2013 Buick Encore SUV

The Encore is an all-new entry for 2013. It’s expected to arrive in dealerships in the first quarter of the year.

Crossovers are getting smaller, and the new Buick Encore is one of the smallest of all. More petite than a Chevy Equinox, the Encore is closer in size to a Mini Countryman. Buick designers endeavored to give it Buick styling cues, but they couldn’t disguise the Encore’s tall, stubby proportions. Despite its diminutive footprint, however, the Encore has a reasonable amount of space inside for four people and can haul a fair bit of luggage. The Encore is based on the platform of the Chevy Cruze sedan and uses the same 1.4-liter, direct-injected turbocharged four that’s available in the Cruze. Output is estimated at 140 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque, delivered via a six-speed automatic transmission to either the front or all four wheels. The Encore’s curb weight of 3190 pounds (with front-wheel drive) is within 50 pounds of the Cruze, so performance should be similar. Like many direct-injected fours, this 1.4-liter isn’t exactly mellifluous, but Encore drivers might not notice, because Buick engineers used active noise cancellation in the Encore to mask its droning. This baby Buick boasts some other upscale equipment, including leather, navigation, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, a power driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, front and rear park assist, lane-departure warning, forward-collision alert, and a backup camera.