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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
