The 2022 Buick Encore GX is stylish, versatile, and engineered to fit your way of life. With its high predicted reliability rating, lots of standard features, and spacious cabin, there is a lot to like in the Encore GX. The Equinox features a comfortable, fun, ride and a long list of features. Let’s see how they compare.
Design and Style
The 2022 Buick Encore GX can seat up to five people in its two-row SUV. It offers comfortable, premium seating, with available luxury features that include leather-appointed seats, a heated steering wheel, a panoramic moonroof and an in-vehicle air ionizer. Its cabin is nicely laid out and offers plenty of head-and legroom throughout the cabin, with soft-touch surfaces through the front of the interior; but you will also find some hard plastics in the rear of the cabin. Cloth upholstery comes standard; and leather upholstery, heated front seats, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, and a heated steering wheel are available. It offers versatile cabin features and customizable cargo options for all of your gear. The Encore provides 23.5 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and more than 50 cubic feet of maximum cargo space when the rear seats are folded down, with 2.7 inches of additional cargo height when reconfiguring the cargo area floor. The Encore GX is available in three trims: Preferred, Select, and Essence. Pricing starts at $24,100 for the Preferred, $25,700 for the Select, and $28,500 for the range-topping Essence.
The Equinox features a striking exterior, offering aerodynamic sculpting and accents that combine style and function. This five-seat compact SUV offers tremendous rear-seat legroom and ample headroom that allows tall adults to sit comfortably. The front seats will keep you supported on a long drive with its well-shaped seats. It is mixed in its interior quality because of hard plastic surfaces, but soft-touch accents are also present. Standard features included are cloth upholstery and four-way manually adjustable front seats. Standard and available features on the LT and Premier trim include leather upholstery, eight-way power-adjustable front seats, heated and ventilated fronts, heated rear seats, heated rear seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a heated steering wheel, and driver’s seat memory seat. Optional Sport and Midnight Edition, available on the LT trim, offers unique gloss-black exterior trim pieces, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and special black alloy wheels. You will get about 30 cubic feet behind the rear seats and around 64 cubic feet with the second row folded down. The Equinox comes in four trim levels: L, LS, LT, and Premier. Starting price is $23,800 for the Equinox L and ranges to a starting price of $31,400 for the Premier.
Power, Handling and Gas
The Encore GX’s turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine is standard on all front-wheel-drive models, with 137 horsepower and 162 lb ft of torque. Standard on all-wheel drive models and optional for front-wheel-drive models is a turbocharged 1.3-liter three-cylinder, with 155 horsepower and 174 lb ft of torque. All models with front-wheel drive have a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), and all-wheel drive options feature a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Encore gets an EPA-estimated 28/31 mpg on the city and highway with its base engine, 30/21 mpg for the front-wheel drive, and 26/29 mpg for the AWD. It delivers a gentle ride and offers the perfect balance of efficiency, power, and agile-handling to help you feel confident on the road.
Equinox dropped its more powerful 2.0-liter engine this year, making the only power the Equinox offers for this model year a 170-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. The transmission shifts smoothly, but acceleration is a bit lackluster in its only engine. The Equinox delivers a comfortable ride and takes turns with composure. Opting for larger wheels, will give you a jittery experience, especially over large bumps in the road. Some class rivals are more agile and athletic. The Equinox will tow up to a maximum of 1,500 pounds with its only engine; and front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available on all trims. Fuel economy is estimated at 26/31 mpg city and highway.
Safety, Tech and Price
The Encore GX is loaded with several standard safety and tech features, including the Buick Infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android, six-speaker audio system, satellite radio, four USB ports, Bluetooth and an in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot. Forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic high-beam headlights, lane keep assist, rearview camera, along with safety packages that include a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control will help you feel secure on the road. Additional available advanced safety features include a 360-degree parking camera, an automated parking system, and a digital rearview mirror.
The Equinox offers plenty of driver’s assistance features to feel confident on the road. A lot of features are standard on all trims, but you’ll need to move up to the LT and Premier trim to get the available Confidence and Convenience packages that include added safety and convenience features; such as a power liftgate and a universal garage door opener. Standard features include forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, following distance indicator, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, automatic high-beam headlights, rearview camera, Teen Driver system, and rear-seat reminder. The Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system comes standard with some great technology features. The L and LS offer the standard features and the LT and Premier add a little bit more. Standard features on all trims include a 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, four USB ports, a Wi-fi hot spot, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and a six-speaker stereo.
Overall
The 2022 GMC Encore GX has a lot to like, with lots of standard features and one of the best predicted reliability ratings in its class. It is a roomy subcompact SUV, offering a comfortable ride, and featuring plenty of cargo and passenger room to meet your everyday driving needs. The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox is a solid crossover, also with excellent predicted reliability ratings; and it offers an array of standard safety features and technology; as well as plenty of room for comfortable seating and cargo. It lags some in its performance and cabin quality, offering one engine choice and hard plastics throughout its interior.