Buick will reportedly further thicken the line between the Encore and Encore GX by phasing out the upper grades of the former.
As a result, the 2021 model year Encore will make do without the Sport Touring and Essence specs, and should be sold only in the Base and Preferred trim levels.
Citing a dealer order guide, CarsDirect has revealed that with the demise of the aforementioned grades, the amenities offered by them, including the leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, LED headlamps, auto-dimming rearview mirror and so on, will no longer be available for the Encore and those who want them will have to upgrade to the Encore GX instead.
Watch Also: Is The 2020 Buick Encore GX Worth The Premium Over The Encore?
While the current Encore lineup ranges between $24,195 and $31,795, including destination, the 2021 iteration will continue to start at $24,195, but will go up to only $26,215 in the new Preferred range-topper with all-wheel drive.
The 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine will soldier on with no changes whatsoever, producing 138 HP (140 PS / 103 kW) at 4,900 rpm and 148 lb-ft (201 Nm) of torque at 1,850 rpm. Average fuel economy is 28 mpg (8.4 l/100 km) in the current front-wheel drive model and 26 mpg (9.1 l/100 km) in the AWD variant.
Meanwhile, the 2021 Encore GX is understood to launch from $25,195, with the range-topper being available from $31,595. The 1.2- and 1.3-liter turbocharged engines are believed to be retained, pumping out 137 HP (139 PS / 102 kW) at 5,000 rpm and 162 lb-ft (220 Nm) at 2,500 rpm in the former, and 155 HP (157 PS / 116 kW) at 5,600 rpm and 174 lb-ft (236 Nm) at 1,600 rpm in the latter.
