BUICK ENCORE

The Opel/Vauxhall Mokka arrived in Europe in October 2012, and stopped in 2019, two years after GM left Opel. After the Regal and Verano (Excelle XT/GT in China) the Mokka was the third Opel design to earn Buick exterior and outfit. Adding a driven axle to a torsion beam rear suspension has been common practice in Japan from 1996 (starting with the Toyota Ipsum), and this German design appears to be the first non-Japanese application.

Buick Encore (G1UB) China: November 2012, Canada: December 2012, USA: January 2013, Mexico: September 2013

The Chinese soon replaced the imported Opel 1.4-litre engine with their own design, gaining a 4% better fuel economy for the automatic model, risen to 10% in late 2016, when this transmission (and the engine) was improved. The Americans offered a stronger direct injection engine for the 2016 model year until 2019, as only 12 percent of Encore buyers opted for the more potent engine in 2018. However, to boost sales, this engine became the base engine for the final years 2021 and 2022. Opel decided to use this engine for their four-wheel-drive automatic models, and Brazil for the Chevrolet Tracker from 2017. Chinese sales by 2017 declined to half of the 2014/2015 level and stopped in March 2019. In the United States, sales increased year by year since 2013 and rose in 2019 with 10% to over 100,000, with one-third being all-wheel-drive. Production (in Korea) ceased in November 2022.

platform:

Gamma II

Opel/Vauxhall Mokka

1335

engines:

Opel

Opel/SAIC

Opel

rear suspension:

compound crank, coils

SUV

Family 0

SGM

SGE

Family I

MDE

ex Isuzu

wheelbase (cm):

255.5

4 cyl.

length from (cm):

427.8

DOHC

width (cm):

177.7

cc:

1364

1372

1399

1598

1796

1598

1686

injection

dir. inj.

injection

dir. inj.

turbo

diesel

CIS:

Europe

12-19

Opel/Vauxhall Mokka (X)

12-19

16-18

12-18

12-15

14-19

12-15

fwd/awd

awd

fwd

fwd/awd

6M/6A

5M/6A

6M/6A

88-103

112

103

81-100

120-140

152

115

140

110-136

130

awd 140 6M

awd 6A

awd 136 6M

awd 6M

120 not Vxhll

China

12-19

Buick Encore (Angkola)

12-13

13-19

suffix 16-

18T

fwd/awd

6M/6A

103

103-105

140

140-143

l/100 km

6.9/7.6-8.0

6.8/7.3-7.7

16-

6.7/6.9-7.6

awd 6A

Canada

12-22

Buick Encore

12-21

15-19, 21-22

USA

13-22

fwd/awd

103

112, 114

138

153, 155

Mexico

13-20

Buick Encore

13-20

fwd

103

138

Buick Encore (JBUB) China: July 2019 – August 2023

The successor to the first Encore was developed in China, together with the new Chevrolet Tracker, on the GEM platform, of course without the typical Opel upward sweeping body crease of the first generation, and without the four-wheel-drive option. People who wanted a manual transmission had to opt for the Chevrolet Tracker, but here also only automatic transmissions were offered by December 2020. In 2021, 3,200 Encores were sold vs 4,400 Trackers. 1,600 Encores left the factory in 2022. Deliveries stagnated in April 2023.

The models with the larger engine involved 95% of total sales, while since October 2020, production of 1-litre models stopped.

platform:	GEM	Buick Encore (JBUB)	1245	kg	engines:	GM	GM
rear suspension:		compound crank, coils				E-Tec	E-Turbo
		wheelbase (cm):	257			3 cyl.	3 cyl.
		length from (cm):	429.5			DOHC	DOHC
		width (cm):	179.8		cc:	999	1341
						dir. inj.	dir. inj.
						turbo	turbo

China	19-23	*Buick Encore (Angkola)*				19-22	19-23
						15T	20T, '21 > 332T
						fwd	fwd
						6A	CVT
					kW	85	116
					hp	116	158
					l/100 km	5.5	5.7
							*20: 5.6*

Buick Encore GX (9BYB) China: August 2019 – August 2023

Buick Encore Plus China: August 2023 –

Buick Encore GX (9BUB) USA: February 2020

The larger Buick Encore GX on the 264 cm (Vehicle Set Strategy) VSS platform is equipped with the 3-cylinder 1341cc engine in China, mated to a CVT for the front-wheel-drive model, and a nine-speed automatic for the four-wheel-drive variant, as its Chevrolet Trailblazer sibling. The four-wheel-drive has the torsion beam rear suspension with Watt’s linkage. Some 21,000 Encore GX were sold in 2020, of which 1% were four-wheel-drive, dropping to 4,700 in 2021, of which 3% four-wheel-drive that was deleted at the end of the year. In 2022 about 7,700 units were sold, and 300 in 2023.

