One of the last surviving fruits of the Opel era in General Motors is about to be retired very soon. The Buick Encore — a subcompact crossover known in different markets as the Opel Mokka and Chevrolet Trax — will reportedly be discontinued after the 2022 model year. With just about 20,000 deliveries in the United States last year, the first-gen Encore is no longer needed by the American automaker.
According to a report from GM Authority, General Motors has decided to end the production of the 2022 Encore in the third quarter of this year. The model is currently assembled in South Korea at the GM Bupyeong factory. Sales of the crossover fell by more than 50 percent last year and this was probably enough for the executives to make the decision for the end of its production.
Apparently, this move was part of GM’s plan all along, according to the online publication. With sales going down, plus the available Encore GX as a more modern and competent alternative, the days of the Encore were numbered. Back in 2018, a total of six trim levels were offered, down to four for the 2019 and 2020 model years, two for the 2021 model year, and just a single trim level for its final year on the market.
Gallery: 2017 Buick Encore: Review
The only available powertrain for the Encore is a 1.4-liter turbocharged gas unit with a peak output of 138 horsepower (103 kilowatts) and 148 pound-feet (201 Newton-meters). An all-wheel drive can be added as an option and the base price for the 2022 Encore is $24,600.
The 2022 Encore GX, in turn, is just slightly more expensive starting at $25,800 and there are three trim levels — Select, Preferred, and Essence. Two turbocharged engines, a 1.2-liter and a 1.3-liter, are available depending on the trim level with the more powerful one also sold with a nine-speed automatic in AWD setup.
