While I prefer the Encore’s comfort and features, I like the Trax’s price even more. The Trax is more in tune with a younger audience who want a smaller, functional and reasonably priced crossover for the inner city. ![]() I think the Encore will find an older audience - empty nesters with an appreciation for upscale looks, copious luxury touches and easy use. GM, which sees sales of compact crossovers dramatically increasing over the next several years, is hedging its bets with the pair. As for the cargo area, with the rear seat up, there are 18.8 cubic feet of storage a useful 48.4 cu. And GM’s description of the pair as five-seaters is valid only if those occupying the back seats have a body-mass index of 10. In both the Buick and Chevy’s cases, rear-seat room is quite reasonable considering the vehicles’ overall size, although getting into the back seats might prove a challenge for those with longer legs and/or big feet as the door opening is on the narrow side. That said, the Trax’s colour touchscreen is better integrated into the centre stack than the Encore’s on-top unit and the combination analogue and digital instrument cluster is easier to see and read. The most egregious omission is the lack of heated seats, which are only available on the topline LTZ. The tester was an upper-level 2LT model, which means features such as a backup camera, ultrasonic rear parking assist, power driver’s seat and upgraded infotainment system are all included. The tester was fitted with the Leather package, which adds leather seats, heated steering wheel and front seats, power passenger seat, and driver memory package that includes driver presets for seat position, outside mirrors and climate control.Īs expected, the Trax’s interior is more functional than luxurious. ![]() ![]() It’s for the IntelliLink voice-activated infotainment system and rear-view camera, as well as the optional navigation system. There’s also a prominent seven-inch central display that juts rather obtrusively from the top of the dashboard. When not ordered in all black, the Encore’s two-tone cabin is rich and cheery, with ice-blue ambient lighting, bright chrome and wood-grain trim. The same applies to the vehicles’ interiors. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It contributes to an 11.2-metre turning diameter - a tighter turning diameter than the Mini Countryman, according to GM - which makes the pair ridiculously easy to park and manoeuvre. In The electric power steering system has a nice, light touch to it, with both vehicles precisely responding to driver commands. In comparison, the Trax feels more planted in the turns. ![]() While the 18-inch tire fills the wheelwells better, giving the Encore less of a Dinky Toy look, there is noticeable body lean when cornering, especially highway on-ramps. Meanwhile, the Trax is shoed with 16-inch rubber. This supposedly results in more precise suspension tuning and driving refinement. GM says the Encore is engineered with a "one-tire" philosophy, meaning everything is optimized around a single 18-inch tire specification. Ride and handling are pretty good considering the Buick and Chevy’s wheelbase, with enough isolation from the usual pavement irregularities to prevent one’s kidneys from being pummeled. One bonus is that the turbocharged four-cylinder runs on regular unleaded, not premium as is normal for many boosted engines. I averaged a less efficient 10.3 L/100 km in the Encore and 9.6 in the Trax in mostly suburban use, which, for compact-sized crossovers, isn’t all that bad. As for fuel economy, the AWD Trax is rated at 8.7 L/100 km in the city and 6.5 on the highway, the heavier Encore coming in two-tenths higher for both figures.
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