ENCORE CARVES OUT A TIDY NEW MARKET NICHE FOR BUICK
When Toyota introduced the RAV4 in 1995, it kicked off the “cute ute” market. With a mere 86.6-inch wheelbase, the RAV4 was tiny by today’s standards. Since then, compact crossovers like the RAV4 have matured to what we would have considered midsize, midsize SUVs have become full-size, and fullsize SUVs have grown to the size of aircraft carriers. That leaves room once again at the bottom of the market, in terms of size at least.
Enter the 2013 Buick Encore. At 168.5 inches long, it is actually 23 inches longer than the original RAV4, but it is among the smallest of today’s crossovers. It joins the Nissan Juke and Mini Cooper Countryman in a new group of subcompact crossovers — cuter utes if you will. Like those offerings, it also doesn’t play at the bottom of the market. While those vehicles offer premium levels of sportiness, the Encore opts for the typical Buick luxury, highlighted by a quiet interior and a smooth ride.
The Encore rides a new global small crossover platform called Gamma. The Chevrolet Sonic also is based on a platform called Gamma, but that’s car architecture and Buick says the two vehicles share only the their engines and seat frames. That’s too bad because we really like the dynamics of the Sonic.
Still, with a tight 100.6-inch wheelbase, the Encore is more maneuverable and easier to park than just about any crossover. The steering is nicely weighted — light at slow speeds for
tight parking lots and heavier at speed for stability. The raised ride height means there is a little lean in turns, though, and the Encore drives a little bigger than its tiny size. Its moves are well controlled, but not particularly sporty.
The ride is quite good. The suspension soaks up most bumps, but the short wheelbase makes it busy over consistently broken pavement. The brakes offer a natural pedal feel and strong stopping power.
The engine the Encore shares with the Sonic is a turbocharged 1.4-liter fourcylinder also found in the Chevy Cruze. It’s certainly not quick; passing requires plenty of room and zero to 60 miles per hour is likely in the high nine- to 10-second range. It offers just enough muscle for the 3,200-pound Encore to keep up with traffic and merge onto freeways without concern. It is paired to a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission that gets the most out of the engine’s limited power. Together, this duo is fairly fuel efficient, too, with Environmental Protection Agency ratings of 25 miles per gallon city/33 highway with front-wheel drive and 23/30 with all-wheel drive.
Part of the Encore’s appeal is its subdued cabin. Buick is known for building quiet vehicles, and the Encore is about as quiet as it can be. Wind and road noise are kept to a minimum, and the engine is usually restrained, but it whines under hard acceleration. Even with Active Noise Cancellation, there is only so much that can be done to hush a small fourcylinder engine.
Inside, the Encore is typical Buick, which is pretty impressive these days. Ice blue ambient lighting, chrome accents, and wood-grain trim add visual interest. Most of the major interaction points are soft to the touch, including the door tops and armrests and even the top of the dash. The lower half of the dash and center console are hard plastic, and the wood-grain trim isn’t real wood.
The Encore comes standard with a unique version Buick’s IntelliLink infotainment system.