Buick News: Leaked! 2017 Buick Encore

[William Maley]

Buick was hoping to keep the curtain closed on 2017 Encore before its debut at the New York Auto Show. But a Chinese website has ruined that.

 

auto.tom.com got their hands on some leaked photos of the Chinese-market Buick Encore which matches up perfectly with the updated Opel/Vauxhall Mokka that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show with a revised front end. This is likely what we'll be seeing in a couple weeks time at New York.

 

It is expected that the Encore will have the turbocharged SIDI 1.4 four-cylinder (found in the Touring model with 153 horsepower), along with a revised dashboard and compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

 

Source: auto.tom.com

 

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[G. David Felt]

I have to say I really like the new Encore. A much more agressive body style over the current Encore that was also very nice.

 

[Drew Dowdell]

An appropriate update.

[G. David Felt]

An appropriate update.

Drew, did we not have a story about the Opel version of this and it had interior pictures? I was wanting to compare it with the current Encore to see how it looks.

[Drew Dowdell]

 

An appropriate update.

Drew, did we not have a story about the Opel version of this and it had interior pictures? I was wanting to compare it with the current Encore to see how it looks.

 

 

It's the first link William provided in the article.

[G. David Felt]

 

 

An appropriate update.

Drew, did we not have a story about the Opel version of this and it had interior pictures? I was wanting to compare it with the current Encore to see how it looks.

 

 

It's the first link William provided in the article.

 

+1 to you.

 

DOH - Did I brain fart that big time.  This dash will be a much nicer update to an already successful CUV.

 

Thank you,

[smk4565]

I don't like that they traced curves for straight lines.  And it looks like this new Encore was styled by Mazda or Subaru.

[hyperv6]

The new face grill of Buick is much better than the waterfall. It fits today's smaller cars better.

I like the loss of the useless port holes too.

From what I have heard the new engine is just what it needed as it finally has enough power to make most happy.

[Cmicasa the Great]

I'm actually fine with the 2016 look. It is a bit more elegant in its styling of the front where as this is more sporty. I guess Its really about what U are after. Considering the demographic, and the sales... I would think the waterfall was fine. Hopefully this change is accepted by the target

[Drew Dowdell]

The new face grill of Buick is much better than the waterfall. It fits today's smaller cars better.

I like the loss of the useless port holes too.

From what I have heard the new engine is just what it needed as it finally has enough power to make most happy.

It's still waterfall, just blacked out

[hyperv6]

The new face grill of Buick is much better than the waterfall. It fits today's smaller cars better.

I like the loss of the useless port holes too.

From what I have heard the new engine is just what it needed as it finally has enough power to make most happy.

It's still waterfall, just blacked out

If you really don't see it blacked out is it really there? LOL!

Either way the large toothy grin that worked well in the early 50's is gone. The Sweep is the focus now and plays much better with the size of car they are working with.

[oldshurst442]

I equally like both generations.

 

I really dont know yet how I feel about the loss of the toothy waterfall grill.

I know I like the new grille. I just dont know if Im ready to let go of the toothy waterfall grill just yet.

I guess it really is time to retire the toothy waterfall grill as Hyper mentioned, the 1950s are long gone.

[daves87rs]

I like it!

[ocnblu]

We have an overgrown kid (he's about 40, with a shaved head, tats and ear gauges) who works in our detail department.  He bought a CX-3 and he's a huge import geek, but I happened to cross paths with him after he cleaned and parked a customer's 2014 Encore, and he was gushing over it like a school girl.  When I told him it is currently Buick's best seller, his eyes rolled back a little.  Conclusion:  he really digs the Encore.

 

I think the new look will only serve to increase sales to new heights, it's like the perfect answer to what people want these days in a car.  Only thing missing for me from the new one is ventiports, which I feel are an essential part of Buick DNA... it helps the unwashed masses separate Buick from Kia or any other make.

[daves87rs]

We have an overgrown kid (he's about 40, with a shaved head, tats and ear gauges) who works in our detail department.  He bought a CX-3 and he's a huge import geek, but I happened to cross paths with him after he cleaned and parked a customer's 2014 Encore, and he was gushing over it like a school girl.  When I told him it is currently Buick's best seller, his eyes rolled back a little.  Conclusion:  he really digs the Encore.

 

I think the new look will only serve to increase sales to new heights, it's like the perfect answer to what people want these days in a car.  Only thing missing for me from the new one is ventiports, which I feel are an essential part of Buick DNA... it helps the unwashed masses separate Buick from Kia or any other make.

 

 

Agree with you there....

[G. David Felt]

 

We have an overgrown kid (he's about 40, with a shaved head, tats and ear gauges) who works in our detail department.  He bought a CX-3 and he's a huge import geek, but I happened to cross paths with him after he cleaned and parked a customer's 2014 Encore, and he was gushing over it like a school girl.  When I told him it is currently Buick's best seller, his eyes rolled back a little.  Conclusion:  he really digs the Encore.

