We have a 2017 AWD Preferred model that I took on a 1700 mile trip this past weekend. The seats were great, the ride awesome and I wasn’t tired after 3 days of driving. The last leg of the trip was driving over 800 miles for a bit over 12 hours. The 1.4L turbo had no issues climbing mountains up to 4700ft and at some point I was doing about 90mph and still averaged 31mpg on the return leg even with strong headwinds, the two legs prior I averaged over 33 mpg going about 74mph.
We had a 2013 Encore with AWD that was a hoot to drive. Whether it was cooking down the highway or swinging into parking spots it earned it s nickname, Squirt". But keep it at 60 mph and almost 40 mpg is not umcommon... with AWD!
How goes it track on the highway? I love our Corollas but the 15' requires some steering corrections on the highway because of light steering+light car
I had a 2014 Cruze LTZ with the same 1.4t.. the torque is just effortless, so usable even in 6th gear. Seriously considering an Encore for my next lease, the AWD is a huge bonus and seems like the fuel economy ain't bad either.
The Rusty Scooter tracks very well not too many corrections needed. I installed a pedal commander on ours to get rid of the electronic throttle delay when needed. Still averaging better than the combined rating after 17000 miles and just had it in for an oil change.
I love the fact that the front passenger seat folds down. I don't need that 8 ft length very often, but once in awhile, it is nice to have. This will get a test drive.
Sorry for the late replay. Since my 5'0" wife was not on the trip, she couldn't weigh in the way she normally does. I would say front visibility should be fine for you but you'll have to sit in it to make sure the front pillars don't block your left side frontal view. That's what trips up my wife.
The 2015 Encore has a Blind Spot Monitoring System. Plus even though the 2013 models looks the same as the 2014, 2015 and 2016 models, the only way you can tell if it’s a 2013 or not is that the 2013 doesn’t have turn signals on the side mirrors and the other ones do.
I absolutely love your reviews. You give all the info a person need before stepping onto a lot. You definitely helped me pick the 2013 Ford Focus se. I love it. Thank you.
It is so cute and peppy and as much as I love to go up to the mountains and fish the rivers. I can go off the beaten path now to a more private area with the ground clearance being much higher than my old car. I am looking forward to my first road trip.
Interesting is the word that comes to mind. For some reason the competitors that come to mind (not even same segment of vehicle) is Buick's Verano and the Acura ILX. If i went into a Buick dealership with the Verano in mind I would throw this in the mix.
Interesting. Up here in Canada, we also have the Encore's corporate twin, the Chevy Trax. Tyipical Chevy styling, lower price, and probably no active noise-cancellation and less sound deadening material. Both are certainly interesting alternatives to the Soul, with the availablility of AWD if needed.
Did they blow it? That size of vehicle is in the showroom as the GMC Terrain. Maybe a very small crossover that appeals to younger buyers is a masterstroke that lowers the Buick buying demo even lower. We'll see in the months to come...
Tom, it would be educational if you mentioned the assembly origin of every car you review. Just gives a perspective of what car is really made in America for those who consider it a deal breaker.
Opel/Vauxhall have been owned by the American General Motors Company since the 1940's and Buick has been around before then since 1903...The design team for the Encore was American and Korean, but mostly American because Buick has always been a traditional American brand...
Nope. The soon-to-be-poorly-named Infiniti is larger and more powerful. Encore is 10 inches shorter than a CR-V. It's a very different vehicle, you'll understand when you see one in person.
Im surprised to read that some commenters still refuse to like anything with a smaller displacement engine. I know it is a change from the norm, but really do you need anything bigger in this class?
another quality review, Tom! it's a pretty unique vehicle and has a luxurious feel and look to it, but I don't know who would drop that much money on such a small car with such an under-powered engine. i like the front end design but the rear looks too Saturn or Pontiac (reminds me of the Vibe).
Review a 2013 Viper GTS and 2014 Corvette stingray! Whenever you get you can get your hands on them of course. i wanna know if they are german quality because other reviewers contradict each other : "the new viper is german quality or better" and "the viper is still rough like the previous years" i trust your reviews better than theirs because i feel like theyre really bias! if you can please review or compare the '13 viper gts and '14 corvette stingray if you can, Dart SRT 4 when its out :)
Not a bad car but it doesn't really look like a Buick. It looks like it should be a GMC or if they were still around, Saturn. Would the Infiniti EX or should I say, QX50, be a competitor?
You guys complaining about the car being made in south korea you have to understand why.Buick is the car to have in china especially if you have money so GM knows this car is going to be a success in china this is the size vehicle that is popular over there also..they are just doing a test run in the US to see if it will sell and if it does they will bring production over here.same as the regal it was orignally built in germany then once it was successful they moved productionit to north america
isn't Buick Encore the US version of european Opal/Vauxhall Mokka? I seen also the new Buick (some kind of 4door saloon ) that looks like Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, i do now that Fiat is in cooperation with some usa manufacturers but Opel/Vauxhall
what about the BMW X1? Id say that both of these cars are competing for the same client base. Granted, the Buick cannot compete with regards to engine output and overall luxury with that of the BMW, but they are very similar sized vehicles, no?
Great review, Tom. This vehicle leaves me with many mixed impressions. I feel like all the manufacturers are missing on delivering a practical, entry-level luxury CUV. This was ~almost~ it, but it's way too "dinky". Nice-looking interior, but from the unflattering angles it looks like a giant sneaker. That +/- switch on the shifter seems like an awful design, too.
If you're looking at this car because it is US made, it is actually made of parts designed in China, then is assembled in South Korea (this is true--google it). What's more, the leather and wood trim options are not real wood and leather materials..! And, IIHS rated its crucially important frontal crash test as "Poor"?? The car looks nice, but No Thanks
Yea it would be popular if Honda and Toyota didn't make better versions and of this car wasn't so damn expensive for stuff that comes standard In a scion lol. These go for $30k easy and they use "leatherette" which is a disguised way of saying freaking vinyl. This car is cute but it's a Chevy trax in a nicer 'looking' exterior.
We have a 2017 AWD Preferred model that I took on a 1700 mile trip this past weekend. The seats were great, the ride awesome and I wasn’t tired after 3 days of driving. The last leg of the trip was driving over 800 miles for a bit over 12 hours. The 1.4L turbo had no issues climbing mountains up to 4700ft and at some point I was doing about 90mph and still averaged 31mpg on the return leg even with strong headwinds, the two legs prior I averaged over 33 mpg going about 74mph.
We had a 2013 Encore with AWD that was a hoot to drive. Whether it was cooking down the highway or swinging into parking spots it earned it s nickname, Squirt".
But keep it at 60 mph and almost 40 mpg is not umcommon... with AWD!
How goes it track on the highway? I love our Corollas but the 15' requires some steering corrections on the highway because of light steering+light car
I had a 2014 Cruze LTZ with the same 1.4t.. the torque is just effortless, so usable even in 6th gear. Seriously considering an Encore for my next lease, the AWD is a huge bonus and seems like the fuel economy ain't bad either.
The Rusty Scooter tracks very well not too many corrections needed. I installed a pedal commander on ours to get rid of the electronic throttle delay when needed. Still averaging better than the combined rating after 17000 miles and just had it in for an oil change.
I love the fact that the front passenger seat folds down. I don't need that 8 ft length very often, but once in awhile, it is nice to have. This will get a test drive.
Sorry for the late replay. Since my 5'0" wife was not on the trip, she couldn't weigh in the way she normally does. I would say front visibility should be fine for you but you'll have to sit in it to make sure the front pillars don't block your left side frontal view. That's what trips up my wife.
Chevrolet Trax dressed in Tuxedo... Good daily driver with good features. It is not that bad.
The 2015 Encore has a Blind Spot Monitoring System. Plus even though the 2013 models looks the same as the 2014, 2015 and 2016 models, the only way you can tell if it’s a 2013 or not is that the 2013 doesn’t have turn signals on the side mirrors and the other ones do.
I absolutely love your reviews. You give all the info a person need before stepping onto a lot.
You definitely helped me pick the 2013 Ford Focus se. I love it. Thank you.
I wholeheartedly agree. This is probably Buick's most important vehicle right now, more than the Verano and Regal (for the time being)
Great reviewer I just discovered the channel, not dry and boring but original and informative!!! You've gained a happy subscriber Tom
It is so cute and peppy and as much as I love to go up to the mountains and fish the rivers. I can go off the beaten path now to a more private area with the ground clearance being much higher than my old car. I am looking forward to my first road trip.
No prob. Wait 'till you hear how I completely destroy the Accord review I'm working on.
