Compact SUV; Built in |
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Good condition price range: $13,200 – $25,100* |
Buick Encore
2014 Buick Encore
2014 Buick Encore
2014 Buick Encore
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Buick’s new compact SUV is certainly a ground-breaking new vehicle. Encore is one of the smallest vehicles Buick has ever made, but it still manages to deliver surprisingly good ride quality and Buick’s characteristic hushed cabin. For some shoppers, the small footprint and tall driving position will be real pluses. However, Encore’s cargo versatility and rear seat space suffer because of the small exterior dimensions, especially among competitive vehicles in its price strata. Encore is an unusual vehicle that’s quite compelling–if the benefits of its unconventional platform are more important to you than its shortcomings.
Overview
This 4-door, 5-passenger wagon joined Buick’s lineup for 2013 as the upscale GM division’s smallest vehicle. Size-wise, Encore slots below Buick’s Verano compact car in every exterior dimension except height. Encore is categorized as a compact SUV, and it was one of the smallest entries in that class. Encore was built in South Korea and shares elements of its design with a small SUV produced by General Motors for markets outside North America.
Buick was attempting to carve out a new market niche with its new “micro-lux” SUV. Encore offered the raised ride height, upright driving position, and available all-wheel-drive of compact SUVs such as the Honda CR-V or Mazda CX-5, but in a smaller yet slightly more luxurious package. Despite its more-compact size and small-displacement 4-cylinder engine, Encore boasted upscale trimmings and accoutrements that were in keeping with the premium nature of the Buick brand.
Encore’s engine was a 138-horsepower, 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder borrowed from the Chevrolet Cruze compact car. A 6-speed automatic was the sole transmission. All models were available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
The 2013 Buick Encore included a standard complement of expected and federally mandated safety features. Front- and rear-side airbags were standard, as was a rearview camera. Forward-collision and lane-departure warning were standard on the top-line Premium.
Yearly Updates
2013 Encore Blind-spot alert and rear-cross-traffic alert were newly available for on the 2014 Encore. |