 

I think the new look will only serve to increase sales to new heights, it's like the perfect answer to what people want these days in a car.  Only thing missing for me from the new one is ventiports, which I feel are an essential part of Buick DNA... it helps the unwashed masses separate Buick from Kia or any other make.

 

 

Agree with you there....

 

I understand the point you both are making but for most, the baby boomer generation and the vent ports in this case being fake were just bling and I do not see the bulk of the public wanting that kind of fake bling.

 

Plus if they are going to have vent ports, then since this is a 4 banger, have 2 on each side not the top of the hood and have them vent the real heat from underneath out and down the side of the auto.

[Drew Dowdell]

 

 

We have an overgrown kid (he's about 40, with a shaved head, tats and ear gauges) who works in our detail department.  He bought a CX-3 and he's a huge import geek, but I happened to cross paths with him after he cleaned and parked a customer's 2014 Encore, and he was gushing over it like a school girl.  When I told him it is currently Buick's best seller, his eyes rolled back a little.  Conclusion:  he really digs the Encore.

 

I think the new look will only serve to increase sales to new heights, it's like the perfect answer to what people want these days in a car.  Only thing missing for me from the new one is ventiports, which I feel are an essential part of Buick DNA... it helps the unwashed masses separate Buick from Kia or any other make.

 

 

Agree with you there....

 

I understand the point you both are making but for most, the baby boomer generation and the vent ports in this case being fake were just bling and I do not see the bulk of the public wanting that kind of fake bling.

 

Plus if they are going to have vent ports, then since this is a 4 banger, have 2 on each side not the top of the hood and have them vent the real heat from underneath out and down the side of the auto.

 

 

The number of ports had nothing to do with the number of cylinders..... pretty much ever.

 

It was a denotation of the series of car.   Buick Specials always had 3 ports on each side, but also always came with an 8 cylinder  (edit: Till 1961)

[G. David Felt]

^ That is an interesting history note as I was always led to believe the ports  went with Cylinder count.

 

Thanks for the info Drew.

[hyperv6]

Yes the ports increased often because the higher class car came with the larger engine.

The ports are lost on most people today as they appear like cheap tack on's from Rock Auto. Now if they were better intergrated into the styling that is fine but today a clean look is appreciated and slapping them on top of the hood just for good old times sake does not make it appealing.

The fact is how many people buy a Buick just for the vent ports? Odds are greater that more appeal is lost with gaining new customers because of tacked on cheese than are gained for leaving them on.

The ports have been used by many over the years and abused buy the aftermarket. Right now the appeal is just not there.

One of the best Buick's of all time the 63-65 Riv had no ports.

Now on the Avista the large sweeping port works and fits the car so then you could be justified in wanting one. As for the small CUV with hardly a fender and not all that much hood there is little justification to leave it on.

[ocnblu]

I think the last time (and possibly the only time in several DECADES) the ventiports were functional was in the GNX.  And before that... gosh, Balthy will have to answer that question.

 

Buick design ethos has always, at its best, had an element of romance.  The ventiports are a part of that.

 

PPL who go to Pep Boys and purchase lame fender vents to stick on their Prizms and Civics need to be deported.  Just because they sully the Buick name by doing so.

[Suaviloquent]

While I like the Buick... I have come to realize I fundamentally disagree with this segment.

 

You trade a fair bit of space and put down a lot more money for a subcompact crossover that has a higher ride height and AWD compared to compact car.

 

Granted, I see why putting AWD and jacking up a compact car would make a ton of sense. If you can't make money on small cars ya damn well figure out how. 

 

There's deals to be had in other vehicles that are becoming slower sellers. 

[regfootball]

i think the loss of bling from the grill makes the front seem a little more pedestrian but really its not a big deal.  Some will prefer the toned down look too.

 

The big deal here is the new motor and most importantly, the new dash, the old dash is looking terribly dated.

 

This is one of GM's very good products and it should continue to be a great seller for Buick.

[Drew Dowdell]

I think the last time (and possibly the only time in several DECADES) the ventiports were functional was in the GNX.  And before that... gosh, Balthy will have to answer that question.

 

Buick design ethos has always, at its best, had an element of romance.  The ventiports are a part of that.

 

PPL who go to Pep Boys and purchase lame fender vents to stick on their Prizms and Civics need to be deported.  Just because they sully the Buick name by doing so.

 

The last time the Ventiports were functional was the 2008 - 2009 Buick LaCrosse Super.

[Drew Dowdell]

 

 

The new face grill of Buick is much better than the waterfall. It fits today's smaller cars better.

I like the loss of the useless port holes too.

From what I have heard the new engine is just what it needed as it finally has enough power to make most happy.

It's still waterfall, just blacked out

 

If you really don't see it blacked out is it really there? LOL!

 

 

..... yes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Encore pictures we've seen so far are really tiny.  I expect the grille to be a virtual copy of the 2017 Lacrosse.

[Drew Dowdell]

Edit: Look how handsome and proud that tri-color Buick logo is on the front of the 2017 LaCrosse!