Buick vehicles have gone through one of the biggest transformations in the industry during the last several years. Now producing premium SUVs of every size, Buick is keeping up with demand, and drivers love it. One of the Buick SUVs that has been consistently popular is the Buick Encore. The 2022 Buick Encore has some special features that make it stand out from the rest. Here’s a deep dive into what’s new for the 2022 Buick Encore and how it perfectly blends luxury and affordability.
What’s New for 2022
We’ve seen the 2022 Buick Encore grow and evolve since it debuted in 2013. The last major revamp was in 2017, but that doesn’t mean you can’t expect some new features. For the 2022 model year, the Buick Encore has some interesting new additions that continue to make it a unique SUV choice. The Encore was designed for a flexible life, and the 2022 Buick Encore continues to deliver that.
The 2022 Buick Encore received a new engine, and it has that extra boost some drivers of the Encore were looking for. The new 1.4L turbo engine may be the same size, but it now produces 155 horsepower. That’s a 12% improvement over the previous engines. This is a necessary upgrade in the 2022 Buick Encore to keep it competitive with other SUVs in its segment. However, you might be surprised to learn that the more powerful engine actually improves the highway fuel economy to up to 32 MPG. The 2022 Buick Encore serves as a commuter vehicle for many drivers, so this is good news.
You’ll also find a new standard electric heater in the 2022 Buick Encore. This heater is an upgrade for the 2022 Encore, which will undoubtedly be enjoyed in those colder months. Of course, the 2022 Encore includes all of the beloved technology and convenience features from previous years, but let’s look at some of the stand-out qualities of the Encore that go beyond the normal features. For those who don’t want the average SUV, this is for you!
Luxury Features that Pop
The major appeal to the Buick Encore is that it blends luxury and mainstream quite beautifully. With the 2022 Buick Encore, drivers feel like they came home with a premium subcompact SUV but didn’t pay the normal price of a luxury vehicle. That alone is what makes the 2022 Encore special in its class. There are specific luxury-like features and components of the 2022 Buick Encore that you may miss at first glance but can really make a difference in your daily driving.
One of the distinctive features in the Encore that Buick likes to highlight is its especially quiet interior cabin. Using Buick’s QuietTuning engineering and Active Noise Cancellation technology, the 2022 Encore provides a peaceful ride, no matter what’s going on outside. This technology includes triple door seals and acoustic laminated glass in the windshield, so all of the unnecessary noise and distraction stays on the outside.
This QuietTuning technology makes it easier to enjoy a quiet ride alone or have uninterrupted conversations with your crew. It’s also a perfect companion to the premium seven-speaker Bose sound system. You can play your perfectly curated playlist or stream your team’s big game with the crispest quality. This type of engineering is a feature you may not think you needed until you experience it firsthand. From families to commuters, everyone can benefit from a quieter ride.
In the 2022 Buick Encore, there is only one trim available, the Premium trim. Essentially, Buick removed the base trim of the Encore and now only offers the Premium trim. At first glance, this could seem frustrating, but this actually means more features come standard in the 2022 Buick Encore. Features like 18-inch aluminum wheels, a power-adjustable driver seat, keyless entry, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and roof rails usually don’t come standard on other vehicles in the subcompact SUV segment. The Encore now offers standard features that are a blend of appearance and technology upgrades, which is consistent with its affordable premium vibe.
The 2022 Buick Encore offers an available all-wheel drive system that is intelligent enough to act as a fuel-efficient front-wheel drive system until extra traction is needed. This feature gives you peace of mind knowing that when you need that extra grip, the 2022 Encore will adapt accordingly without your having to worry. The fuel economy for an all-wheel drive 2022 Encore is similar to that of the front-wheel drive model and comes in at 23 MPG in the city and 30 MPG on the highway.
All of these features are great to talk about, but how does the 2022 Buick Encore stand among its competitors? Nowadays, the competition is fierce in the subcompact SUV segment. Many people want a small yet versatile SUV to fit in their busy lives. Let’s see where the 2022 Buick Encore shakes out next to other competitors.
How Does the 2022 Buick Encore Compare?
When you have maybe a dozen small SUVs to choose from, you want to know what distinguishes one from another. To be honest, a lot of SUVs offer the same or very similar features, but the 2022 Encore is unique in many aspects. For starters, the 2022 Encore has a smaller exterior size than some of its competitors. This makes the 2022 Buick Encore ideal for city driving or sliding into those small parking spaces.
The closest competitor to the Buick Encore is the Chevy Trax. Both have similar exterior styling and sizing, but the Encore provides an upgraded experience for a comparable price. The 2022 Buick Encore is also often compared to the other premium affordable SUV, the Mazda CX-30. While the base price of the 2021 Mazda CX-30 may be lower, the 2022 Encore has standard features like a power-adjustable driver seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and 18-inch aluminum wheels that are not standard on the 2021 CX-30.
The bottom line is that if you’re looking for an SUV that gives you a little more luxury than a Honda, Kia, or Nissan, but don’t quite want to fork out the big bucks a BMW or Audi requires, then the 2022 Buick Encore should be at the top of your list. Even though there is a growing number of SUVs that reside in that middle ground between mainstream and luxury, the Buick Encore stays strong.
There’s no doubt that the expectations for small SUVs are increasing by the year. The 2022 Buick Encore keeps up with both the mainstream subcompact SUVs and the luxury subcompact SUVs. This is thanks to the advancements in the 2022 Encore and Buick’s unique features like the QuietTuning engineering. We expect the Buick Encore to continue to evolve and advance as the demand for premium SUVs on a budget continues to rise.
The 2022 Buick Encore is Upgraded Affordability
The common theme is that the Encore gives you premium features at an affordable cost. This is truly what keeps the 2022 Buick Encore relevant, as so many drivers want a taste of luxury without giving away their entire savings. All of the 2022 Encore’s distinctive features, like the new engine, nimble size, quiet interior, and premium convenience features, make it an ideal SUV for city life. No matter how you choose to use the 2022 Encore, it’s a nice step into the luxury vehicle world that will surely not disappoint your expectations or your wallet.