Besides being just the friendliest four-wheeled potato-shaped thing, Buick’s tiny Encore has generated healthy sales numbers while also garnering an unexpectedly nice reception here at Car and Driver. That said, none of its accolades have to do with pavement-melting lateral grip or an ability to show Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcats its cute little taillights. Yet for 2016, Buick aims to expand the Encore’s dynamic envelope with a new Sport Touring model that packs a new-generation turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 11 percent more power.
-Now, whether a quicker, slicker-looking compact crossover is a noble pursuit is for customers to decide, but we think it’s a fine idea. The standard turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine in Buick’s spudlet musters a measly 138 horsepower, and the quickest Encore we’ve tested hit 60 mph in 9.3 seconds. The Sport Touring, on the other hand, gets a 153-hp, 1.4-liter turbo four plucked from GM’s new Ecotec engine family and bolted to the same six-speed automatic transmission as other Encores. With a welcome 15-hp bump over the base Encore—plus an additional 29 lb-ft of torque, for a total of 177—the Sport Touring’s acceleration could threaten the nine-second barrier in front-drive form.
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Buick also fits the Sport Touring with engine stop-start technology, and the new powerplant also features direct fuel injection in place of the base Encore’s port-injection setup. Final EPA fuel-economy figures are forthcoming, but we see no reason why the Sport Touring shouldn’t fall in the same neighborhood as its brethren, the front-drive versions of which are rated for 25 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway. The all-wheel-drive model gets a 23/30 stamp from the EPA.
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Compared to lesser Encores, the Sport Touring gets body-color door handles, a rear spoiler, and 18-inch aluminum wheels that, to our eyes, look a little too much like ones from an aftermarket discounter. At least the Encore’s Convenience package (120-volt power outlet, auto-dimming rearview mirror, dual-zone automatic climate control, fog lamps, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and remote engine starting) is standard, as is Buick’s IntelliLink infotainment system with Onstar 4G LTE, a backup camera, and heated side mirrors. Expect full pricing information to land closer to the Sport Touring’s on-sale date this fall, and for the prices to be slightly higher than those of the non-Sport-Touring 2016 Encore.
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from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/1fYGzEq
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