Used 2013 Buick Encore for sale 

The compact crossover segment is booming all over the world, and there's hardly any brand without a product in this section. One of the most trusted brands of America, Buick has considered the stakes which are up against its new moniker and has hence entrusted it with a large list of features. The Buick Encore has four trims – Base, Convenience, Leather, and Premium. Each is available in front- and all-wheel-drive versions. All 2013 Buick Encore models are powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter inline four-cylinder with 138 hp and 148 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic with a manual-shift feature is the only transmission offered.

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Highly recommended by us is the Convenience trim. Rightfully named, this trim boasts a few comfort and leisure features that will intensify your experience in the cabin, plus there is a very insignificant difference in the price from the Base trim. Although, it does not feature leather appointments, but builds upon practicality and ambiance.

The only source of oomph offered with the 2013 Encore is the same one you'll find in the extraordinarily likable Chevy Sonic, a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, here with 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque.

Peak power is available through a six-speed automatic from below 2000 rpm to almost 5000 rpm. Unfortunately, its 138 horsepower is outmatched by the Encore's 3,200 pounds curb weight, and that's not factoring in additional passengers or cargo you might be carrying. 

Pleasingly, the Encore delivers on Buick's traditional strengths. It's impressively quiet at freeway speeds, and the suspension keeps occupants comfortable by swallowing up bumps and ruts with utter composure. Cruising at high speeds, it's beyond whisper-quiet thanks to a number of "quiet-tuning" tricks, including an active sound-cancellation system by Bose. Anyone who's stepping into a crossover for the first time will notice that cornering in this vehicle isn't quite as crisp. There's a surprising amount of grip, though, especially considering that the Encore's tires were chosen more for on-road quiet than all-out handling.

It's a stretch to call it a crossover vehicle, we think, but Buick says the 2013 Encore earns the best fuel economy numbers of any crossover from a domestic automaker. At 25 miles per gallon city, 33 miles per gallon highway, and 29 mpg combined, the front-wheel drive model of the Encore does beat out some of the higher-rated domestics--including GM's own 32-mpg-highway Chevy Equinox. Add all-wheel drive, however, and the ratings fall to 26 mpg combined, made up of 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. 

The 2013 Hyundai Tucson is rated as high as 25 mpg combined with the 2.0 Naturally aspirated engine, however, an all-wheel-drive Tucson with the same engine loses 1 mpg, falling to 25 mpg combined. Meanwhile, the Mazda CX-5 returns some astonishing numbers despite its opulent nature. Perhaps a combined fuel economy of 31 miles to a gallon is the best in this class. 

Fit and finish throughout the Encore's cabin is generally pretty good, and well-placed soft-touch materials and splashes of wood-tone and metallic accents provide a luxury vibe. There are a lot of buttons on the center stack, but we like the added redundancy they provide, and overall, the Encore's IntelliLink is fast, reliable, and easy to use as infotainment.

Upfront, there's plenty of room all around, and the wide seats prove comfortable on long road trips. Those seats are also pleasantly high, providing a commanding view around and above traffic as well as easing entry/exit. In the back, there's ample legroom even for 6-footers, though there's less rear shoulder and hip room than in most compact crossovers due to the 2013 Encore's narrower cabin.

When it comes to cargo-carrying duty, the Encore is ready, as the rear seats and the front passenger seat fold flat, allowing transport of longer (up to 8 feet) items. With all seats in place, there is 18.8 cubic feet of space. Folding the rear seats down expands that to 48.4 cubic feet; this is noticeably better than the Mini Countryman (42.2 cubic feet) but noticeably less than what you'll get from the next-size-up compact crossovers such as the Mazda CX-5, which offers a comparatively cavernous 64.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Major interior features include-

• Cruise Control
• Leather Steering Wheel
• Sun Sensor
• Rear View Camera
• Dual Zone Front Climate Control
• Electric Speed-Proportional Power Steering
• Interior Air Filtration
• Power Mirrors
• 6 -Way Power Driver Seat
• Multi-Level Heating Front Seats

2013 Buick Encore Infotainment:

Buick's standard IntelliLink system and its 7-inch control touchscreen dominate the center stack. Coming as standard, the Buick's IntelliLink is a Bluetooth-mediated system that uses voice commands or a 7.0-inch LCD screen and a controller knob to run mobile phone functions.

The optional navigation system and audio from a variety of sources--Bluetooth streaming, mobile apps like Pandora, USB, or satellite radio are standard. Overall, Encore’s infotainment system works quickly and is easy to master. Few key features include-

• Adjustable Speed-Sensitive Volume Control
• 3 Months Of Provided Satellite Radio Service
• Auxiliary Audio Input 
• USB With External Media Control
• 7” MMI
• Radio Data System
• 6-Standard Speakers
• Bose Premium Brand Speakers (O)

A bastion of 21st century are the Buick styling cues – from its waterfall grille and faux portholes to painted lower body panels – the new Encore puts a more contemporary spin on each of these elements to create a package that’s skewed towards a more youthful, progressive mind-set.

The Encore’s highly sculpted bodywork and a tasteful assortment of bright accent bits are effectively set off by prominent blue-accented projector-beam headlights and LED-infused tail lights. Brushed-aluminum faux front/rear skid plates and an 18-inch wheel/tire fitment add a bit more aggressive flair to the overall mix.

First, some numbers. The Encore is 168.4 inches long with a wheelbase of 101 inches, which puts it about ten inches shorter than a Mazda CX-5 and about a half-foot shorter in wheelbase. Even the Volkswagen Tiguan and Hyundai Tucson are larger than the host Encore and also outspan in width. The Encore, however, is slightly taller than its counterparts. When it comes to ground clearance, Mazda CX-5 has the most at 9 inches. Major exterior features include-

• 18" X 7" Chromed Aluminum Wheels
• Power Glass Sunroof
• Front And Rear Custom Molded Splash Guards
• Roof Rack Cross Rails

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the AWD Encore an overall safety score of five out of five stars. In individual crash tests, the Encore earned five stars in all but the rollover test, in which it earned four stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the all-wheel-drive Encore a Top Safety Pick.

The IIHS gave it a Good rating, the highest awarded, in the moderate overlap front, side, roof, and rear crash tests. However, it earned a score of Poor, the lowest rating, in the driver’s side small overlap front crash test. Standard safety features for the 2013 Buick Encore include-

• Front Knee Airbags
• Front and Rear Side Airbags
• Curtain Airbags
• Anti-lock Disc Brakes
• Traction Control
• Stability Control
• Automatic Crash Notification with OnStar
• Forward Collision Warning (O)
• Lane Departure warning (O)

As observed, the 2013 Buick Encore is a completely new version of a crossover and the first one for the brand. Honestly, the Encore is quite up to its standards in terms of quality and refinement, but the powerhouse steals the charm out of the brisk and intuitive expectations that one has from a compact version of a car. Plus, the fiscal value of this SUV is also set to high standards, thus making it even difficult to be recommended.