Even at 70 mph on rough Chicago streets, there was very little jarring and none of the wiggles or choppiness I’ve experienced in other small cars with short wheelbases. The ride is composed and not too firm for such a small car. It’s a vital feature because it helps you enjoy the Encore’s main advantage - it’s smaller size - over competitors such as the Escape and CX-5. I found when driving in the city that when there was a small gap in traffic - say, between two cabs - the Encore was often small enough to fit into those gaps, and the car’s steering effort and precision gave me the confidence to go for it. There’s not a lot of play in the steering, and it’s boosted enough to make tight moves. The Encore’s steering is good and goes a long way toward making it enjoyable to drive. People who are sold on the Encore’s size but are down on its performance would be well-served by taking the Trax on a test drive. The related Chevrolet Trax also feels peppier and more powerful, even though it’s powered by the same engine. With those two, particularly the Escape, there was both more accelerative power and less noise. Yes, both have more powerful engines, but they’re both competitive on price with the Encore, so it’s a valid comparison. I’d been driving a Ford Escape and Mazda CX-5 around the time I tested the Encore, and both responded quicker. This is the first area where I found myself comparing the Encore with compact SUVs. There’s also a lot of engine noise when the engine is pushed. You have to anticipate your moves and, even still, things take a long time to get going even though the transmission kicks down quickly. You really notice the lack of power when you pull out of a line of cars to make a pass the Encore just can’t make that pass quickly. On the highway, however, the engine runs out of steam. We were also impressed with the all-wheel-drive system once the snow started piling up (see a detailed report). Our all-wheel-drive Encore moved away from stoplights well, if not blindingly fast. The Encore is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 138 horsepower and uses a six-speed automatic transmission regardless of trim and whether it’s front- or all-wheel drive.Īround town, the engine and transmission are fine. Buick purists will be happy to note the presence of Ventiports (or portholes) in the hood. Higher Encore trim levels feature fog lights in the lower bumper area, but otherwise the Encore looks similar across all trims.
All in all, it has the rounded features and squat stance of a cute, chubby baby crawling across the floor. It doesn’t look like it’ll blow over on its side in a heavy wind. It’s tall for a vehicle with a short wheelbase, but it looks wide enough that the height is proportional. The Encore is tiny, but it’s still shaped like an SUV, not a hatchback. You can compare the 2015 with the 2014 model here. Finally, our test model included a navigation system with an upgraded multimedia system along with Buick’s IntelliLink system.įor 2015 models, the addition of a 4G LTE internet hotspot is the major new addition. We tested an all-wheel-drive Encore Leather Group, which includes leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a power-adjustable passenger seat and a power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory. The Encore’s trim levels, which Buick calls Groups, include Base, Convenience, Leather and Premium, all of which offer front- or all-wheel drive. The growing field of very small SUVs with which the Encore competes includes the Honda HR-V, the Mazda CX-3, the Fiat 500X and a related spinoff - the new 2015 Chevrolet Trax (see the review). But the biggest challenge the Encore faces is trying to be a luxury car in this segment. The vehicles in this class are tiny for SUVs, and they force buyers to sacrifice space - if not also power and performance. On the market since the 2013 model year, the Buick Encore is the veteran statesman of a growing vehicle class: subcompact SUVs. The 2015 Buick Encore succeeds by having excellent visibility and a convenient and trendy size, but it’s let down by missing the kind of standout luxury features its sticker price suggests it should have.
To see what’s new for 2016, click here, or check out a side-by-side comparison of the two model years. Little of substance has changed with this year’s model. Editor’s note: This review was written in March 2015 about the 2015 Buick Encore.
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