2023 Buick Encore GX vs 2022 Honda Odyssey

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that catered to families with its practical design and thoughtful features. Its sliding side doors were a boon in tight parking spaces, making it easier to load children into car seats. The Odyssey offered a spacious and comfortable third-row seat, accommodating additional passengers like grandparents or carpool groups with ease. Its cargo space was unmatched, providing ample room for gear and groceries, and when the seats were folded down, it rivaled the capacity of a Chevrolet Suburban. Despite the minivan stigma, the Odyssey managed to maintain a sense of style with its kinked sliding doors and dark grey 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels on the Touring trim. The interior was designed with practicality in mind, featuring leather upholstery and a user-friendly centre stack, although the switchgear placement initially seemed haphazard.

In contrast, the 2023 Buick Encore GX broke away from Buick's historical design cues, presenting a modern yet awkwardly proportioned exterior. The Sport Touring Package attempted to add flair with unique bumpers and a black mesh grille, but the changes were subtle. Inside, the Encore GX Essence trim offered leather upholstery and a range of features typical of a top-trim model, yet the interior was marred by an abundance of plastic materials. The dashboard and door panels evoked a dated design, though the instrument cluster stood out with its clear layout. The Encore GX's design choices reflected a departure from Buick's storied past, aiming for a contemporary look that didn't quite capture the SUV essence that buyers sought.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a robust 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured a front-wheel-drive system paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. While it lacked the all-wheel-drive and hybrid options available in competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica and Toyota Sienna, the Odyssey offered a Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption estimate of 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. During testing, it averaged 10.4 L/100 km. The Odyssey's driving experience was enjoyable, with quick acceleration and responsive handling, though its brakes tended to heat up on downhill grades, leading to pedal vibration.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX, available in Canada with a 1.3-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, produced 155 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque. It came standard with all-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Encore GX's acceleration felt stronger than its specs suggested, but power delivery was not smooth, requiring a patient driving approach. The ride was comfortable, and the cabin was quiet, thanks to Buick's Quiet Tuning package. However, the Encore GX felt ponderous and awkward, with slow steering and significant body roll, detracting from the overall driving experience.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered easy access with wide-opening doors and a lower ride height. Inside, it featured quality leather seats with power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. The Odyssey excelled in storage space, with numerous compartments and a centre console tray. The second-row Magic Slide seats provided flexibility for child seat placement and access to the third row, which was comfortable for adults. The Odyssey boasted 929 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 2,452 litres with the third row folded, and up to 3,984 litres with the second row removed.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX provided competitive passenger space, with headroom comparable to rivals like the Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30. However, the front seats were positioned close together, reducing the sense of spaciousness. The Encore GX offered 665 litres of cargo capacity with the rear seats in place and 1,422 litres with them folded. Despite limited cabin size, Buick maximized small-item storage with large door pockets and a space-efficient wireless charging pad. The instrumentation was well-executed, with clear displays and useful warning lights.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Touring was equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, satellite radio, Bluetooth, and smartphone connectivity. It featured CabinWatch and CabinTalk technologies for monitoring and communicating with rear passengers. The rear entertainment system included a 10.2-inch display, but it was considered outdated. The Odyssey's infotainment system was user-friendly but lacked a larger screen and a tuning knob, and its navigation system required specific voice commands.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch driver information display. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Optional features included navigation, a head-up display, and a Bose audio system. The infotainment system was easy to use, with attractive graphics, and the 8-inch screen size was adequate for the dashboard design.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey featured Honda Sensing as standard, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. It also had automatic high beams and a rear-seat reminder. However, Honda Sensing lacked refinement, with occasional false warnings and abrupt responses. The Odyssey earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS.

The 2023 Buick Encore GX included standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane keep assist. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and a 360-degree camera system. The Encore GX received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and was an IIHS Top Safety Pick for 2022, with top crash test ratings but an average score for child-seat anchor ease of use.