Confession time here: When we first saw the 2013 Buick Encore at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit last year, we were underwhelmed. The little crossover didn’t wow us the way Buick had surely hoped; instead of looking like a bold masterstroke, a trail-blazing first entry into a new segment of premium subcompact crossovers, it just looked small and lost at the show.
Auto shows do that sometimes. After all, this was a real car, one that the average Joe is supposed to be able to afford, and vehicles like that can get lost in the shuffle when they’re forced to share the floor with exotics and concept cars. Still, the little Buick left us wanting to the point where we even put it on our “Duds” list.
But now that Jacob Brown has driven the 2013 Buick Encore, that old saying about second chances and first impressions may need some revision. On the road, away from the show lights, the little Buick crossover impresses. Not to the point of blowing us away with magnificence. but it’s clear that Buick may very well be onto something with this whole premium subcompact crossover stuff. What changed our minds? See for yourself in our 2013 Buick Encore First Drive.
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