The Encora is the pioneer of the small SUV trend in the Chinese market, and it is from its emergence that the small SUV has become popular in China.
 
The Encora is a product developed on GM's global small car platform Gamma II, which includes the sedan AVEO and the Chevrolet Chuangku and Opel MOKKA.
 
Although the whole system uses a 1.4T engine, the power characteristics of the Encora are extremely mediocre, there is no obvious weak point, there is no particularly strong flashpoint, and the acceleration of more than 10 seconds to 100 kilometers also proves its mediocrity. Paired with this engine is a 6-speed automatic manual transmission, and the strength of this powertrain is not explosive power, but satisfactory smoothness. With its excellent suspension toughness, excellent shock absorption, smooth power, stable body dynamics and excellent interior quietness, the Encora has a high-end driving quality that does not match this class of models, and its orientation can be said to be completely opposite to that of a Japanese hard-core car like Vitra that pursues practicality.
 
Only one of the top models in the Encora is equipped with a multi-plate clutch all-wheel drive system, which only occasionally increases driving stability on mud or snow, and it is unrealistic to expect it to get out of trouble. The Encora is basically a completely heightened front-mounted two-wheel drive sedan, and driving it into the mountains or on the Yunnan-Tibet line is not the right way to use it.
 
In terms of space, the Encora is mid-stream for both people and storage, and the legroom in the rear is very compact, but the advantage is that the seat comfort is very good. If you prefer the high rear seat of a standard SUV, the Encora is for you.
 
Buick has demonstrated excellent reliability in many cars, and the Encora has also performed well, with its U.S. version performing well in consumer-reported quality statistics, with no high-incidence failures in more than four years since its launch. In China, the Encora is also considered to be a good car of outstanding quality under Buick, and the number of quality complaints about it is very low.
 
In terms of safety, the Buick Encora received a high safety level (TSP) from the IIHS in the three annual tests in 2013, 2015 and 2016. In the 2013 small-angle frontal crash test, the Buick Encora ENCORE only received a "Poor" negative evaluation, and the IIHS considered its body structure to be poor, with excellent head, neck and chest protection, acceptable thigh and hip protection, poor calf and foot protection, and poor restraint performance. However, in 2015, the American version of the Encora with a re-optimized safety design received excellent reviews in a small-angle frontal collision, but Buick did not announce whether it had made safety improvements to the Encora in the Chinese market after 2015, and we can only think that it is still at the previous level.
 
The body quality of the Encora is very heavy in the same class, which may be that it has given up lightweight to a certain extent in order to pursue quietness, and the 1.4T and 6AT it are also relatively old in technology, with a heavier body and less fuel-efficient power, resulting in the fuel consumption of the Encora is quite high, and it is never reliable to judge the fuel consumption from the displacement. Buick is not a pure civilian brand, but has always been a bit "overstepping", in the American market its positioning is to benchmark with Audi, so the purchase of this car in a relatively good satisfaction of "face" at the same time, to pay a relatively high maintenance cost.
 
The Encora has a beautiful appearance and a premium driving quality that surpasses its competitors in its class. It's suitable for urban single aristocrats or unmarried white-collar workers who have requirements for quality of life - it's really not a family-friendly car.
Buick Encora evaluation report