The Buick Encore Essence trim delivers a substantial upgrade in luxury and technology compared to the Preferred model. Key differences include a premium infotainment system, leather-appointed seats, and advanced safety features like rear cross-traffic alert, making it the choice for those desiring a more refined drive.

Buick Encore Preferred vs Essence: Key Differences Explained

Picture this. You’re at the Buick dealership, drawn in by the sleek, compact shape of the Encore. It’s the perfect size for city errands and weekend adventures. You’ve done your homework and know it’s a solid choice. But then the salesperson asks the million-dollar question: “Are you looking at the Preferred or the Essence trim?”

If your mind goes blank, you’re not alone. Trims levels can be confusing. They both look like the same cute SUV from the outside. So, what’s the real deal? Is the Essence just a fancy name with a higher price tag, or does it offer something truly special?

I’ve been there, squinting at window stickers and trying to decipher feature lists. That’s why I’ve put together this deep dive. We’re going to unpack the difference between Buick Encore Preferred and Essence models piece by piece. By the end, you’ll know exactly which one fits your life (and your budget) like a glove. No jargon, no sales pitch—just the clear, helpful info you need to drive away with confidence.

Key Takeaways

• Choose Preferred for value: Saves money with core Buick features.
• Opt for Essence for luxury: Adds leather seats and premium audio.
• Safety tech upgrades: Essence includes blind-spot monitoring and alerts.
• Enhanced infotainment in Essence: Features a larger touchscreen and navigation.
• Consider comfort features: Essence offers heated seats and climate control.
• Price difference is key: Essence costs more for its added amenities.
• Resale value matters: Essence may depreciate slower due to features.

The Core Philosophy: Value vs. Premium Experience

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of leather seats and sunroofs, let’s understand the mindset behind each trim. This is the key to making your choice.

The Buick Encore Preferred is the foundation. Think of it as the smart, well-equipped starting point. It has everything you need for comfortable, safe, and connected daily driving. Buick doesn’t skimp on the essentials here. It’s built for the savvy buyer who wants premium brand quality but prioritizes value and practicality above luxury frills.

The Buick Encore Essence, on the other hand, is about elevating the experience. It takes that solid foundation and layers on more comfort, more technology, and more stylistic flair. It’s for the driver who sees their car as a personal sanctuary and enjoys the finer details. Choosing the Essence is about wanting those extra comforts and features as a standard part of your daily commute.

Who Should Choose Which?

If your top priority is getting into a reliable, feature-rich Buick without maxing out your budget, the Preferred is your hero. If you crave a more luxurious feel and are willing to invest more for those upgrades upfront, the Essence will speak to you.

Exterior Styling and First Impressions

At first glance, both trims share the same handsome Encore silhouette. But look closer, and the Buick Encore Essence starts to distinguish itself with subtle but meaningful upgrades.

Wheels and Presence

This is the most noticeable difference. The Preferred typically rides on 18-inch painted aluminum wheels. They look good and proportionate. The Essence, however, often steps up to larger 18-inch machined-face aluminum wheels with a more intricate, premium design. This instantly gives the Essence a more upscale and sophisticated stance on the road.

Lighting and Details

Here’s where the details matter. The Essence trim frequently adds LED daytime running lights and taillights, which offer a brighter, more modern look and better visibility compared to the standard halogen units on the Preferred. You might also find chrome accenting on the window surrounds and other subtle touches on the Essence that enhance its premium vibe.

Practical Tip: If you love the look of shiny alloy wheels and crisp LED lighting, the Essence’s exterior upgrades are a significant part of its value. If you’re indifferent to these styling nuances, the Preferred still presents a very polished image.

Interior Comfort and Materials: Where You Live

Open the door, and the gap between the trims becomes more apparent. This is where you’ll spend all your time, so it’s a crucial area of comparison.

Seat Surfaces and Comfort

The Buick Encore Preferred usually features comfortable, durable cloth seating. It’s often a premium cloth, mind you, not the scratchy stuff. For many, this is perfect—it’s easy to maintain and stays comfortable in hot and cold weather.

The Buick Encore Essence takes a major leap here by standardizing perforated leather-appointed seating. This isn’t just about looks (though it does look and smell fantastic). Leather surfaces are easier to clean, feel more luxurious to the touch, and often come with additional comfort features. Speaking of which…

Heated Front Seats and Steering Wheel

This is a game-changer for those in colder climates. Heated front seats are a standard feature on the Essence. On the Preferred, they are typically an optional add-on package. Furthermore, the Essence often includes a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel—a small feature that makes frosty morning drives dramatically more pleasant.

Ambiance and Space

The Essence may also feature richer interior trim materials, more soft-touch surfaces on the dashboard and door panels, and added sound insulation for a quieter cabin. It’s all about crafting a more serene, refined environment.

Technology and Infotainment Features

Both trims come with Buick’s excellent core infotainment system, but the Essence adds more convenience and audio quality.

The Centerpiece: Buick Infotainment System

Good news! Both the Preferred and Essence trims generally come with the same touchscreen infotainment system (like an 8-inch diagonal screen) featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. This means seamless navigation, music, and messaging from your phone, regardless of trim.

Audio Upgrade

The standard audio system in the Preferred is perfectly adequate for most listeners. The Essence, however, often boasts a premium Bose brand audio system with more speakers strategically placed throughout the cabin. The difference in sound quality—richer bass, clearer highs, and a more immersive experience—is noticeable if you appreciate good music on the go.

Additional Tech Perks

The Essence might include extra goodies like a built-in navigation system (though smartphone navigation via CarPlay/Android Auto is often superior), an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a more advanced driver information display in the instrument cluster.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Safety is paramount, and both trims come with a strong suite of standard features. However, the Essence often makes advanced safety more accessible.

