Ready to be Sissified

Sleek from the side

I have been known to say that all these assists and luxury options in new cars--like parallel parking assist and heated seats--are turning us into sissies and inadequate drivers.  If I'm going to stick to my guns, I would have to include heated steering wheels like the one I had recently in the 2013 Buick Encore.  So let's just say, I'm ready to be sissified.  I haven't loved an option like I love the heated steering wheel since the first car I drove with blind spot detection, which I place in the must-have-safety-features category versus the I-never-want-to-drive-a-car-again-without-this-luxury category.  It was a raw, cold weekend.  I had to get in a cold car several times over a three-day period.  That heated steering wheel quickly comes to the rescue and in such a nice way.  This feature goes into the I-never-want-to-drive-a-car-again, etc. category.

Looks totally right in red.

Looking at the Encore parked in the driveway,  I was struck by the looks of this small luxury crossover,  available as front wheel drive or all-wheel drive.  It's got a bit of a round bulbous front end but its size and shape are seem very resolved--a nice addition to one's driveway.

The seating is comfortable, the interior room is appropriate for its size but you would have to choose between a fifth passenger and extreme luggage.  I haul a lot of stuff back and forth and I ended up with the suitcase in the backseat.  I could have fit everything in the cargo space if I had made two layers.

Such a nice leathery luxury interior

The Encore's instrument panel is easy to read and quite handsome to look at as you drive along in the very quiet cabin--car makers put a lot of effort into making your ride quiet--a lot of effort.  My all-wheel drive Encore is powered by an ecotec turbo 1.4 liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a 6-speed automatic.  Fuel economy is 23 city/30 highway/26 combined.  My coach costs $32,975 with $2,500 worth of options including fancy wheels and fancy nav/audio combo.

This is a GirlDriver, USA car.  I was at home in this vehicle and I think they are going to sell a lot of these babies to women.  If you're one of us I encourage you to give it a whirl.  Nice, nice handling.