Buick to sell Encore GX in the US?

The model would fill the gap between the Encore and the Envision.

Buick introduced the Encore GX during the 2019 Shanghai auto show. Its choice of venue was telling, especially considering Shanghai opened its doors just a few days before the New York show. The GX was presented as a crossover that will be made in China for the Chinese market. However, it will ultimately be sold alongside the standard Encore in American showrooms, according to a recent report.

Sources familiar with Buick's product plan told Automotive News that the Encore GX (pictured) will slot between the Encore and the Envision in the company's American line-up. There is a sizable gap to fill, both in terms of price and in terms of size. The Encore starts at $23,200; the Envision is priced at $31,995.

Contrary to what its name suggests, the Encore GX is not mechanically related to the current Encore. It's notably built on a completely different platform.

What remains to be seen is where Buick will build the American-spec Encore GX. Automotive News speculates it will not come from China. Buick likely wants to avoid sourcing more cars from its Chinese factory in case the trade war between the American and Chinese government escalates in the next few months.

Buick hasn't commented on whether it plans to sell the Encore GX in the United States, though it told its dealers they would get a new car before the end of 2019. If the report is accurate, the Encore GX will arrive as a 2020 model.

While the company's portfolio of SUVs and crossovers looks set to grow, its line-up of passenger cars will shrink over the coming months. The LaCrosse sedan has been axed from its American catalog, and the slow-selling Cascada convertible won't return for the 2020 model year.