2013 Buick Encore: Up Close

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

The cabin redeems things.

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Pricing is still months away, but if you can load one up for the price of a basic BMW X3, quality for the money will impress. Padded materials go where they count, and the faux metal trim looks like the real deal. Buick touts storage areas up front, but the reality is less appealing. The doors have a couple shelves of pockets, and there are two glove compartments.But both compartments are small, and the center console amounts to a small, floor-level storage cubby.

Packaging is good, otherwise. The Encore’s cabin feels narrower than most small crossovers, but it doesn’t constrain; there’s room to spread your knees and arms. Headroom in both rows is good. The backseat could sit higher off the floor, but legroom should suit most adults. Folding the seat down is a drag: You have to flip the seat cushions before folding down the seatback. It enables a flat cargo floor, but others do this in one step. The Encore does have a fold-flat front seat, at least, which augments the 48.4 cubic feet of maximum cargo volume with the backseat alone folded, in case you do frequent Ikea runs or borrow a friend’s ladder.