Debuting in 2013, the Buick Encore quickly made a name for itself as a luxury crossover vehicle. The 2019 Buick Encore certainly continues that tradition. It has high-end interiors, which include quality materials, state of the art technology and a spacious feel. It has more than enough driving capability for the city dweller and the highway driver. It comes with multiple options on trim levels and feature packages. It has everything a subcompact crossover in its class has, except for one thing: a hefty price tag.
The subcompact crossover has quickly become one of the more popular vehicle classes. It allows buyers the versatility and room of an SUV but the performance and fuel economy of a smaller sedan or coupe. It is versatile enough to handle day to day tasks, while also being able to handle some tougher assignments that a driver or family may need. Additionally, the subcompact crossover was born in an era that was seeing a boon in automotive technology. Dashboards are now routinely implanted with a touchscreen infotainment system. Safety features that were not even invented twenty years ago are now standard in certain makes and models. Hybrid technology is sweeping the automotive industry. You might think that a vehicle that has the style and pedigree that Buick brings to the market would be loaded with them and loaded down with a hefty price tag. You would be half right.
Starting at only $23,200 MSRP, the 2019 Buick Encore falls well within the price range of most car buyers. Furthermore, it brings with it a load of features that far exceed the sticker price. Buick has never been one to shy away from luxury appointments, and the 2019 Buick Encore is no exception. It contains some impressive standard features, including some unique to Buick, spacious interiors and optimal city maneuvering. And, to top it off, it is extremely affordable.
INTERIOR
One of the things that draw buyers to crossover vehicles is the roomy interior. They have the feel of SUV interiors but don’t have the huge exterior size. Crossovers such as the 2019 Buick Encore give passengers plenty of room to breathe and stretch out, but they also contain a great deal of cargo space. Most, like the 2019 Buick Encore, have foldable seats that expand the cargo area even further. With the rear seats up, the Encore offers 18.8 cubic feet of storage space. That alone is higher than the biggest sedan trunks and certainly more cargo space provided by any coupe. When the rear seats are folded, that space explodes to 48.3 cubic feet, nearly triple the size. Whether it is groceries or pets, golf clubs or skis, work projects or large school assignments, the 2019 Buick Encore can get you and yours wherever you need to go, and comfortably.
Buick introduced QuietTuning in 2011 for the Buick Verano. Since then, nearly every vehicle in the Buick line has been subjected to this ground-breaking technology. By using a variety of methods, Buick is able to drastically decrease extant noise and keep your Buick cabin as quiet as a library. These methods include thick materials in the floorboards to muffle road sounds, an isolated engine and acoustic laminate on the windshield and cabin glass. Some model trims even employ a series of sound detectors that will analyze noise and emit sound waves to neutralize unwanted sounds from the cabin. Pretty cool, huh? Oh yeah, the 2019 Buick Encore has QuietTuning, too. As if all that wasn’t enough, this vehicle is equipped standard with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities, as well as a Wi-Fi hotspot. After all, there are some sounds you do want to hear.
ENGINE
The 2019 Buick Encore sports a 1.4 liter, 4-cylinder engine capable of up to 138 horsepower. That is more than capable of getting you around from point A to point B, providing there are not hundreds of mountainous miles between A and B. Its design is specifically made for easy driving and is not meant for rigorous off-roading, as some SUVs and crossovers are. It only has 144 lb-ft of torque, which also makes it less than ideal for hauling or towing great weights.
However, it is very easy to drive and has great maneuverability around city roads and traffic. With its smooth acceleration and easy handling, it can get you out on the highway, if necessary. And, as we already established, it can get you there with style. However, it would be better to show off the 2019 Buick Encore in the city, where more people can see it.
ESSENCE TRIM
“Essence” is described as the basic or core nature of a thing. However, the essence trim of the 2019 Buick Encore is anything but basic. This level bumps the engine level up to an available 153 horsepower engine while maintaining nearly identical fuel economy. It comes standard with Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic alert safety features, which help the driver see in difficult to observe spaces. It also includes LED headlights to better see what is right in front of you. Available additional packages on this level could add Front and Rear Parking Sensors, Forward Collision Alert, Navigation and a seven-speaker Bose sound system. The parking sensors and Forward Collision Alert features can assist the driver, at low speeds, from accidentally striking anything.
These are just a few of the many features the Essence trim has available. When you combine the premium wheels, chrome grille and overall impressive exterior look with all the possible comforts and safety features, you might think the price would start getting out of hand. However, the top level trim of the 2019 Buick Encore is still under $30,000. This vehicle is pretty much the definition of affordable luxury.
MORE ABOUT THE 2019 BUICK ENCORE
The concept of luxury has changed dramatically over the years. It used to be leather seats, or power windows, maybe a CD player for some 80s or 90s models. Now, even base trims and models have dashes that resemble something out of The Jetsons. There are a lot of buttons, touch screens, digital displays and disembodied voice that would have scared our grandparents to death. Automotive technology has come a long way in a short time, which gave rise to a new era of automotive luxury. That doesn’t belittle the Maseratis or Bentleys of the automotive world. They’re still a lot of fun to look at, although most of us must do it from afar.
Not everyone can afford to have a butler wash their Rolls Royce or skip around an exotic countryside in an Aston Martin like James Bond. In fact, I’m pretty sure those people only exist in the movies. Most of us like simple luxury, like the luxury found in the 2019 Buick Encore. This crossover was somewhat ahead of its time by combining capable performance with elevated style in a smaller than expected vehicle. In fact, when it first debuted, it was almost a full three feet shorter than the Buick Enclave, its mid-sized SUV cousin. But being smaller doesn’t mean being less. As many movies and stories have told us, good things come in small packages.
