DETROIT — Buick is positioning its newest vehicle, the 2020 Encore GX, to overtake its top-selling U.S. nameplate, the Encore.
Over the past year, Buick has eliminated the upper trim levels of the Encore, which is now down to only the base model. Buick says reducing the number of trims helped increase sales last year, but the brand expects the larger Encore GX to be Buick's top seller long term. With a higher sticker price and more options, the GX is more profitable than the Encore.
"We're really focused on that space right between the premium small-SUV space and the lower end of the compact-SUV space," said Rob Peterson, Buick marketing manager.
The GX — which is bigger than a Subaru Crosstrek or Mazda CX-3 but smaller than a Jeep Compass or Ford Escape — fits into a white space where General Motors believes the industry could add 1.5 million incremental sales, Peterson said.
"We think that we've got the right product to kind of squeeze in there and grab the necessary volume for Buick to be successful," he said.