The 2022 Buick Encore is the smallest crossover SUV the brand makes, and is often referred to as the "richer sibling" of the Chevrolet Trax. Both the SUVs are built on the GM-GEM platform, and the 2022 Encore shares the majority of its components and features with the Trax. It competes against the likes of the Hyundai Kona, Honda HR-V, and Mazda CX-30.

The 2022 Encore comes with some significant changes. The company has decided to trim down the base 1SV, leaving the "Preferred" as the only trim available. Apart from the change in trim lineup, the engine power has been increased to 155 hp. Also now, it comes standard with an electric heater and front seat back map pockets. The vehicle can seat five people, comes equipped with a good infotainment system, and a respectable-sized cargo trunk. So, let's dig deeper and find out more about 2022 Encore’s interior and if it can brush up against its rivals.

2022 Buick Encore Interior Design, Dimensions, and Comfort

The cabin of 2022 Encore is cleverly designed, keeping both comfort and appeal in mind. Despite being Buick’s most affordable and compact SUV, the quality and space offered are admirable. While there are some visible hard plastics on the door panels and lower center console, to make the interior feel more upmarket, most of the plastic parts are upholstered with stitched leather. The dashboard has a simple yet sensible layout and is dominated by a 7-inch touchscreen display with AC vents on its sides. And a chrome-accented curved insert divides the dashboard into two parts. The lower part of the dash offers climate control buttons and chrome-accented rotary knobs, as well as space for storing mobile phones. The driver’s end comes equipped with a semi-digital instrument cluster with a 4.2-color MID and a leather-trimmed, multi-function steering wheel. 

Speaking of seating comfort, the cabin can seat five people, and offers decent headroom and legroom. As standard, the seats are covered with ebony cloth and leatherette seats. But the company offers shale cloth and leatherette seats as a no-cost option. The front row comes equipped with a 6-way power-adjustable driver seat and a 2-way front passenger seat. The seats offer excellent comfort thanks to quality padding. The rear row comes equipped with 60/40 split-folding bench seats and can seat 3. The vehicle also comes equipped with Quiet Tuning, which consists of a combination of active noise cancellation and acoustically enhanced windshield and side glass. This feature makes the cabin surprisingly quiet. 

Models	2022 Buick Encore	2022 Mazda CX-30	2022 Hyundai Kona	2022 Honda HR-V
Seating Capacity	5	5	5	5
Interior Passenger Volume (ft³)	92.8	93.8	NA	96.1
Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	39.58/54.18/40.82	37.8/55.6/41.7	38/55.5/41.5	37.6/56.8/41.2
Rear Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	38.78/52.5/35.75	38.3/53.6/36.3	37.8/54.5/35.2	38.3/54.5/39.3

As standard, all the crossovers in the competition offer seats for five people. The 2022 Honda HR-V has the largest interior in terms of interior passenger volume but the front row legroom is a little less to what rivals have on offer. 2022 Encore comes with a more premium and modern cabin. However, the redesigned cabin of the Hyundai Kona has caught our eye. It offers a larger infotainment screen and plenty of features.

2022 Buick Encore Infotainment

The 2022 Encore comes equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen display installed with the Buick IntelliLink infotainment UI. It is user-friendly and has a modern interface. For your music needs, it comes standard with a six-speaker audio system but you can upgrade that to a 7-speaker Bose Premium Audio system.

Other infotainment features include Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, SiriusXM, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and two USB ports. The company also offers a portable, waterproof speaker and a dashcam as options.

Key Infotainment Features

• 7-inch Buick Infotainment touchscreen display
• 6-speaker audio system
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Bluetooth
• SiriusXM Satellite radio
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• 2 USB ports

2022 Buick Encore Cargo Capacity

2022 Encore also offers a respectable-sized cargo trunk. As standard, you get 18.8 cubic feet of cargo space, which substantially increases to 48.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

The rear hatch opens vertically and the opening is wide enough for medium sized luggage. 

Models	2022 Buick Encore	2022 Mazda CX-30	2022 Hyundai Kona	2022 Honda HR-V
Standard Cargo Capacity (ft³)	18.8	20.2	19.2	24.3
Maximum Cargo Capacity (ft³)	48.4	45.2	45.8	58.8

The 2022 Honda HR-V is the largest in the lot and so it offers more space for cargo. When the rear seats are folded, none of its rivals come close in terms of cargo space either. Moreover, its cargo floor is lower than the others. The 2022 Encore, however, offers the smallest cargo space.

Additional Interior Storage Spaces

You do get decent secondary storage spaces here. As standard, the front row comes equipped with a dual glovebox, a small compartment for storing mobile phones and other small objects in the lower dashboard, a pair of cup holders, and front door bins. The rear row offers a pair of cup holders, a cargo tray under the seats, front seat back map pockets, and door bins.

2022 Buick Encore Creature Comforts

2022 Buick Encore offers a decent list of comfort and convenience features. Since it comes in only one trim level, pretty much most of the convenience features are standard- cloth and leatherette upholstery, front bucket seats, power-adjustable driver’s seat, a 4.2-inch color MID, tilt and telescopic, power-steering column with a leather-wrapped and multi-function steering wheel, single-zone AC, electric heater, rear window defroster, keyless entry, and many more.

Verdict

The interior of the 2022 Buick Encore is very well balanced. We are impressed with its modern layout and refined ergonomics. The seats are very comfortable and offer enough space and support. You also get a decent infotainment unit and lots of other features for the price. But what we liked the most about the interior is the noise cancellation tech onboard. Overall, the interior of the 2022 Encore feels premium for the price paid.