With a new front end, the Encore Plus replaced the Encore GX in China in August 2023, featuring the 132 kW 1.5 dual fast cam phasers turbocharged engine. With a price of 126,900 yuan it is considerably cheaper than the GX was at its introduction in 2019 (155,900) and at about the same level as the Encore on the GEM platform at that time. Over 2,200 were sold in 2023.

The Encore GX for North America is built in South Korea, on a 4 cm shorter wheelbase, and starts with the Prime 3-cylinder 1.2-litre engine with oil-immersed timing belt. In the Chinese model the extra room is granted to the rear compartment, while the rear overhang is another 6 cm longer. Chinese, South Korean and American Chevrolet Trailblazer share this longer wheelbase. The Trailblazer is priced from under US$ 20,000, while the smaller Encore GX starts above $ 25,000. In Canada, the 1.3-litre model is all-wheel-drive (up to 2024 models, when the 1.2 was skipped), and in Mexico front-wheel-drive.

platform:	VSS-F	Buick Encore GX/Plus (9BYB)	1375	kg	engines:	GM	GM	SGM
rear suspension:		compound crank, coils				Prime	E-Turbo	'8th gen.'
		awd: Watt's linkage				3 cyl.	3 cyl.	4 cyl.
		wheelbase (cm):	264			DOHC	DOHC	DOHC
		length from (cm):	446.3		cc:	1199	1341	1498
		width (cm):	181.3			dir. inj.	dir. inj.	dir. inj.
						turbo	turbo	turbo

China	19-	*Buick Encore GX (Angkola GX)*					19-23	23-
		Encore Plus length from (cm):	445.8				20T, '22 > 332T	Encore Plus
							fwd/awd	fwd
							CVT/9A	CVT
					net kW		116	132
					net hp		158	179
					l/100 km		5.9/6.6	6.59
							*awd/9A -21*

USA	20-	Buick Encore GX (9BUB)	1372	kg		20-	20-
						fwd	fwd/awd
		wheelbase (cm):	259.6			CVT	CVT/9A
		length from (cm):	435.3		kW	102	116
		width (cm):	181.3		hp	137	155

Canada	20-	Buick Encore GX (9BUB)				20-23	20-
						fwd	fwd/awd
						CVT	CVT/9A
					kW	102	116
					hp	137	155
							fwd/CVT 23-

MEX	20-	Buick Encore (GX) (9BUB)					20-
							fwd
							CVT
					kW		116
					hp		155

Buick Envista (9BQB) China: September 2022, USA: August 2023

The Envista debuted in China on August 26, 2022, when presales started from 150,000 yuan. Compared to the Chevrolet Seeker, the Envista adds Watt's linkage to the rear suspension, while the GS models feature an exclusive black mesh grille and distinguished 18-inch black-painted wheels paired with red brake calipers.

The Chinese name of the Envista is “ángyáng". In 2022, 4,730 units left the factory, of which about 3,300 were sold in that year. 2,780 units were sold in 2023.

The Buick Envista arrived in North America (incl. Mexico) in September 2023, Korean-built, with the Prime 1.2 engine, and matched with a six-speed automatic transmission. Only the Avenir has the Watt's linkage standard.

platform:	VSS-F	Buick Envista (9BQB)	1415	kg	engine:	GM	SGM
rear suspension:		compound crank, coils	hatch			Prime	'8th gen.'
						3 cyl.	4 cyl.
		wheelbase (cm):	270			DOHC	DOHC
		length from (cm):	463.8		cc:	1199	1498
		width (cm):	181.6			dir. inj.	dir. inj.
						turbo	turbo

China	22-	Buick Envista					22-
		with Watt's linkage					fwd
							CVT
					net kW		132
					net hp		179
					l/100 km		6.56~6.52	WLTC

USA/CDN/MEX	23-	Buick Envista	1374	kg		23-
		Watt's linkage optional				fwd
						6A
					kW	102
					hp	137

Net output data are approximate.

with thanks to carsalesbase.com and http://db.auto.sohu.com

For recent specifications on Buick cars built in China, see:
On a Global Mission: The Automobiles of General Motors International

Trax vs Encore

Trax/Encore look over

Trax/Encore engines

Far East Auto Literature

26 March, 2024