Buick Encore GX vs Hyundai Palisade Hybrid

The 2024 Buick Encore GX was a striking addition to Buick's lineup, drawing inspiration from the 2022 Wildcat concept. This refreshed model boasted a new front design with sleek daytime running lights positioned above the grille, complemented by angular LED headlamps. The Avenir trim featured a unique grille and chrome accents, enhancing its sophisticated appearance. The rear design remained largely unchanged from the previous year, except for the addition of new LED tail lights on the top trims. The Encore GX offered a range of vibrant colours, including red, blue, maroon, and the distinctive Copper Ice Metallic, with options for a black roof and mirrors on the Sport Touring trim. Inside, the relocation of HVAC vents allowed for a 19-inch glass panel housing the digital gauge cluster and touchscreen, giving the interior a modern, tech-savvy look, despite some cheap-feeling plastics.

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid, available in Luxury and Ultimate Calligraphy trims, integrated seamlessly into the existing Palisade lineup. The base Luxury trim came with 20-inch alloy wheels and a prominent grille flanked by LED projector headlights and daytime running lights. The Palisade's profile featured body-colour, heated side mirrors with power-folding capabilities on the Luxury Hybrid. The rear design was equally impressive, with wide-spaced letters spelling the vehicle's name and LED taillights wrapping around the corners. Inside, the Palisade Hybrid offered a luxurious experience with H-Tex synthetic leatherette upholstery, power-adjustable seats, and heating elements. Higher trims added features like Nappa leather upholstery and advanced seat adjustments. The interior design was thoughtfully crafted, with organic shapes and well-engineered storage solutions, providing a sense of craftsmanship not often found in non-luxury crossovers.

The 2024 Buick Encore GX retained its 1.3-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine in Canada, delivering 155 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque. This engine was paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, providing a responsive driving experience, although acceleration to 100 km/h took about nine seconds. The Encore GX was available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, with a selectable AWD system for fuel efficiency. However, the transmission's reluctance to downshift during highway passing was a drawback, and the absence of manual control limited the driving experience. Despite these limitations, the Encore GX excelled as a city car with a smooth suspension and the option to engage AWD when needed.

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid redefined hybrid performance with its 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, two electric motors, and a 1.65-kWh battery. The turbo-four engine alone produced 258 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, while the combined output reached 329 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque. This powertrain, coupled with an advanced eight-speed automatic transmission, ensured the Palisade Hybrid never lagged, whether in urban settings or on the highway. The hybrid system's ability to optimize power distribution and reduce fuel consumption was a highlight, although the dynamic load leveling was subtle. Inside, the Palisade Hybrid offered a quiet cabin, thanks to noise-absorbing materials and acoustic glass, although engine noise was noticeable during hard acceleration. The steering was sharp, providing a responsive driving experience, while the pedal feel was softer, creating a slight disconnect between steering and braking inputs.

The 2024 Buick Encore GX, as a subcompact SUV, offered limited utility but remained competitive within its class. It had a towing capacity of 453 kilograms and featured an available hands-free liftgate for easy access to the rear cargo area. With 665 litres of cargo space behind the rear seats, expandable to 1,422 litres with the seats folded down, the Encore GX accommodated longer items like skis or surfboards. Inside, standard features included heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat. Optional features included a seven-speaker Bose audio system and a moonroof.

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid provided 2,455 litres of total cargo capacity, trailing some competitors but surpassing others like the Ford Explorer and Mazda CX-90. The battery's placement under the front passenger seat slightly reduced second-row legroom, but the Palisade still offered ample space. The third row, while not as spacious as some rivals, provided adequate legroom and headroom. The Palisade Hybrid's cabin was comfortable, with dual-zone climate control, multiple USB-C power outlets, and a second-row bench seat for eight-passenger seating. Captain's chairs were available on higher trims. The interior featured numerous storage solutions, including a centre console with a rubberized cargo space and a small shelf for additional storage.

The 2024 Buick Encore GX featured an 11-inch touchscreen paired with an 8-inch digital gauge cluster, housed under a single glass panel. While visually appealing, the screen's unused real estate was noticeable once illuminated. The Encore GX offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with USB-A and USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad, and an available rear camera mirror for enhanced visibility. The infotainment system was straightforward, with easy-to-read tiles for smartphone mirroring, climate control, and other functions.

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid came equipped with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a matching digital instrument cluster. While not dominating the dash, the screen was slightly out of reach for passengers. The Palisade Hybrid supported HD and Sirius XM satellite radio, wireless Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. A 14-speaker Bose stereo was available on higher trims, and a 15-watt wireless charging pad was standard, although it lacked ventilation. The Ultimate Calligraphy trim featured a built-in dashcam, recording front and rear views to an SD card. The Palisade Hybrid also introduced "Stay Mode," allowing the climate control and infotainment system to run while the engine was off, provided the hybrid battery had sufficient charge.

The 2024 Buick Encore GX came standard with the Driver Confidence package, including lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert, and more. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. However, features like rear park assist, adaptive cruise control, and a 360-degree camera were optional. Unique safety features included Teen Driver, which monitored young drivers' habits, and Buckle to Drive, preventing the car from shifting out of park without the driver's seat belt fastened. The Encore GX received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with high scores in crash tests.

The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid offered a comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance systems, including blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic assist, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection. The blind-view monitor, standard on higher trims, displayed a camera feed of blind spots in the gauge cluster. The Palisade Hybrid also featured a safe-exit alert indicator on the rear doors. During testing, the ADAS tech performed flawlessly, even in challenging conditions. At the time of writing, crash test ratings for the 2026 model were unavailable, but the 2025 Palisade received a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS.