EDITOR WES RAYNAL: Hate to use the C word but this thing IS cute as a button. The design fits the size — the Encore looks good, well proportioned, to my eye. It’s delightful, like a chunky little puppy wagging its tail, all energetic.
I’m surprised how well the Encore drives. This is a likeable little truck and that is good news for Buick. It’s not a rocket by any means, but it sips gas, feels solid and is of high quality (especially for such a small package), and like other Buicks, is nice and quiet going about its business — double laminated glass, more sound-deadening material, you know the drill. It’s relaxing where other small cars and trucks can be a bit frenetic. I suppose I’d like some firmer steering, but I also suppose most of the targeted customers don’t care.
There is a ton of room inside in terms of the front-seat and cargo space. The back seat is a wee bit tight. Fit and finish are good, and there are high-quality soft-touch materials throughout.
Buick is hugely popular in
Encore sales numbers reflect that Buick is on to something here — looks like it’s found a space in the market where few competitors exist. So far in ’15, Encore sales are trouncing small SUVs from Benz, BMW, Acura, Lexus and Audi.
2015 Buick Encore AWD Premium
ASSOCIATE EDITOR WESLEY WREN: I can see it now: Rick Moranis starring in a new series of Buick ads called “Honey, I Shrunk the Enclave.” It would perfectly capture the millennials’ obsession with ’90s nostalgia, and would just be freakin’ hilarious.
On a more serious note, this does sort of look like a shrunken Buick Enclave, and I love it. While I’m not the biggest fan of the Enclave’s styling, I think that it looks great on this Encore. In fact, there isn’t a whole lot that that I don’t like about the Encore. I would go as far as to say that the Encore solves all of the little gripes I have about the much-beloved Honda Fit. The Encore is extremely spacious on the inside, the engine doesn’t sound like it wants to grenade at highway speed, and the Encore feels substantial in the steering wheel.
The feel of quality is abundant in the Encore, which is fair considering the price. The materials chosen for the interior felt of quality, and everything was ergonomically placed.
Driving the little Buick is a treat. It is so peppy that I was surprised to see the low horsepower rating — but the numbers don’t lie. This thing only ekes out 138 ponies, but it doesn’t feel slow at all. The whole package is nimble and responsive — diving in and out of traffic isn’t a nail-biting endeavor.
Buick’s probably thought about the Encore as being a car fit for Chinese consumption — but I think that this is a perfect city car. The only downsides could be that this is another car that needs Apple CarPlay because of how poorly the software for the infotainment system was designed. And the price does feel steep: You could almost buy two Honda Fits for the price of one Buick Encore.
2015 Buick Encore AWD Premium
Options: Audio system with navigation, AM/FM/SiriusXM stereo with Intellilink with 7-inch diagonal screen, USB port, input jack ($ 495)
