Overview & Reviews

Buick's Encore distills the brand's essence into a small, affordable compact crossover SUV. That means you get a comfortable ride and a quiet, rich-feeling cabin environment to go along with the Encore's fuel-efficient engine and available all-wheel drive. A fair amount of Buick's latest technology and safety features are also available to imbue the Encore with a healthy premium vibe.

Know that the Encore is smaller than other more established crossovers, however, and those petite dimensions cut down on the Encore's available rear legroom and cargo space. Tepid acceleration is another drawback. But if you're looking for an easy-to-drive and easy-on-the-wallet vehicle with an elevated seating position, the Encore makes a lot of sense.

Current Buick Encore
The Buick Encore is available in four trim levels: base, Convenience, Leather and Premium. All Encore models are powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder making 138 horsepower. That power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is optional.

The base Encore comes standard with 18-inch wheels, a power driver seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a rearview camera and a suite of tech conveniences like Bluetooth, OnStar services, Buick Intellilink smartphone integration, a 7-inch touchscreen display, and a six-speaker sound system with a USB/iPod connection. The Convenience trim level adds remote engine start, dual-zone automatic climate control and a blind-spot monitoring system. Pick the Leather trim level to get leather upholstery, a power passenger seat, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and driver memory settings.

The range-topping Premium level adds a premium Bose audio system, parking sensors and lane departure and forward collision warning systems. A sunroof and a navigation system are also available.

A damped, hushed ride remains a Buick hallmark, and the Encore lives up to this legacy with an acoustically-treated windshield, side glass and headliner, and a specific "quiet" standard tire. The Encore even offers an active noise suppression system that fends off sound from the engine and road by emitting noise-cancelling frequencies through the speakers. But while this Buick may carry occupants in peaceful serenity, it won't carry much else -- maximum cargo capacity is noticeably less than what's provided by most other small crossovers. On the upside, the front passenger seat can fold flat to accommodate longer items, which is a useful feature when space is at a premium.
The Encore is enjoyable to drive around town. Its small size allows it to fit into small parking spaces with ease and gives you a tidy turning circle for U-turns. Less impressive, though, is the 138-hp 1.4-liter engine. This just isn't enough power for a crossover SUV, and although the Encore feels adequately powerful in city driving, it feels strained when merging onto the highway or making any sort of passing maneuver.

Used Buick Encore Models
The Buick Encore debuted for the 2013 model year. There have been no major changes since, though in that first year the blind-spot monitoring system wasn't available.

User Reviews:

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  Hey Guys...a great small SUV from Germany! - 2015 Buick Encore
  By Mark Hamilton - September 6 - 10:39 am

  Yes its true, this car was designed and engineered by the German Opel division and marketed as an Opel Mokka / for the Europeans and rest of the world and Vauxhall Mokka for the UK. This South Korean made and assembled vehicle is called a Buick Encore for the American market. This mini SUV handles very well in the typical prowess it has been bred with. The eye catching design is what the second generation 166" RAV4 should have evolved to! GM cleverly re-invented a class of SUV that was abandoned about 10 years ago by the main players as they had all grown about a foot! The 1.4L Turbo Encore has very good looks, great interior, optimal usage of space, great economy and very good power for its size and class. A great SUV for younger folk or empty nesters. Critics have stated a lack of power and space, what?? This IS SUPPOSED to be a 168" SUB Compact SUV, not a Porsche, if you want more power and space you can easily jump up into the 180" (15) Compact SUV class! No doubt the best looking and one of the better choices in the Sub Compact SUV class.

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  New 2015 FWD - 2015 Buick Encore
  By Jeff - July 28 - 3:06 pm

  Where to start? Been Toyota people for decades. Buick brought us back to GM. Certainly not built here nor does it have a majority of American made parts. Point is the Buick dealership wanted our business and had a smart, sharp looking vehicle to offer us. A week in to it and my wife and I both love it. Plenty of space for the two of us, empty nesters, and plenty of pep to get us around town and so far to where ever we want to go. Looks, feels and drives like something that will last us for years to come. At our age we driven alot of new cars. This does not feel cheap. On par with more expensive vehicles weve owned. And alot of features youd look for in higher end cars and SUVs. I have no reason to suggest not buying or leasing a Buick Encore.

