2013 Buick Encore
In photos, the Encore looks something like a phone booth decorated with a Buick grille and bright projector-headlamp eyes. (Some editors in our office also liken it to a chrome-drenched potato.) But in real life, the awkward exterior aesthetics aren’t an issue because a steeply inclined windshield and body cladding help lower the visual height. Four large doors and a liftgate provide easy access to an interior laid out to carry four comfortably plus a fifth passenger in a pinch. It pays to be friendly with your front-seat companion because the lateral spacing is tight enough that there will be the occasional rub of an elbow. In back, there’s more rear headroom than what you get in an Acura RDX or Lexus RX350. Cargo space-19 cubic feet with the rear seats up, 48 cubic feet with the split backrest folded-tops that of the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. To stretch versatility to the max, the right-front backrest folds flat, and there’s some out-of-sight space adjacent to the compact spare under the hinged rear load floor. The shelf that keeps cargo out of sight can be disconnected and stowed vertically behind the seatback in a pair of retention slots. Another nice touch is the two large glove boxes built into the dash.
To support an upper-crust pricing strategy, Buick was generous with the Encore’s allotment of standard equipment and special features. A leather-wrapped wheel, a rearview camera, a seven-inch display screen, and 18-inch painted aluminum wheels are all included. Buick’s IntelliLink incorporates satellite radio, Pandora and Stitcher internet radio, Bluetooth phone connectivity, and voice commands. The dash trim, the faux wood paneling, the chrome interior accents, and the optional two-tone leather upholstery are a cut above the GM norm.
The standard Bose Active Noise Cancellation system listens for engine drone and automatically broadcasts an out-of-phase signal through the audio system (whether the audio system is on or off) to quiet the interior. Unfortunately, the reduced background noise makes it easier to hear the wind ruffle and tire noise not drowned out by the Bose trickery.
Since the Encore had to endure a four-year gestation period (attributable to GM’s financial turmoil), it missed the boat on a few notable items. The engine has a rustic cast-iron cylinder block and uses port-instead of direct-fuel injection. The standard voice-recognition control and the optional ($795) navigation system require patience and consultation with the owner’s manual. Adjustment of the steering-wheel reach and rake and the front buckets’ backrest angle are handled by déclassé manual levers. The engine is started with a key, not a button, one rapidly disappearing feature we actually prefer.
After years of griping about Buicks that were too big and soft for their own good, here’s one that’s a step ahead of the movement toward just enough car to serve realistic needs. The Encore is an SUV without the sporting, off-roading, boat-towing pretense. Although it lacks enough power to entertain customers who take driving seriously, this Buick offers exactly what the teeming masses need to enjoy their daily commutes and leisure trips: the all-essential elevated driving position, good outward visibility, seats for a couple of extra folks, room to haul home lots of mall booty, exemplary gas mileage, and a means of transporting Fido with nary an angry bark.
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