?Buick will expand its luxury lineup early in 2013 when they add ?the all-new Encore luxury small crossover.
?Buick Encore is a great-looking, smart choice for those who want luxury crossover amenities in a more maneuverable and agile vehicle,? said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick Marketing. ?It represents a luxury alternative for a new audience of Buick customers, and delivers features and flexibility not typically found in vehicles of its size today.?
About the same size as an Audi A3 or a Scion xB, the Encore follows Buick?s global design language with sculpted and elegant styling traits ? including sweeping character lines.? From first glance, there is no doubt that Encore looks like a Buick with features like the waterfall grille, chrome accents and surrounds, portholes on the hood and painted lower panels, similar to the Enclave.
?The Encore brings Buick?s timeless, sculptural design to the crossover segment in a way that blends elegance, efficiency and utility,? said David Lyon, executive director of design. ?There?s confidence in its athletic stance and elemental beauty in its rich details.?
Blue-accented projector-beam headlamps and detailed taillamps enhance the premium appearance; and 18-inch, five-spoke painted aluminum wheels are standard with optional seven-spoke chrome wheels.
Inside, the styling carries over to a flowing instrument panel that wraps symmetrically into the door panels. ?A prominent central instrument panel houses the large, full-color, seven-inch LCD display for the IntelliLink voice-activated radio system. ?It also features displays for the SiriusXM satellite radio, as well as available navigation and rear camera systems.
A contemporary mix of dark and light tones distinguishes the cabin, which is accented with ice blue ambient lighting, select use of bright trim and wood-grain trim. ?Premium are trimmed with contemporary cloth/leatherette or available leather. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are available. Other available Encore features include remote vehicle start, dual-zone automatic climate control, Rainsense wipers and Bose premium sound system.
Despite it demure size, Encore still offers 18.8 cubic feet of storage behind the split-folding rear seat and 48.4 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. ?The interior also has abundant storage compartments and drink holders.
Available in front- or all-wheel drive, the Buick Encore is powered by a 140-hp Ecotec 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder engine with six-speed automatic transmission. The combination is designed to maintain spirited acceleration characteristics while delivering category leading fuel economy.
Buick vehicles are noted for their quiet operation and the Encore will be the same thanks to Buick?s ?active? QuietTuning technology, which uses ceiling-mounted microphones to detect engine noise.? The noise is than processed by a computer and counteracting sound waves are played through the audio system?s speakers and subwoofer to minimize the unwanted sounds. ?Encore also uses sound sound-absorbing materials and many other sound canceling techniques to make it one of the quietest vehicles on the road.