Such an awesome looking little crossover. It vaguely reminds me of the Chevy Spark.
looks like a hip grandma car, if my grandparents didn't already have a buick enclave, im sure they'd cross shop within this segment as well.
Your reviews are always some of my favorites! I wish you had time to do more, but then they wouldn't be such high quality, would they?
I'm 34, live in the DC area, would love this car!
Interesting is the word that comes to mind. For some reason the competitors that come to mind (not even same segment of vehicle) is Buick's Verano and the Acura ILX. If i went into a Buick dealership with the Verano in mind I would throw this in the mix.
Interesting. Up here in Canada, we also have the Encore's corporate twin, the Chevy Trax. Tyipical Chevy styling, lower price, and probably no active noise-cancellation and less sound deadening material. Both are certainly interesting alternatives to the Soul, with the availablility of AWD if needed.
Love the idea behind this CUV... Niche market... Will totally get my mother to look into getting one of these...
Did they blow it? That size of vehicle is in the showroom as the GMC Terrain. Maybe a very small crossover that appeals to younger buyers is a masterstroke that lowers the Buick buying demo even lower. We'll see in the months to come...
To people that say its rebadged, it may be so, but GM makes those cars too.
Great car! I've had mine for almost a year and still love it! Sporty, classy and great gas mileage! It's like a cross between a Buick and a Pontiac.
Tom, it would be educational if you mentioned the assembly origin of every car you review. Just gives a perspective of what car is really made in America for those who consider it a deal breaker.
Opel/Vauxhall have been owned by the American General Motors Company since the 1940's and Buick has been around before then since 1903...The design team for the Encore was American and Korean, but mostly American because Buick has always been a traditional American brand...
It's actually an Opel Mokka that has been re-badged. So now you can buy it since it's not an American car ;)
Its competitor is the Outback. I have one and love it. Fuel eco is about the same. The difference is that my Subu is built in America -- ironic, huh?
You do good work Tom. I enjoyed learning about the encore.
Nope. The soon-to-be-poorly-named Infiniti is larger and more powerful. Encore is 10 inches shorter than a CR-V. It's a very different vehicle, you'll understand when you see one in person.
Im surprised to read that some commenters still refuse to like anything with a smaller displacement engine. I know it is a change from the norm, but really do you need anything bigger in this class?
another quality review, Tom! it's a pretty unique vehicle and has a luxurious feel and look to it, but I don't know who would drop that much money on such a small car with such an under-powered engine. i like the front end design but the rear looks too Saturn or Pontiac (reminds me of the Vibe).
I really liked the look of the Granite and was looking forward to it - oh well. I guess it makes sense to limit brand sharing.
And it's probably perfect for new drivers. I'm 6'2 so hopefully if this is my first car I will be able to fit
+Amtraklove Honda HR-V is starts 5K cheaper and has more Horsepower , mpg and a lower 0-60 time. aslo, its a honda
what is with the black voids under the headlamps? real vents or just a style queue?
They have had these little engines up to 200whp in the similar vehicles. That may help a little bit.
Very nice little car, love to drive it at the dealer asap.
Review a 2013 Viper GTS and 2014 Corvette stingray!
Whenever you get you can get your hands on them of course. i wanna know if they are german quality because other reviewers contradict each other : "the new viper is german quality or better" and "the viper is still rough like the previous years"
i trust your reviews better than theirs because i feel like theyre really bias!
if you can please review or compare the '13 viper gts and '14 corvette stingray
if you can, Dart SRT 4 when its out :)
Fantastic interior layout, engine needs an upgrade, and design.. Major overhaul.
The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is the same size but looks more rugged and sporty. Both cars are underpowered in favor of fuel economy.
It's a cute stylish vehicle. I like it. I'm not a fan of the noise canceling tech though.
Nice review!
It looks a lot like Opel Mokka. When I saw the EcoTec engine I understood why :)
Amazing car and an amazing review :)
Not a bad car but it doesn't really look like a Buick. It looks like it should be a GMC or if they were still around, Saturn. Would the Infiniti EX or should I say, QX50, be a competitor?
sleeper im talking like vega or pinto status also focus cosworth rs
Is this by any chance shared with the Chevy captiva?
Visit the website and watch the Honda Accord review
Haven't seen the evil twin in awhile. Is he on vacation or did you hand him a pink slip?
