Speaking of MINI, the Countryman, (like the rest of the MINI lineup) is a mixture of trickle-down BMW technology, great switchgear, high-style, cheesy plastics and chintzy headliners. Despite the low starting price, the cabin makes extensive use of soft touch plastics lending a more premium feel to the cabin than vehicles like the MINI Countryman, Acura TSX or Lexus CT. The Encore isn’t a terribly expensive crossover starting at $24,950 and ending at $31,110 for a full-loaded AWD model. The latter is something new for Buick, and something that has impressed me the most about Buick’s latest vehicles. In addition to getting larger, they have migrated from the fenders (where you only had to see them on the outside) to the hood where they are now visible behind the wheel as well.īuick’s reinvention has focused on value pricing and interior quality. (Seriously Sajeev, what’s wrong with a sports coat over a Hawaiian shirt?) My only complaint on the outside, and this is a big one for me, are the trademark “Ventiports” which seem to be growing like a disease. I kept resisting the impulse to smile every time I walked out to the car, but then again I’ve been told my style sense is not to be trusted. My usual panel of passengers were mixed in their opinion of the styling, I found it slightly cartoonish, in a bubbly and cute sort of way. The Encore’s tall profile further accentuates the Encore’s 168-inch overall length, which is surprisingly 6-inches longer than a MINI Countryman. Euro origins are obvious when you park the Encore in an American parking spot, this Buick is tiny. Like its sister-ship, the Opel Mokka, the Encore is a small crossover/hatchback closely related to GM’s other small car offerings. Consequently you won’t find a brother-from-another-mother running around with a Chevy logo. 30 years later Buick is up to the same old game with an important twist: Buick takes Opel models from Europe. You also knew what to expect: the same sheetmetal with a Buick logo on the grille and some padded velour thrones. When I was a kid you knew a new Buick was coming when Chevy or Oldsmobile announced a new product. Instead, it is “badge engineering” 21st century style. The Encore isn’t new, but neither is it an American rehash of a tired Euro model. The Verano turbo shattered my preconceptions, but can Buick do it again? A brown Encore arrived one rainy morning to see if it was possible. Say what? Yep, it’s true, the brand I wrote off for dead last decade is targeting younger buyers with designs imported from Europe and finding sales success. The cynic in my says that’s because half their clientele died of old age, but it has more to do with their product portfolio. Buick’s been on a roll this year, their sales are up and their owner demographics are younger than they have been in recent memory.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |