Autoblog

Small number of 2013 Buick Encore models recalled for loose steering wheel

Jeffrey N. Ross — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:43:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Buick

General Motors has issued a recall and a stop sale for the 2013 Buick Encore due to an issue that could result in the steering wheel falling off on certain models. In a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, GM says that 144 Encores equipped with heated steering wheels could have been incorrectly retrofitted due to a parts shortage.

Needless to say, a loose or separated steering wheel would likely cause an accident if it happened while the vehicle was in motion. The recall doesn't go into effect until April 12, but concerned Encore owners can use the official recall notice (attached below) to contact GM.

Continue reading Small number of 2013 Buick Encore models recalled for loose steering wheel

Small number of 2013 Buick Encore models recalled for loose steering wheel originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First 2013 Buick Encore TV ad features... dinosaurs

Chris Paukert — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:14:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, Buick, Luxury

The whole "SUVs as dinosaurs" trope has become something of a threadbare cliché among auto writers, but that doesn't mean the wider world of consumers has caught on to the Jurassic nature of our line of thinking. That's what General Motors appears to be betting on, at least. Just check out Buick's first television spot for its 2013 Encore, the tiny crossover that is pushing the Tri-Shield into territories unknown while looking to outrun the brand's reputation as a refuge for elderly clientele.

Set to air this weekend on ESPN during the NCAA college basketball tournament, the ad plays up the Encore's maneuverability and surprising interior space by setting the baby Buick amongst a herd of lumbering CG dinosaurs created by Tippett Studio, the folks behind Hollywood blockbusters like Jurassic Park, Ted, and the Twilight series of films.

We can't help but snigger a little - while the Encore is indeed surprisingly roomy, nimble, and composed, our first drive found it to be glacially slow, too... not unlike a certain prehistoric race of animals. Check out the commercial below and judge for yourself.

Continue reading First 2013 Buick Encore TV ad features... dinosaurs

First 2013 Buick Encore TV ad features... dinosaurs originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Buick Encore

Chris Paukert — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Buick, First Drives, Luxury

City, Slicker

We admit it. We have no earthly idea how this whole thing is going to shake out.

Typically, after driving a new car or truck, we come away prepared to hazard a guess as to whether said model has a good chance of being a sales success. We've amassed enough time watching the industry, scrutinizing the competitors, and so on, to make a reasonably educated bet. Yet here we are, days removed from driving the new 2013 Buick Encore, and we still have no bloody idea.

To be fair, we're in good company. Buick's perfectly capable public relations and marketing teams don't appear to entirely know what to expect from the Encore, either. They've had to strain to even find remote competitors to match their new baby against. BMW X1? Volkswagen Tiguan? Mini Countryman? All kinda-sorta-maybe rivals from our vantage point. Yet we can't necessarily provide better ones for this tiny semi-premium crossover, either. Fiscal cliff-discount Land Rover Range Rover Evoque? Uppity Hyundai Tucson? Nissan Juke ravished by Vilner? It's really rather hard to say what plays here. The above panoply of would-be rivals only hints at just how small the Encore is. At 168.5 inches long, it's the shortest Buick in memory - stubbier, remarkably, than such past Trishield outliers as the Skyhawk, Somerset and Reatta.

Yet none of this size discussion or the lack of a clearly defined competitive set is to say that the Encore won't be a resounding success. Early signs from dealers - whose initial orders have been six times company estimates - are more than positive, and certainly Buick could do with another crossover underneath its much larger Enclave.

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2013 Buick Encore originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why Buick's Encore wasn't a Chevy

Chris Paukert — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:21:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Buick, GM, Luxury

Buick is taking a gamble with its 2013 Encore. General Motors' near-luxury brand has enjoyed great success attracting conquest buyers to its larger Enclave crossover, but it has never offered something quite like this small CUV.

Very early signs suggest that the gamble might be working. According to Mark Reuss, President of General Motors, the automaker expected about 1,500 initial orders from its dealers for the Encore, but it's tracking closer to 9,000 units. Alluding to the fact that historically, Buick has shared similar products with GM's other brands, Reuss says that Buick dealers are "thrilled to have an exclusive." The automaker already markets almost identical models in other markets as the Opel/Vauxhall Mokka and Chevrolet Trax, but The General's other brands won't offer a twin to the new baby Buick.

The new Encore is based on the Gamma architecture that underpins the Chevrolet Sonic, and it shares the economy car's available turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine. With standard front-wheel drive and available all-wheel drive, GM says its Encore will be pitted against competitors like the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, both of which are much more expensive but also much more powerful.

Some industry watchers - including members of Autoblog - have openly wondered whether the Encore is a good fit for Buick, as GM has been steadily working to turn the brand into a more premium marque to tackle the likes of Acura and Lexus. Those same pundits have suggested that the Encore's small size and limited power would perhaps play better under the Chevrolet banner, especially as there would appear to be enough white space below Bowtie's very popular Equinox CUV. Autoblog approached Reuss with this notion at a media roundtable today, and the executive bristled, stating categorically that the Trax "would have never worked" in the US because of financial and packaging reasons, not to mention the fact that the model doesn't wear Chevrolet's new design language (as seen in the 2014 Impala).

Certainly, GM will be able to ask more money for the Encore with a Buick Tri-Shield badge on its nose than it would with a Chevrolet emblem - the range will start at $24,950 when it launches in the first quarter of 2013 - and strong early orders suggest that the automaker may indeed have the last laugh.

Why Buick's Encore wasn't a Chevy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #301 LIVE!

Dan Roth — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Buick, Ford, GM, Honda, Jaguar

We record Episode #301 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.

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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #301 LIVE! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM promises new Buick Regal and LaCrosse along with new GMC Canyon, Sierra and Yukon in next 12 months

Jeffrey N. Ross — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, SUV, Truck, Crossover, Buick, GM, GMC, Luxury

While Chevrolet and Cadillac are the defining brands for General Motors, Buick and GMC seem to be the middle siblings of the auto giant and, therefore, are often overlooked and underappreciated. This might be changing over the next 12 months, though, as these brands are set to receive nine new or refreshed models in this timeframe.

The sole new model to join the lineup is the sub-$25,000 Buick Encore crossover, but the Regal and LaCrosse are all getting mid-cycle updates at some point over the next year, not to mention the refreshed Enclave that we've already seen. Not to be left out, the Buick Verano will be getting a little more pep under the hood courtesy of a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine.

As for GMC, its full-size truck lineup is being completely overhauled. We've already seen spy photos of the new Chevrolet Silverado testing, and GMC confirmed that the Yukon, Yukon XL, Sierra and Sierra HD will all be introduced by next fall. All four GMC models will continue to be offered with the added luxury of the Denali trim level as well.

Perhaps the biggest news that came from this announcement was that the GMC Canyon is confirmed for a next-generation model, and it will be built alongside the all-new Chevrolet Colorado at GM's Wentzville, Missouri assembly plant.

Continue reading GM promises new Buick Regal and LaCrosse along with new GMC Canyon, Sierra and Yukon in next 12 months

GM promises new Buick Regal and LaCrosse along with new GMC Canyon, Sierra and Yukon in next 12 months originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Sep 2012 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Buick Encore to carve out a small premium niche from $24,950*

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Buick

It will take $24,950, which includes $750 destination, to put a 2013 Buick Encore in your driveway. The CUV with the polarizing looks and tiny footprint will come with some of the best fuel economy in its segment and plenty of standard features even on its base trim, including features like a full-color, seven-inch screen, a rearview camera, active noise cancellation and 18-inch wheels.

Above that, the Encore trims are denoted by packages, each higher tier including the features from the package below. The Convenience Group takes you up to $25,760 for features like remote start and dual-zone climate control, the Leather Group makes a larger step to $27,460 for more power options, heated front seats and steering wheel and leather-trimmed upholstery, and the top-level Premium Group is $28,940, which includes items like park assist, Forward Collision Alert with Lane Departure Warning and a Bose premium audio system. There are a few standalone options ranging from the $595 Bose stereo to the $995 18-inch chrome wheels, and any trim level can be had with all-wheel drive for an extra $1,500.

Buick has previously compared the Encore to what you'd get in the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. Buick's price beats the X1, which starts at $31,545, and you can't get the Q3 here, at least not yet. Of course, we'd also counter that a model like the X1 is a fair bit larger and based on a performance-minded rear-wheel drive chassis, not a FWD architecture derived from the Chevrolet Sonic (good as it might be). There's also the small matter of the BMW having a 240-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four, while the Buick comes with a 1.4-liter turbo with one hundred fewer horses in its corral. But we digress.

Of course, we'll know more about detailed pricing when the configurator goes up, and we'll know more about those comparisons when we can get behind the wheel. In the meantime, there's a press release below.

Continue reading 2013 Buick Encore to carve out a small premium niche from $24,950*

2013 Buick Encore to carve out a small premium niche from $24,950* originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Buick Encore snags 25 mpg city, 33 mpg highway EPA ratings

George Kennedy — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Crossover, Buick

General Motors has announced that its all-new 2013 Buick Encore subcompact crossover achieves 25 miles per gallon in city driving and 33 mpg on the highway (28 mpg combined) in front-wheel drive spec.

Buick points to the combination of a body architecture that is 60 percent high-strength steel and a 1.4-liter turbocharged four backed by a six-speed automatic as the foundation of a lightweight, fuel-efficient vehicle.

General Motors says that compared to the average new vehicle, an Encore owner will spend an estimated $2,100 less in fuel expenditures over the next five years - an average of $420 per year. The company claims the petite crossover's estimated fuel cost of $1,900 per year is the lowest of any 2013 model year crossover sold in the States.

Fuel economy estimates for the all-wheel drive Encore have not yet been announced and will be revealed at a later date. Check out the press release from Buick below for more information on the Encore and its fuel economy numbers.

Continue reading 2013 Buick Encore snags 25 mpg city, 33 mpg highway EPA ratings

2013 Buick Encore snags 25 mpg city, 33 mpg highway EPA ratings originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick Encore appears as Vauxhall/Opel Mokka overseas

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Crossover, Buick, Vauxhall, UK, Design/Style

The Buick Encore will see its first encore in Ye Olde England when it appears as the Vauxhall Mokka, and other than a little bit of fiddling up front, it doesn't appear that anything changes in the still-ladybug-sized limey version. To our eyes, the design looks much better without the Buick's Ventiports tacked onto the hood, and something of this size and capability just seems to be a better mental fit with Vauxhall or Opel branding versus Buick.

Instead of the Hobson's choice U.S. buyers are faced with for the engine - a 140-horsepower 1.4-liter or... nothing - the Euros will get a choice of three powerplants: two gasoline and one diesel, all with stop/start. They also get the option of two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission.

Admittedly, the two other engine options are less powerful: one of them is a non-turbocharged 1.6-liter with just 113 horsepower, but the 127-hp, 1.7-liter CDTI diesel does crank the torque up to 222 pound-feet, well up from 148 lb-ft in the Ecotec 1.4-liter. We'll see it in person at the Geneva Motor Show in March, it will go on sale toward the end of this year, and there's a press release after the jump to get you ready to... Mokka.

Continue reading Buick Encore appears as Vauxhall/Opel Mokka overseas

Buick Encore appears as Vauxhall/Opel Mokka overseas originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Buick Encore is smaller than you think

Chris Paukert — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Buick, Design/Style

As Buick unleashed its rather deliberate teaser strategy for its 2013 Encore crossover, there was much speculation among both industry pundits and Autoblog commenters about what size the vehicle actually is. Having seen it in person and now having the full measurements at hand, we feel comfortable telling you that the Encore is probably smaller than you think.

Riding atop a 100.6-inch wheelbase, the Encore only spans 168.5 inches, making it smaller than the five-door Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, which straddles a 104.8-inch wheelbase and spans 171.5 inches overall. The Encore's platform is based on Gamma II architecture, which is related to - but not identical - to the framework underneath the Chevrolet Sonic. Buick is making bold proclamations about the Encore being a pioneer in the premium subcompact crossover market, and as if to emphasize the point, General Motors compares the vehicle to the BMW X1 and Audi Q3 in its press materials - vehicles that aren't even sold in the U.S.

Like the Sonic, the Encore relies on the 1.4-liter turbo four backed by a Hydramatic six-speed automatic, and the powertrain is tuned to deliver 140 horsepower at 4,900 rpm and 148 pound-feet at 1,850 rpm. In typical Buick fashion, engineers have placed significant emphasis on a hushed interior, fitting an acoustic-laminated windshield and standard 18-inch "quiet-tuned" Continental tires along with active noise cancelling through the audio system - a Buick first.

It will be interesting to see where the Encore is priced when it hits dealers - the Verano sedan is currently Buick's least expensive offering at $23,470, but it's larger in size. For the full details, hit the jump for the official press blast.

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2013 Buick Encore is smaller than you think originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Buick Encore cubular striptease continues

Zach Bowman — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Crossover, Buick

Buick has shown off yet another section of the Encore CUV set to debut at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The latest panel gives us a clear look at the vehicle's front fascia, complete with a waterfall grille and attractive projector headlights. We aren't entirely smitten by the black trim set just below each headlight array, but we'll reserve final judgement until we see the vehicle in the flesh next week.

The Encore is expected to arrive on dealer lots later this year as a 2013 model and should bolster Buick's small SUV chops. As of right now, the company only offers the three-row Enclave crossover, leaving buyers hungry for a smaller vehicle to look elsewhere. Check back on on January 10 for all the details at the Encore's official unveiling.

2013 Buick Encore cubular striptease continues originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Latest Buick Encore teaser shows us more of the same

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Crossover, Buick, GM

Last week, General Motors gave us our first glimpse at the 2013 Buick Encore, the Tri-Shield brand's new small crossover that will debut at the Detroit Auto Show in just a few weeks. Now, to continue the slow striptease process, Buick has released the first of four images on its Facebook page, with the whole image to be complete on the morning of January 10 (the second day of the Detroit Show festivities).

Details about the new Encore are slim, with GM still holding off on officially revealing any specific specs. For now, we only know that the Encore will have a "host of features and amenities customers expect from Buicks today." How this all works into a small CUV package remains to be seen, but consider us intrigued. We'll have the full scoop in just a few weeks.

Latest Buick Encore teaser shows us more of the same originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick names new small CUV Encore, promises Detroit debut

Chris Paukert — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Crossover, Buick, Design/Style

Corroborating long-held suspicions and spy shots, General Motors has confirmed that its surging Buick marque will shortly receive a second crossover. Dubbed "Encore" (apparently GM is hoping consumers have short memories), the five-seat CUV will be revealed at next month's 2012 Detroit Auto Show and carry a 2013 model year designation.

This is the first photo of a promised strip tease(r) series, clearly showing a characterful headlight and a vertical element grille similar to that of the Encore's big brother, the popular Enclave three-row. We like what we see here, particularly the horizontal slat vent snugged into the headlamp assembly, even if the whole thing looks markedly less aggressive than Buick's Envision crossover concept from April's Shanghai Motor Show.

GM isn't saying much about the vehicle at this point, other than to note that the Encore will bring "contemporary styling, signature QuietTuning technology, and a host of features and amenities customers expect from Buicks today." Fair enough.

Buick promises that a new tab will go live on its Facebook page this week showing a covered photo of the Encore so that you can make out its silhouette, and each week between now and its January 10 reveal, the automaker will digitally reveal a bit more of its new baby.

Continue reading Buick names new small CUV Encore, promises Detroit debut

Buick names new small CUV Encore, promises Detroit debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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