You guys complaining about the car being made in south korea you have to understand why.Buick is the car to have in china especially if you have money so GM knows this car is going to be a success in china this is the size vehicle that is popular over there also..they are just doing a test run in the US to see if it will sell and if it does they will bring production over here.same as the regal it was orignally built in germany then once it was successful they moved productionit to north america
The compact SUV market is getting hotter and hotter.
isn't Buick Encore the US version of european Opal/Vauxhall Mokka?
I seen also the new Buick (some kind of 4door saloon ) that looks like Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, i do now that Fiat is in cooperation with some usa manufacturers but Opel/Vauxhall
they need to put the Regal GS motor in here and they would have the fastest suv in the market
In Europe this car is the Opel Mokka. So we see here nothing else except badge engineering.
@TOM PLEASE REVIEW THE NEW TOYOTA VENZA NO ONE ON TH-cam HAS
better looking than the new verano in my opinion
what about the BMW X1? Id say that both of these cars are competing for the same client base. Granted, the Buick cannot compete with regards to engine output and overall luxury with that of the BMW, but they are very similar sized vehicles, no?
I'm starting to question GM's new designs...And hello Ford Escape headlight accent line on the botton corners!
this is a great step forward for buick! i really like it
Is it good for short people??? 4'9" ish...
Price??
why have a 300hp fwd/awd cuv?
Great review, Tom. This vehicle leaves me with many mixed impressions. I feel like all the manufacturers are missing on delivering a practical, entry-level luxury CUV. This was ~almost~ it, but it's way too "dinky". Nice-looking interior, but from the unflattering angles it looks like a giant sneaker. That +/- switch on the shifter seems like an awful design, too.
that was a great looking concept
Based on an Opel Mokka, I believe.
Waiting for the venza
Wish it had a manual...
I love this interior
Looks like a swoopier Ssangyong Korando to me...
ki kinda like it but i want a fast one im talking 300hp fast
@ 5:29 GP-12 outgoing quality check mark
Cool cat
its called platform sharing
Woahh, that is... So relevant!
I'm getting one!
All i wanna say with this comment is, that Americans are not able to create such a nice car like the Opel Mokka ;-)
C'mon. That's Incredible! show song What's your opinion about it !!
Although the interior is really top notch
Still have our '16 "leather", great car...does exactly what it was designed to do...we'll be sorry when it's time to say "good-bye".
great review, as always! still prefer my Fit!
If you're looking at this car because it is US made, it is actually made of parts designed in China, then is assembled in South Korea (this is true--google it). What's more, the leather and wood trim options are not real wood and leather materials..! And, IIHS rated its crucially important frontal crash test as "Poor"?? The car looks nice, but No Thanks
Yea it would be popular if Honda and Toyota didn't make better versions and of this car wasn't so damn expensive for stuff that comes standard In a scion lol. These go for $30k easy and they use "leatherette" which is a disguised way of saying freaking vinyl. This car is cute but it's a Chevy trax in a nicer 'looking' exterior.
I like it!
I'm surprised
here in germany we said opel mokka
my tube And in the UK, it’s the Vauxhall Mokka.
its a toutch screen
Copy and paste. This is exactly the Opel Mokka, only the logo is changed.
Needs way more power , 138 Hp WTH is that !!! Come on need at least 175 hp with a 2 or 2.4 ltr motor. Looks very good but needs power. Next year ?
buick blew it by not doing a smaller enclave in the rx/q5 class. this is just a fail
Actually share plataform with the Chevy Trax.
It's a shame that GM is making this car in Korea as I prefer to support companies who support the North American worker.
Not a bad vehicle, but this killed the much better looking GMC Granite.
No backup sensors, no touch screen. I'm die-hard gm but buick could do better on this.
It does have a back up sensor , touch isn't exactly necessary , who wants a dirty screen?
Actually, I'm just lazy. / ; ^ )
If they offer Cadillac's 2.0 turbo as an option I'd be all over this., until then it's a slug wearing makeup.
Who's going to buy this over an Equinox.
I'm seeing a lot of SAAB in this car dedign
Amo este modelo
SSYANYOUNG KORANDO???
It looks similar to a Suzuki SX4. That car did not sell well at all.
Looks like a Pontiac Vibe...actually slightly less attractive than a Vibe...
Nice lookin vehicle,but 4 cylinders,no thanks.
If it had a nice 6 cylinder i'd think about buying one.
i should have probably said its a badge swap!
We all have our own taste, haha :D