Compact SUVs are a terrific option if you need more interior space and load capacity than sedans provide. Aside from full-size trucks, the most popular vehicle type in America today is the compact SUV, a fiercely competitive sector with over a dozen vehicles from various automakers. It’s not difficult to see why. They are less expensive and easier to operate than bigger SUVs, and while they cannot transport as many passengers and their belongings, they have adequate capacity to meet the majority of everyday demands. In contrast to larger, more conventional SUVs, compact crossover SUVs typically combine car-like characteristics with a more beautiful look.
Subcompact SUVs are frequently the least expensive cars on a dealer’s lot. They are excellent everyday drivers, as they are tiny enough to handle in urban areas yet have more cargo room than you might assume given their size. Many will be high-tech and comfy by 2023, with technologies like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that reflect your phone on the car’s screen and available leather interiors.
Buick’s best-selling vehicle is the little Encore GX. In most months, it sells almost as many units as Mazda’s cheapest SUV, the CX-30. But that simply doesn’t imply they’re equally appealing. Let’s compare them to determine which one provides the most value for money for you.
2023 Mazda CX-30
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Punchy optional turbocharged engine | Cumbersome infotainment system |
| A long list of standard equipment | |
| Luxurious interior | |
| Spry handling |
The 2023 Mazda CX-30 maintains the brand’s reputation for enjoyable driving characteristics while combining the usefulness of a compact crossover with all-wheel drive. It’s also a superb buy, with a long list of standard features and good interior quality at a reasonable price. The Mazda is more comfortable than virtually every competitor and has a far more upmarket interior. Even without the turbocharger, the CX-30 is capable of competing with the finest in the subcompact SUV sector. Few subcompact SUVs have what it takes to make you grin on curvy roads. The CX-30 is one of them. Almost every Mazda has been lauded by critics for the same thing. They say it repeatedly about all of them because it is, in fact, true: that they are fun to drive. The Mazda CX-30 is the least expensive Mazda SUV, but it features the brand’s signature tight handling and an interior that seems too excellent for its budget. It also has practical advantages, such as standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The starting price is $22,950.
Main Features
Standard All-Wheel Drive: Most manufacturers save money by designing their subcompact SUVs with front-wheel drive and charging more for AWD. But there is no point in having an SUV if it doesn’t have the gripping safety of all-wheel drive. Power for all four wheels adds $2,000 to the MSRP of the Encore GX. It comes standard with the CX-30.
Lower beginning price: When it comes to pricing, the CX-30 is around $3,000 cheaper than the Encore GX. Mazda offers seven trim levels, while Buick offers just three. This makes it easy to locate a CX-30 with the features you want without paying too much for those you don’t.
Amazing Vibe: Torque vectoring, a mechanism that brakes each individual tire individually to direct the car into corners with little body roll, is the key to Mazda’s success. It’s prevalent on high-end vehicles, but not in this price range. Mazda, astonishingly, incorporates it into even its most basic models. Even without the optional turbocharged engine, the CX-30 is much more powerful than the Encore GX.
2023 Buick Encore GX
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Spacious seating for the class | Bumpy ride over rougher pavement |
| Lively optional engine | Some cheap cabin materials |
| Lots of cargo space | |
| Good fuel economy |
Thanks to a plethora of standard equipment, a large and upmarket cabin, and a zippy optional engine, the 2023 Buick Encore GX provides outstanding value and decent overall performance. The ride is a touch rough, and the infotainment system is a little finicky, but this small Buick succeeds on most fronts. It’s simple to operate, has surprisingly big cargo and passenger compartments, and comes with a slew of appealing tech, comfort, and driver-assistance options. It isn’t flawless, with many praising the Buick’s inconsistent ride quality, clunky infotainment system, and mediocre basic engine. Despite these drawbacks, the Encore GX is a well-constructed and well-rounded compact SUV. Buick holds a distinct position in the automotive market, and the Encore GX reflects this. Buick is more of a luxury brand than a cheap brand (its cousin Chevrolet dominates that market). However, it is less expensive than a real luxury brand (relatively, Cadillac holds that position). It creates automobiles that are a touch less expensive than real luxury cars yet a little finer than ordinary ones. That’s a great way to describe the Encore GX, a premium subcompact SUV without a real luxury price tag. Prices begin at $25,900.
Main Features
Upmarket Interior: The Encore GX features a decent, upmarket cabin for the money, according to critic’s test drives. It’s not as luxurious as a luxury SUV, but it’s also not as pricey. Buick’s sweet spot is this, and the GX nails it.
QuietTuning Technology: A well-equipped CX-30 offers many of the premium car’s features. However, quiet cabins are where Buick truly distinguishes itself. On the highway, the Encore GX is likely the quietest vehicle in its class.
Generous cargo capacity: The front and back seat dimensions of the CX-30 and Encore GX are strikingly comparable, but the GX wins the luggage space fight with the rear seats up or down.
Similarities
Both have approximately the same passenger capacity and, when fully equipped, are near-luxury models.
Verdict
The Buick Encore GX is a spacious subcompact SUV with near-luxury ambitions and a quiet ride. However, its higher starting price, additional charge for all-wheel drive, and unimpressive 137-horsepower engine restrict its appeal. The Mazda CX-30 is more fun to drive and more powerful, as well as less priced and more luxurious at higher specification levels. The CX-30 features a better interior, nearly as much space behind the rear seats, and costs $5,125 less than the similarly equipped Encore. If you can live with the eccentricities of its powerplant, the CX-30 easily wins this comparison.
The Encore GX is a rather attractive small SUV, but it falls short of expectations. Sloppy handling, an intolerable amount of wind and tire noise on the road, and a subpar engine all hold it back in an increasingly competitive sector.
The CX-30 is a raised Mazda 3, but that’s not a terrible thing in this situation. Simply put, the Mazda is more refined on the road, has a nicer cabin, is almost as large, and costs far less. It’s not only the one we want to drive; it’s also the one we want in our driveway.
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