Longer Buick Encore GX Will Likely Be Sold in the U.S.

At the Shanghai auto show last week, Buick revealed a redesigned version of the Encore, as well as a slightly longer version called the Encore GX. Since Buick already sells the Encore here in the U.S., we assumed the redesigned version would be sold in our market, but that the longer GX would be something GM had cooked up exclusively for the Chinese market. Now, it sounds like it’s probably the other way around.

Automotive News reports that according to unnamed sources familiar with GM’s plans, Buick will bring the Encore GX to the U.S. The same sources also say the Encore GX could go on sale by the end of the year. And with the Cascada and LaCrosse now canceled, Buick dealers in the U.S. will probably appreciate having more vehicles to sell. So far this year, Buick sales are down nearly nine percent.

“The Encore is in that smaller B segment. Giving it a little bit more space will probably open up some additional sales,” Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst at IHS Markit, told Automotive News. She also called the space between the Encore and the larger Envision a “logical gap to fill” and said she expects the GX to help Buick retain customers while increasing conquest sales.

But while the Encore GX will likely be sold here, Automotive News‘ sources say the Encore it’s based on is currently only planned for China. Does that mean the GX will replace the Encore here? Or will the current Encore soldier on for a few more years? Hopefully, we don’t have to wait too long to find out.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)

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