Standard Safety on Both

You’ll get vital safety tech on both trims, like:

• Ten airbag system
• Rear Vision Camera
• OnStar and Buick Connected Services
• StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control

Enhanced Safety Suite on Essence

Many key advanced safety features are either standard on the Essence or much easier to get. This is a huge part of the difference between Buick Encore Preferred and Essence. The Essence frequently includes or bundles features like:

• Forward Collision Alert: Warns you of potential front-end crashes.
• Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning: Helps gently steer you back into your lane if you drift.
• Front Pedestrian Braking: Can automatically brake to avoid a collision with a pedestrian.
• Following Distance Indicator: Shows your following gap in the instrument cluster.

On the Preferred, these features are usually part of an optional Driver Confidence Package. On the Essence, they’re often baked right in.

Performance, Fuel Economy, and Driving Dynamics

Here’s some straightforward news: mechanically, they are very similar.

Engine and Powertrain

Both the Buick Encore Preferred and Essence trims historically shared the same engine—a 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. They offer the same peppy acceleration and EPA-estimated fuel economy (which is quite good for a small SUV). The driving feel from the driver’s seat in terms of power and handling is virtually identical.

Where Driving Experience Differs

The differences in the drive come from the features we’ve already discussed. The quieter cabin in the Essence (from extra insulation) makes highway drives more serene. The heated seats and wheel add comfort. The slightly heavier wheel/tire package on the Essence’s premium wheels might impart a minuscule difference in ride smoothness, but it’s not a performance change.

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

This table summarizes the key differences between the Buick Encore Preferred and Essence trims. Remember, specific features can vary by model year, so always check the Monroney sticker for the exact vehicle you’re considering.

Feature Category	Buick Encore Preferred	Buick Encore Essence
Seating Surfaces	Premium Cloth	Perforated Leather-Appointed
Heated Front Seats	Typically Optional	Standard
Heated Steering Wheel	Typically Not Available/Optional	Standard
Wheels	18-inch Painted Aluminum	18-inch Machined-Face Aluminum
Audio System	Standard 6-speaker System	Premium Bose Brand Audio System
Key Safety Features	Often in Optional Package (e.g., Driver Confidence)	Frequently Standard or in Standard Bundle
Exterior Lighting	Halogen DRLs	LED DRLs and Taillights

Making Your Final Decision

So, after all this, which one is right for you? Let’s make it simple.

Choose the Buick Encore Preferred if:

• Your budget is a primary concern, and you want the best value entry into the Buick family.
• You prefer cloth seats or don’t mind adding a heated seat package later.
• You’re happy with the standard wheel design and halogen lights.
• The base audio system is sufficient for your listening habits.
• You plan to selectively add options, carefully building the car you want.

Choose the Buick Encore Essence if:

• You desire a more luxurious interior ambiance with leather seats as a must-have.
• Heated seats and a heated steering wheel are important for your climate.
• You appreciate premium styling details like upgraded wheels and LED lights.
• Enhanced audio quality (Bose) is a meaningful upgrade for you.
• You want the most advanced safety features bundled in conveniently from the start.
• You prefer a “fully-loaded” experience with less need to haggle over options.

Final Tip: The best way to decide is to experience it. Sit in both. Feel the cloth and the leather. Listen to the radio. Ask the dealer to point out the safety features. Configure both trims online with the options you want and see how the final prices compare. Often, the Essence, with its bundled features, can offer a better value than a heavily-optioned Preferred.

Conclusion: Two Sides of the Same Great Coin

At the end of the day, whether you choose the Buick Encore Preferred or Essence, you’re getting a capable, stylish, and comfortable compact SUV. The core goodness—the efficient turbocharged engine, the easy-to-use infotainment, the versatile cargo space—is present in both.

The difference between the Buick Encore Preferred and Essence boils down to personal priority. It’s the choice between smart, complete satisfaction and a more indulgent, feature-rich experience. The Preferred is an incredibly competent and wise choice. The Essence is that choice, wrapped in a bit more comfort and technology.

Think about what you truly value every day behind the wheel. Your answer will lead you straight to the perfect Encore for your driveway. Happy driving!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main differences between the Buick Encore Preferred and Essence?

The Buick Encore Essence trim typically offers upgraded luxury and technology features compared to the Preferred. For instance, the Essence often includes leather seating, a sunroof, and advanced safety systems as standard, whereas the Preferred focuses on value with essential comforts.

Is the Buick Encore Essence worth the extra cost over the Preferred?

If you prioritize premium amenities like heated leather seats, enhanced infotainment, and additional driver assists, the Essence provides good value. However, the Preferred trim is a budget-friendly choice that still includes core Buick features for everyday driving.

What features come standard on the Essence that aren’t on the Preferred?

The Encore Essence usually adds standard features such as a power driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a hands-free power liftgate. In contrast, the Preferred trim may offer these only as optional packages or not at all.

How does the Buick Encore Preferred vs Essence compare in technology offerings?

In the Buick Encore Preferred vs Essence comparison, the Essence trim often boasts a larger touchscreen with navigation, Bose premium audio, and smartphone integration as standard. The Preferred typically has a basic audio system with optional tech upgrades available.

Which trim is better for luxury: Encore Preferred or Essence?

The Essence trim is clearly oriented toward luxury with standard leather upholstery, wood trim accents, and available heated steering wheel. The Preferred offers a comfortable ride but with more modest cloth seats and fewer premium touches unless options are added.

Can I get all-wheel drive in both the Buick Encore Preferred and Essence?

Yes, all-wheel drive is commonly available as an optional feature on both the Encore Preferred and Essence trims. The Essence might pair it with other performance or comfort enhancements, but the capability is similar across both when equipped.