA HR-V	-47.13%	19,539	36,957	9%	14%	-12.19%	92,555	105,398
VOLKSWAGEN TAOS	+44.08%	18,880	13,104	9%	5%	+159.57%	46,835	18,043
CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER	-31.89%	17,388	25,531	8%	10%	-43.26%	41,932	73,898
KIA SOUL	-21.92%	16,837	21,565	8%	8%	-26.35%	44,445	60,345
MAZDA CX-30	+15.40%	15,660	13,570	8%	5%	-21.25%	37,387	47,474
TOYOTA COROLLA CROSS	*	15,206	*	7%	0%	*	37,521	0
HYUNDAI KONA	-35.32%	12,893	19,932	6%	8%	-35.60%	45,680	70,928
KIA SELTOS	+22.12%	12,416	10,167	6%	4%	-24.01%	32,182	42,352
NISSAN KICKS	-49.36%	10,520	20,773	5%	8%	-30.30%	45,120	64,735
BUICK ENCORE GX	-40.45%	9,825	16,500	5%	6%	-60.29%	24,296	61,179
FORD ECOSPORT	+0.88%	8,262	8,190	4%	3%	-24.09%	26,186	34,494
HYUNDAI VENUE	-4.84%	6,954	7,308	3%	3%	-12.31%	19,605	22,358
JEEP RENEGADE	-38.83%	6,523	10,663	3%	4%	-43.33%	23,776	41,957
CHEVROLET TRAX	+1.12%	6,329	6,259	3%	2%	-47.02%	21,882	41,306
MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER SPORT	-21.48%	3,721	4,739	2%	2%	-57.12%	12,317	28,722
BUICK ENCORE	-13.09%	3,487	4,012	2%	2%	-41.71%	11,231	19,267
TOYOTA C-HR	-84.48%	1,233	7,945	1%	3%	-68.16%	10,313	32,388
KIA NIRO	-85.59%	1,045	7,254	1%	3%	-1.89%	18,711	19,071
FIAT 500X	-42.63%	179	312	0%	0%	-22.76%	757	980
TOTAL	-19.77%	207,528	258,656			-21.74%	659,697	842,924

From a segment share standpoint, the Encore GX earned a five percent share, down one percentage point. The Compass held a 10 percent share, up on percentage point, while the HR-V posted a nine percent share, down five percentage points. The Taos held a nine percent share as well, but up four percentage points. Other GM models in the segment fared as follows: Trailblazer posted an eight percent share, down two percentage points; Trax held a three percent share, up one percentage point; and Encore maintained a mere two percent share.

The four GM vehicles in the mainstream subcompact crossover segment, the Buick Encore and Encore GX along with the Chevy Trax and Trailblazer, accounted for a cumulative 37,029 deliveries. That was good for an 18 percent segment share, putting The General in second place in the segment from an overall volume standpoint.

Sales Numbers - GM Mainstream Subcompact Crossovers - Q3 2022 - USA

MODEL	Q3 22 / Q3 21	Q3 22	Q3 21	YTD 22 / YTD 21	YTD 22	YTD 21
CHEVROLET TRAX	+1.12%	6,329	6,259	-47.02%	21,882	41,306
CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER	-31.89%	17,388	25,531	-43.26%	41,932	73,898
BUICK ENCORE	-13.09%	3,487	4,012	-41.71%	11,231	19,267
BUICK ENCORE GX	-40.45%	9,825	16,500	-60.29%	24,296	61,179
TOTAL	-29.20%	37,029	52,302	-49.23%	99,341	195,650

By comparison, the three Stellantis rivals – the Jeep Compass, Jeep Renegade, and Fiat 500X – accounted for a cumulative 27,333 deliveries for a combined 13 percent segment share for third place overall.

Sales Numbers - Stellantis Mainstream Subcompact Crossovers - Q3 2022 - USA

MODEL	Q3 22 / Q3 21	Q3 22	Q3 21	YTD 22 / YTD 21	YTD 22	YTD 21
JEEP COMPASS	-13.59%	20,631	23,875	+15.40%	66,966	58,029
JEEP RENEGADE	-38.83%	6,523	10,663	-43.33%	23,776	41,957
FIAT 500X	-42.63%	179	312	-22.76%	757	980
TOTAL	-21.57%	27,333	34,850	-9.38%	91,499	100,966

Toyota’s newest model, the Corolla Cross, joined the mainstream B-crossover segment earlier this year to most likely replace the C-HR, which has performed poorly from a sales volume standpoint. In fact, the Corolla Cross outsold the C-HR over 12 -fold this quarter. Toyota saw a combined 16,439 sales for an eight percent segment share.

Sales Numbers - Toyota Mainstream Subcompact Crossovers - Q3 2022 - USA

MODEL	Q3 22 / Q3 21	Q3 22	Q3 21	YTD 22 / YTD 21	YTD 22	YTD 21
TOYOTA COROLLA CROSS	*	15,206	*	*	37,521	0
TOYOTA C-HR	-84.48%	1,233	7,945	-68.16%	10,313	32,388
TOTAL	+106.91%	16,439	7,945	+47.69%	47,834	32,388

Meanwhile, Hyundai – with the the Kona and Venue – and Kia – with the Seltos, Niro, and Soul – saw a cumulative 50,145 deliveries, which account for a combined 24 percent segment share for a solid first place finish.

Sales Numbers - Hyundai - Kia Mainstream Subcompact Crossovers (With Soul) - Q3 2022 - USA

MODEL	Q3 22 / Q3 21	Q3 22	Q3 21	YTD 22 / YTD 21	YTD 22	YTD 21
KIA SOUL	-21.92%	16,837	21,565	-26.35%	44,445	60,345
KIA SELTOS	+22.12%	12,416	10,167	-24.01%	32,182	42,352
KIA NIRO	-85.59%	1,045	7,254	-1.89%	18,711	19,071
HYUNDAI KONA	-35.32%	12,893	19,932	-35.60%	45,680	70,928
HYUNDAI VENUE	-4.84%	6,954	7,308	-12.31%	19,605	22,358
TOTAL	-24.28%	50,145	66,226	-25.31%	160,623	215,054

However, a strong argument can be made that the Kia Soul is not part of the segment in question, but rather competes one segment below based on its size and price point. Removing the Soul from the Hyundai-Kia total nets 33,308 deliveries for a combined 16 percent segment share, placing the Hyundai-Kia conglomerate to second place behind GM at first under this scenario.

Sales Numbers - Hyundai - Kia Mainstream Subcompact Crossovers (Without Soul) - Q3 2022 - USA

MODEL	Q3 22 / Q3 21	Q3 22	Q3 21	YTD 22 / YTD 21	YTD 22	YTD 21
KIA SELTOS	+22.12%	12,416	10,167	-24.01%	32,182	42,352
KIA NIRO	-85.59%	1,045	7,254	-1.89%	18,711	19,071
HYUNDAI KONA	-35.32%	12,893	19,932	-35.60%	45,680	70,928
HYUNDAI VENUE	-4.84%	6,954	7,308	-12.31%	19,605	22,358
TOTAL	-25.42%	33,308	44,661	-24.91%	116,178	154,709

The mainstream subcompact crossover segment contracted 20 percent to 207,528 units during Q3 2022, meaning Encore GX sales significantly underperformed the segment average year-over-year.

On a related note, the automakers listed above with multiple models all posted similar cumulative sales numbers last quarter, maintaining the same ranking and same, or nearly the same, segment share percentage, respectively. The segment overall, though, was down about 16.5K deliveries quarter-over-quarter.

The GM Authority Take

Buick Encore GX sales continue to perform poorly year-over-year in a contested and crowded field of 20 entries, which includes four GM models. Past production issues stemming from the ongoing global semiconductor microchip shortage and other supply chain challenges have resulted in limited inventory of the small crossover, thereby negatively impacting sales of the Encore GX, along with many models across The General’s brands.

Encore GX sales could also be getting pressure from competitors like newcomer Toyota Corolla Cross, which continues to make a dent, outselling three of the four GM models and within about 2K deliveries of the Chevy Trailblazer. As noted above, the Corolla Cross will likely replace Toyota’s poorly-performing C-HR.

Regarding GM’s four entries in this space, Buick’s diminutive Encore crossover will be dropped after the 2022 model year.

Furthermore, while we initially reported that GM was dropping the Chevy Trax from its lineup after the 2022 model year, the automaker subsequently confirmed it would release an all-new Chevy Trax later this year. GM recently debuted the next-generation 2024 Chevy Trax as Chevy’s new entry-level crossover.

Refreshed 2024 Buick Encore GX

Regarding the Encore GX, the premium subcompact crossover is set to receive a mid-cycle refresh for the upcoming 2024 model year, introducing a new range-topping trim level – in the form of the Encore GX Avenir=. The upcoming refreshed 2024 Buick Encore GX will debut a reworked fascia with a two-tier lighting arrangement along with a restyled grille to complement the updated lighting, plus changes in the cabin. A camouflaged prototype was recently spotted in the wild.

Even more recently, the Encore GX refresh was leaked in China, showing front-end styling that’s very similar to the first-ever Buick Envista that will launch in the U.S. in the first half of the 2023 calendar year as a 2024 model-year vehicle. Since the Envista is a platform mate of the all-new 2024 Chevy Trax, it could serve as a replacement for the discontinued Encore.

2024 Buick Envista

The Encore GX refresh and upcoming Envista should eventually boost sales for Buick in the mainstream subcompact crossover segment – only as long as GM can build enough units to meet demand.

In July, J.D. Power released results of its 2022 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS), ranking major car brands and models based on consumer feedback. It listed the Buick Encore GX as the best small utility, besting the Buick Encore and Ford Bronco Sport.

Representing the fourth model year of the first-generation subcompact crossover, production of the 2023 Buick Encore GX began at the GM Bupyeong plant in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, South Korea, on April 24^th, 2022. The only change for the 2023 model year is a paint color swap, as Satin Steel Metallic is replaced with Moonstone Gray Metallic. However, GM recently decided to include a three-year OnStar and Connected Services plan as a mandatory option on all Buick and GMC models.

About The Numbers

All percent change figures compared to Buick Encore GX sales for Q3 2021, unless noted otherwise
In the United States, there were 77 selling days for Q3 2022 and 77 selling days for Q3 2021
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