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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  Quiet ride with luxurious comfort and reasonable gas consumption - 2013 Buick Encore
  By angra - March 14 - 7:39 am

  Based on first impressions, the new Encore offers a nice comfortable super-quiet ride. It is is easy to maneuver in traffic and it has a lot of good features. During the test drive, I could get it to merge on the highway without any problems--of course, I did not expect it to glide (say the way an Infinity does). I bought it because of its fuel economy, but it is still fun to drive. It took no time to connect my blue-tooth phone and have music come out beautifully from the Bose speakers. Dont let all the knobs discourage you--the system is actually easy to use! Having moved from an Acura TSX, I like the slightly higher ride while still having a compact size.

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  Disappointed with Buick Encore - 2013 Buick Encore
  By neilman - February 3 - 4:16 pm

  Vehicle road tested wonderful during the dealer visit, but has been a huge disappointment after taking it home. We already exchanged the vehicle (so were on our second one) and really appreciate the dealerships cooperation with doing their best to make the situation right for us. Both vehicles have the same problem, in fact the 2nd one is worse and I wish I had kept the 1st one. While entering and exiting our driveway (with the steering turned left or right) which has a normal drainage dip (water canal) between the road and driveway elevation, there are thumping noises coming from the suspension. Of course as is typical...the problem could not be duplicated at the dealership. I have driven many many cars on my driveway and never heard this type of noise from any other car. I owned 4 GM cars over a 20 year period through 2009, and finally gave up due to the consistent need to pour money into repairs after about 4 - 5 years of ownership. I thought things may have improved and gave it another shot, but I guess I was dead wrong. I feel terribly let down and like I made a huge mistake. The classic definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I must be insane for falling for the same mistake over and over.

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  Enjoying - 2017 Buick Encore
  By Glen - September 26 - 1:38 pm

  Narrow front seats. Small width size for plus size men and women.

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  2016 BUICK ENCORE SERVICE EXPERIENCE - 2016 Buick Encore
  By DownSouth - March 9 - 7:47 pm

  The only thing keeping me from rating the very first and only service experience at Williamson Buick in Miami a perfect 10 is the fact that although the service advisor (Ivan Pellegrino) told me they had been able to duplicate exactly what I had brough the car in for (what I called a hesitation from a full stop on Drive), and had verified the same thing in other Encores, therefore concluding it was normal for the design of its powertrain, the documentation I received simply says no trouble found. This concerns me, for it would indicate there is no feedback to the factory that there is a potential performance issue with the current Encore design, not to mentio the fact that if this symptom gets worse with time, there is no reference as to the fact that it was exhibited when brand new.

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  The best short term lease subcompact crossover! - 2016 Buick Encore
  By Sanjay - December 7 - 1:00 am

  Ive leased the electric blue base model of this car after test driving Mazda CX-3, Fiat 500X and Honda HRV. I wanted a compact car where I can sit slightly above the road and getting in and out would be easy on my lower back. I am a recent graduate and due to less credit history, most dealers rejected lease but the folks at Buick were great - they offered a 2-year lease at a decent price. The car is extremely comfortable and the driver seat comes with electronic adjustments and excellent lumbar support. I cannot find words to stress on how comfortable the driving experience is! Its interiors are great for a base model with leather accented seats, generously sized dashboard buttons and good leg room in rear seats. It also has OnStar care and satellite radio. Its modestly powered by a 1.4L turbo engine which does the job for a FWD. Major concerns about this car is external noise, horrendous bluetooth music playback(the rep told me that bluetooth is for voice only) and flat, muffled sounding speakers.Due to the external noise, i need to turn up the music volume and the speakers just sound bad (remember, this is a base model without the Bose active noise-cancellation setup). Music playback via AUX, radio and CD sound better. I didnt realize that the speakers were bad during the test drive but Ive leased it for 2 years only. Overall, I highly recommend this car in the subcompact crossover segment if youre not too particular about brands or you dont mind a less sporty car. This car scores over all others for driving comfort which mattered the most. If youre thinking about leasing this for 2-3 years, id say it is a definite go, but get the higher end model with sunroof and bose speakers as its so much more fun and exciting to step into your car!

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  Compact Gem - 2016 Buick Encore
  By Fred - August 24 - 10:07 pm

  Love the styling. I didnt agree with the consumer reports description of "plodding acceleration". I had a V6 Hyundai Tucson prior and the acceleration on the Encore almost matches the V6 performance. The Encore has enough power to accelerate into the highway with no problem. I could have used folding side mirrors and the knob that adjusts the mirrors was much better on the Tucson than the Encore. The radio is difficult to program and maintain on the desired settings. Cant wait until my complimentary Sirus subscription runs out to have some of that extraneous stuff go away,,,

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  Perfect car for a retired lady who likes luxury! - 2016 Buick Encore
  By Marie - June 13 - 1:11 am

  I love Buicks because, if you get a premium model, you get all the extras including heated steering wheel and remote start which are add ons in other cars. I was intending to buy a Buick Regal, but was unhappy with the lack of visibility in my previous Buick sedan. The salesman suggested I test drive an Encore as well as the Regal. I loved the Encore! The visibility was much better, I enjoyed sitting higher up, and it was easier to park. Granted the trunk is rather small and there probably isnt much leg room in the back seat, but I rarely have a rear seat passenger, so that is fine. Also important to me is that it has OnStar with Turn by Turn navigation and hands-free calling. This is a perfect vehicle for a retired lady who enjoys a certain amount of luxury in her car.

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  Nice litle SUV - 2016 Buick Encore
  By Encoresport - November 13 - 2:25 am

  I like the Buick Encore very much, but cant live with stop/start for the next 6 years. Got a another brand instead.