What Is the Smallest Buick SUV?
The Encore is the smallest SUV in Buick’s three-model line-up. Learn more about Buick’s other SUVs and its tiniest competitors here!
Written by Maxine Boyko
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
At just 168.4 inches long and with a footprint of just 81.7 square feet, the five-passenger subcompact Encore is the smallest SUV Buick makes.
Buick announced that it would become an SUV-only brand in 2020. In a move to completely overhaul the luxury brand, Buick currently only offers a limited trio of SUVs: the smallest Encore, the compact Envision, and the cavernous three-row Enclave.
If the smallest option sounds “just right” for you, you’ve come to the right place!
Jerry
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.What is the smallest SUV Buick makes?
Starting at $24,600, the
Buick Encore
is the smallest Buick SUV. Despite being the most diminutive of Buick’s three SUVs and even one of the smallest crossovers marketwide, the Encore still manages to pack in many features.The Encore is 168.4 inches long and 69.9 inches wide, with a footprint of 81.7 square feet. Sure, the Encore offers a well-loved buttery-smooth Buick riding experience, but what makes it the automaker’s top seller? Even with its stout 64.1-inch height, it boasts a surprisingly spacious cabin with generously comfortable seating and great visibility.
Suspension is typically an afterthought until you’re out on a bumpy road in a big SUV—even so, the Encore has tight cornering and handles big, riding bumps with confidence. This Buick calls back to the “entry-level luxury” days with a bounty of standard driver assistance and entertainment features.
Unfortunately, the cargo area is rather average, rounding up a mere 18.8 cubic feet of space with the seats up, and a maximum capacity of 48.4 cubic feet. The 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-three doesn’t impress when it comes to fuel economy either, with a fuel-gulping 25 mpg city and 29 mpg highway fuel efficiency.
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The best alternatives to Buick’s smallest SUV
While the Buick Encore is an excellent bargain, there are other small crossovers offering superior quality at a similarly low price point, including the Hyundai Venue, Hyundai Kona, and Honda HR-V.
Pint-sized pep at a pint-sized price: 2022 Hyundai Venue
Starting at just $19,000, the 2022
Hyundai Venue
is the smallest crossover available on the market at just 159 inches long—shorter than the modest four-door Chevy Sonic sedan. It’s also one of the most affordable vehicles in the hyper-competitive subcompact SUV class. Hyundai’s newest SUV doesn’t come encumbered with outdated design, poor fuel economy, or cheap interiors like its more seasoned rivals. Instead, drivers can enjoy an EPA-estimated 29 mpg and 33 mpg on the highway, thanks to a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine paired with standard FWD and a CVT.
While the Venue offers great maneuverability and fuel economy due to its humble 77-square-foot footprint, it takes a tedious 9.7 seconds to reach 60 mph. Suffice to say, you should take this little zipper as a cool, urban dynamo and leave lengthy highway driving to the big (or at the very least, slightly bigger) leagues.
The small kahuna: 2022 Hyundai Kona
If you can afford to spend a couple more thousand bucks, you can upgrade from the Hyundai Venue to the big-hearted, small-packaged 2022
Hyundai Kona
starting at $22,595. A little extra money goes far in the Kona, including more comfortable seating and cargo capacity at 94.1 cubic feet of cabin space. While the standard FWD SE and SEL trims pack a powerful 147-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, drivers can opt for the more powerful Kona N with 280 horsepower and a five-second 0-to-60 time.
High-quality materials and a large array of standard infotainment and safety features make the Kona feel like you’re getting way more than you bargained for—like driver attention warning, lane-keep and forward-collision assist, and a generous 8-inch color touchscreen display. If other small crossovers typically leave you feeling blasé at best, the Hyundai Kona will restore your confidence in the class.
The common sense compact: Honda HR-V
Often overshadowed by the CR-V, the
Honda HR-V
shares at least one thing in common with the Encore: it’s the smallest SUV in its manufacturer’s lineup. But with a starting MSRP of $23,650, the 2022 HR-V deserves much more than a passing glance.Surprisingly, the Honda HR-V manages 100.1 cubic feet of passenger volume and up to 58.8 cubic feet of cargo space within its deceptively tiny 82.6 square-foot footprint. Its aptly-named rear Magic Seat can be folded down and flipped up in Long Mode, Tall Mode, and Utility Mode—turning tricky-to-tow cargo into a successfully-stowed hat trick.
Full transparency: riders may be disappointed by a bumpy ride, a lackluster 141-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, and a shortage of standard features. But fuel minders will be glad to know this subcompact SUV offers up to 34 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg in the city.
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