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2024 Buick Encore GX refresh adds Wildcat looks, Avenir trim

Buick made it clear with the Wildcat EV concept that styling cues from it would start appearing on future products. It turns out the first of them is the refreshed 2024 Encore GX subcompact crossover. And that may seem a little odd to start a revamp of the lineup with the entry-level model, but there is some logic to it. According to Buick representatives, the Encore GX made sense for a few reasons. It was due for a refresh regardless, but also it's the brand's best seller, one that's growing and attracting younger buyers. And as far as refreshes go, the Encore GX's is pretty substantial. The front end is completely redone with the low, frowning grille of the Wildcat and the glaring LED daytime running lights high up. The rear has been updated with new LED taillights and rear bumper design, too, plus the new Buick logo and word mark placed prominently in the middle of the hatch. There are unique features for two new trim levels. The ST, which has been promoted to a full trim instead of just an add-on appearance package, gets gloss black body cladding and other trim such as on the mirrors. It gets unique wheels, ST badges in the grille, and a flat-bottom steering wheel inside. The Avenir, a first for the model and an addition that makes the Avenir trim available on every Buick, features bright grille inserts, body color trim, clear taillight lenses and unique interior upholstery. All Encore GXs benefit from interior updates. Almost the entire dash has been redesigned, mainly in service of the new instruments and infotainment. Every trim gets an 8-inch digital instrument cluster and 11-inch infotainment touch screen. Other details such as the climate control buttons and dials have been revamped as well. The screen can be used to access wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Avenir trim sweetens the interior with unique leather upholstery, power adjustable front seats (10-way for the driver, 8-way for the passenger), a heated steering wheel, air ionizer and auto-dimming rear mirror. Things are mostly the same under the skin, though. The base engine is a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder making 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. The optional turbo 1.3-liter three-cylinder makes 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet. They're basically carry-over, as are the drivetrain combinations. Front-wheel-drive Encore GXs get a CVT, and the all-wheel-drive ones get a nine-speed automatic. Pricing is quite reasonable. The base model starts at $26,895.

As GM readies Alexa convenience for vehicles, we ponder its dark side

SEATTLE — On the 30th floor of AmazonÂ’s glass tower, in a room with a breathtaking view of downtown Seattle, thereÂ’s a beautiful bed that nobody sleeps in. ItÂ’s near a kitchen nobody cooks in, a living room couch that no one crashes on, a kitchen table that doesnÂ’t host any family meetings. ItÂ’s AmazonÂ’s Smart Home Lab, a place where every Alexa-enabled gizmo the company or its partners can produce is crammed into the same space, ostensibly for Amazon to test. The company invited us there to show us the companyÂ’s vision for consumer products to leverage AlexaÂ’s voice interaction software before taking us down to a demo of its latest implementation in a Buick Encore GX. In this eerie simulacrum of a fantastic luxury apartment, however, nothing went right the first time. ItÂ’s a challenging environment for Alexa to work correctly, our hosts noted, pointing to the fact that there were six wifi networks available for the devices to connect to. In a normal home, one wifi network controls all the devices, who can theoretically sort out for themselves which one youÂ’re actually trying to activate. In the Smart Home Lab, any unmuted Alexa device thinks itÂ’s in charge. Even so, the connected toaster wouldnÂ’t connect. The Fire TV Cube wouldnÂ’t play a song. Our handlers futzed with everything, muting and unmuting devices, repeating commands, making us feel better about our own struggles with similar technologies. If it doesnÂ’t work right at Amazon HQ, maybe itÂ’s not just us! ItÂ’s telling that down on the faux lawn, in between the gleaming Amazon spheres that host a billionaireÂ’s tropical garden and the Day 1 building that the Smart Home Lab resides in, the BuickÂ’s Alexa implementation doesnÂ’t use a “wake-word” at all. The familiar Push to Talk button on the steering wheel, which normally activates General MotorÂ’s own proprietary voice command system, can be set to default to Alexa when that rolls out to GM vehicles in the first half of 2020 via an over-the-air (OTA) update. Given the reluctance of Alexa to respond to its wake-word in the comfort of AmazonÂ’s own lab, we hoped that this was by design. Drivers are already familiar with Push to Talk, and a physical button is more reliable than the vagaries of contemporary voice recognition – not to mention the privacy and accuracy issues involved with always-on mics. Our experience with the not-ready-for-primetime Mercedes-Benz MBUX system is illustrative.

GM posts $4 billion third-quarter profit thanks to trucks and SUVs

DETROIT — General Motors is posting huge third quarter numbers, pulling in $4 billion in profit over three months after losing money due to the virus outbreak. GM's adjusted earnings were $2.83 per share, easily outpacing Wall Street's per-share projections of $1.43, according to a survey by FactSet. Revenue of $35.5 billion also edged out most expectations. Shares jumped almost 6% before the opening bell Thursday. The company swung back from a $806 million loss in the second quarter, when it was restarting factories shuttered for safety during the early stages of the pandemic. The Detroit automaker joined most global automakers in reporting better-than-expected earnings from July through September as sales across the globe started to rebound from coronavirus lockdowns, especially in China. GM sales in China jumped 12% in the third quarter, with sales of its Buick and Cadillac brands both rising more than 25%. In the U.S., GMÂ’s most profitable market, sales fell 9.9% in the third quarter compared with a year ago, but were a dramatic improvement over the 34% drop in the second quarter. Sales improved sequentially each month, the automaker said, an encouraging trend. GMÂ’s profit was boosted by higher-priced pickup trucks and large SUVs, which have seen strong sales in the U.S. through the pandemic. It was the best quarter on record for GM's Chevrolet Blazer. Sales of the Cadillac XT6 spiked 45% in the U.S. over last year. Large pickups also sold well. GM also said it was pumping $2 billion into its Spring Hill, Tennessee manufacturing plant to push its transition to produce electric vehicles. Last week, crosstown rivals Fiat Chrysler and Ford reported strong third-quarter net income. FCA said it made $1.4 billion for the period, while Ford earned $2.39 billion. Related Video: Earnings/Financials Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC