2014 Buick Encore Convenience FWD Canada Prices

MSRP:
$27,835
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The 2014 Buick Encore is a difficult car to categorize. On one hand, it’s a subcompact crossover and on the other – a tall wagon. But no matter how you classify this vehicle, it offers a decent 1.4-litre turbocharged engine, good fuel economy and a reasonably spacious cabin with lots of special features. The Encore’s main problem is its somewhat high price point, which may detract certain car buyers.



The 2014 Buick Encore is a subcompact crossover – or tall hatchback, depending on your mood – that seems to fill a niche not in need of filling. It’s not exactly spacious or good-looking, but it does have an impressive engine and a decent amount of special features. What might leave you cold is the car’s price tag of $27,835, which may seem unreasonably high. That said, it’s hard to pinpoint who it’s supposed to compete against, so that point is moot. Its closest rivals price-wise are cars like the Toyota Highlander and GMC Acadia, but they offer far more space and a decidedly superior appearance. So, in terms of size, the Encore is probably closer to the MINI Countryman and FIAT 500L.

Just like the other Buicks, the 2014 Encore comes with the brand’s signature “waterfall” grille and LED headlights. Its sheetmetal is clean and elegant, contributing to a compact shape overall. You also get Buick’s signature “portholes” right above the fenders. Some of the features to watch out for include 18-inch wheels, chrome-covered roof rails and chrome exhaust tips in the lower-back fascia.

On the inside, you’ll find a very decent-looking instrument panel, with stylized gauges and surprisingly slick integration of the IntelliLink touchscreen. And thanks to blue LED ambient lighting and real stitching, you get a very pleasant vibe from this cabin.

It can fit either seven or eight passengers in total, but not all of them will feel comfortable. The driver and front passenger both get plenty of space and good visibility, but the second-row passengers aren’t as lucky. You can sit two adults in there, but due to limited knee space, they won’t feel especially comfortable. And forget about the third row. You can more the second row back and forth with one hand to reveal a path to the third row – which by the way is only good for children. The cargo area is actually quite large, being 18.8 cubic feet in size, and you can expand it to

The Buick Encore also offers plenty of features, which more or less make up for the lack of space in the rear seats. The standard features include cruise control, power driver’s seat, cloth upholstery with mock-leather trim, ambient lighting, active noise cancellation, cargo cover as well as power windows, locks and heated mirrors. You can also add automatic climate control, remote start, the Bose audio system and parking sensors.

Under the hood, you’ll find a 1.4-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, which can generate 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift, which is the only transmission on offer. As far as subcompact crossovers go, this four-cylinder is not the strongest engine, but it is functional. The car also comes with very decent fuel economy, which should make up for its weak power output.

Safety-wise, this Buick offers plenty of decent features, but its crash tests aren’t the best. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has awarded it with four stars out of five, while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given it top “good” ratings in almost all test categories. However, the 2014 Encore has also scored a “poor” rating for the low-overlap front crash test with the IIHS, which may turn off certain car buyers. Standard features include 10 airbags and a rearview camera, but you can also add blind-spot monitors with cross-traffic alerts and GM’s OnStar telematics system.

Overall, it’s tough to recommend the 2014 Buick Encore over other subcompact crossovers due to its somewhat high price and limited space. However, if you really like the way it looks or you are an adamant fan of the Buick brand, then by all means, give it a try – it’s very decent vehicle.



Trim / StyleMSRPEst. Monthly PaymentAverage PriceInvoice Price
Convenience AWD$29,835 Get Local Price Get Invoice Price
Convenience FWD$27,835 Get Local Price Get Invoice Price
Leather AWD$32,935 Get Local Price Get Invoice Price
Leather FWD$30,935 Get Local Price Get Invoice Price
Premium AWD$35,295 Get Local Price Get Invoice Price
Premium FWD$33,295 Get Local Price Get Invoice Price
No incentives data available for this vehicle.

General Specs

Engine 1.4000 L
Horsepower @RPM138
Fuel TypeUnleaded
Body typeSUV
Number of Doors5
Passenger5
Drive TrainFront Wheel Drive
Transmission TypeAutomatic
Power and Performance:

All 2014 Buick Encore models are powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine rated at 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic with a manual-shift feature is the only transmission offered, but all versions of the Encore give you the choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

Front-wheel-drive Encores receive EPA fuel economy estimates of 25 mpg city/33 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined, while those with all-wheel drive rate 23/30/26. In Edmunds performance testing, a front-wheel-drive Encore accelerated to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds, which is slower than most other crossovers in this price range.

Originally appeared on Edmunds.

Interiors and Special Features:

The 2014 Buick Enclave has a handsome instrument panel with stylized instrument faces and clean integration of the IntelliLink touch-screen display. Accented with real stitching and new ice-blue LED ambient lighting, the Enclave's interior makes for a warm, inviting cabin. Laminated glass and copious sound-deadening material create a passenger space that is whisper-quiet at highway speeds. Available with either 7- or 8-passenger seating, the Enclave features slide-and-fold second-row seats that can be operated with one hand, clearing a wide path to the third-row seat. Cargo space behind the third row is unusually generous for this class, and the easy operation of the seats makes it a cinch to haul larger items.

Originally appeared on Kelley Blue Book.

Safety features:

The 2014 Buick Encore comes packed with safety technologies and 10 airbags, but its crash-test scores aren't as good as they could be.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the Encore four stars out of five overall in front-wheel-drive form, though that rises to five of five for the AWD version that offers forward-collision warning and lane-departure warning systems. Both versions get five stars for front and side crash safety, and four stars for rollover safety.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the Buick Encore a Top Safety Pick for 2013, with its highest rating of "Good" for the moderate-overlap front crash, side impact, and roof strength tests. However, the Encore suffered a "Poor" rating in the newly added low-overlap front crash test--something that Buick may attempt to remedy in this year's Encore or in the future.

The Encore comes standard with a rearview camera in every model, which is a good thing, because its side and rear-quarter vision is nothing short of atrocious. The thick door and roof pillars, rising beltline, and small rear window combine to make it almost impossible for the drive to look over a shoulder and see what's back there. The camera is a necessity.

Optional equipment includes all-wheel drive, about $1,500, and camera-based safety systems that watch the road ahead and use lane markings to alert the driver if they're drifting out of the lane or closing too quickly. Some of those systems can be overly cautious, but the Encore only occasionally offered a stray beep on steep roads. Bundled with those systems is both the premium Bose audio system and parking sensors to supplement the rearview camera. Blind-spot monitors with cross-traffic alerts are new this year.

The Buick Encore comes with Bluetooth connectivity as standard, and also includes GM's OnStar telematics system. It comes with six months' worth of free Directions and Connections service, plus access to a mobile app that enables destination programming, remote start, and other convenient features. Want to track family members and where they're going in the car? That's included too, on an opt-in basis. 

Originally appeared on The Car Connection.


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