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  premium hmmm....? - 2015 Buick Encore
  By Margo Ritter - July 24 - 12:59 pm

  There is no in car garage door opener, so you have to carry one. Infotainment GPS too confusing with way, way too many options and menus to try and remember how to use. Over 36 teeny tiny icons to try and see to mark your map, how many does a person need? Just looking for one with a red plus for doctors office, a small house, a tree, a gas pump, so many useless ones. No remote for the rear hatch when you hands are full, why did they do away with that? No grab handle on the passenger front column to take a hold of when getting in and out, just a stupid little handle over your head. Who reaches over their head to get in or out? Also gone is the grab handle from the passenger door to take a hold of to close door. We went from a beautiful Enclave to a smaller Buick. Didnt need the big size any more. Hoping that it was basically the same, just smaller. Not so and theres more road noise. Just wish they had looked at the Enclave and kept all the good features.

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  Compact fun for an SUV - 2015 Buick Encore
  By out_to_help - May 26 - 5:57 pm

  Recently leased (May 2015) for my wife who wanted a smaller car after having driven large SUVs for past 10 years. With kids now in their later teens and no need for large car but with seating up higher, the Encore was selected. The ride performance from the smaller turbo is better than most pro reviews in that their expectations for 0 to 60 are only satisfied when buying an eight cylinder Camaro or that ilk of car. The comfort and quietness make this a great ride. The luxury features with the saddle leather and roof make it seem a lot bigger than it is. Before believing the Mazdas, VWs or Toyotas are in the same class as the Encore, make sure you test drive it first. It will grow on you!

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  Buick Encore is an excellent vehicle - 2015 Buick Encore
  By soulmanencore - May 24 - 6:12 pm

  We purchased a 2013 Buick Encore Leather FWD in June 2013 and have 17,000 miles on it. It provides excellent gas mileage, comfort for long trips and versatile utilizing the fold down seats to haul all types of items. I highly recommend the Encore for empty nesters or someone who has no more than 2 children. I have found the Encore to perform well in all situations we have encountered. It handles the mountains of West Virginia, the heat and humidity of Florida and the narrow winding roads of Pennsylvania. The high ground clearance makes it especially good for driving in snow. I would, and did buy Encore again.

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  Outstanding vehicle so far! - 2015 Buick Encore
  By madmaxooohhh - April 21 - 8:36 am

  Wife loves the comfort, smooth ride, ergonomic interior, and utility of this surprise from Buick! Replaced a BMW X3 that started to get expensive to maintain, so we bought a new Buick.

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  Leaks & more... - 2013 Buick Encore
  By Brian Alley - April 17 - 11:10 am

  After 27,000 miles was loving this car then bam a maintenance nightmare. 3 recalls (seat belt issues & parking brake cable) a oil pan leak & a vibration/buzz that turned into an exhaust system failure that required an all new system. While they were fixing these problems they found a coolant leak & are now replacing the water pump. Disappointing as I was crazy about this ride...Im asking for an extended warranty as this is looking like a lemon?

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  Love this car! - 2014 Buick Encore
  By suydam - April 14 - 9:24 pm

  I bought this car 2 months ago and we are both liking it more and more every day. I love a small car thats quiet and it has a high quality interior. Reviews about its lack of power are misleading. It has plenty of pep with the turbo and it actually gets better gas mileage than I thought it would. A joy to park in small spaces and I like the high seating position. For a small vehicle it feels quite roomy inside. It also handles well. We ar e empty nesters with 2 dogs and this is the perfect second vehicle for us.

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  Great Little Car - 2014 Buick Encore
  By snoopyfan - January 30 - 7:28 am

  I purchased my Encore in September 2014 and I must say it is the best car I have ever owned. I am not one to like SUVs but needed something with AWD. This car sits up high like an SUV but drives like a small car. It does great in the rain and snow on curvy back roads. Gas mileage is great (average 26 mpg). As stated in many reviews, it is not a powerful car but it has the guts to get up on the highway at full speed. It has every comfort available and the safety features of a much more expensive vehicle. This is the best new car I have ever owned.

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  An excellent buy for an commuter/urban vehicle - 2014 Buick Encore
  By davidgmills1 - January 28 - 10:13 am

  My car came with zero flaws. Great build quality. I have probably bought 20 or so new cars over my lifetime and none came as flawless as this one. First oil change due now after about 5,000 miles. I have not been back to the dealer since I bought it in June.