Not surprisingly, the Buick Encore S 552T is the last model I've photographed for a test drive this year. As a loyal sedan advocate, there are very few SUV models that interest me, but the Buick Encore S 552T has successfully lifted my appetite.
There are two reasons for this. First of all, the 1.5T engine on the Buick Encore S 552T has 211 horsepower, coupled with a 48V light mixing system, which takes into account both power and fuel economy. The second is its exterior design, the entire body has almost no edges and corners, from the beginning to the end is almost a soft curve blessing, looking more advanced.
For such a car, let's start with the dynamic part. Buick Encore S 552T is equipped with a hybrid system consisting of a 1.5T engine and an iBSG motor. When I first started, the electric machine acted as a power aid, so I would feel that the throttle was very sensitive, light and very smooth, very heeled.
More importantly, in the middle of the power, you will not feel that the car is a little sluggish, thanks to the blessing of the 9AT gearbox and the cooperation of the iBSG motor, the entire acceleration process can not feel the setback when changing gears, especially the iBSG motor can actively balance the frustration caused by the engine speed is too high or too low, which further enhances the acceleration and smoothness of the whole car.
But if you re-press the accelerator pedal, it will also give you positive feedback, even in comfort mode, the 9AT gearbox will actively downshift, at this point, it can be said that the car's comfort mode and sport mode are not much different. So, you can basically drive the Buick Encore S 552T every day without using sport mode.
On the way to the shooting location, I drove the Buick Encore S 552T through a section of unpaved pavement, and I could feel that the adjustment of the suspension was still biased towards comfort, and most of the shock sensations transmitted on the road could be filtered out, which was expected, after all, the model positioning was here.
When encountering a speed bump or a large degree of ground depression, the car will still have excess swings. When cornering, the speed is slightly faster, and the body roll is more obvious.
At the same time, the steering force of this car, whether in comfort mode or sport mode, still maintains a relatively light feel, and the directivity cannot be said to be excellent, but for most consumers, the lighter steering feel can provide better comfort when driving for a long time.
On the whole, buick Encore S 552T is a very good home SUV, even if it is equipped with a 1.5T engine, but it has the support of the motor, which can give the driver confidence when accelerating, and the acceleration smoothness is worthy of recognition. However, due to the positioning problem of this car, its chassis adjustment is still relatively conservative, and it completely takes the comfort route.
Next, let's talk about design. Many friends for the Buick Encore S and Buick Encore PLUS the difference is more vague, after all, the two cars are similar in name, and are medium-sized SUVs, but the two cars have a fundamental difference in temperament. Buick Encore PLUS's lines are more rugged, highlighting a more mature temperament. Buick Encore S feels more like a vibrant teenager, well-dressed and exquisite.
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the body lines of buick Encore S are basically curved, which is actually more pleasing than the angular design. Too sharp and exaggerated design is more likely to make people have aesthetic fatigue, and the simple and capable design can better reflect the sense of luxury.
The design of the long hood, short rear suspension and long wheelbase creates a lower, wider body stance. Even without the GS Sports Kit, the Buick Encore S 552T is still alive enough.
In terms of details, the Buick family's iconic flying wing grille with irregularly shaped headlights, supplemented by the diamond-shaped air intakes, make the front part of the whole car very layered. Coming to the side, the segmented waist line is particularly eye-catching, especially the rear waist line is raised upwards and connected with the tail lights, making the rear of the vehicle full of strength.
In terms of overall appearance, the design of buick Encore S 552T is pleasing enough, unobtrusive but durable enough, and can also cater to the critical eyes of current consumers with a good leather bag.
Inside the car, it's still the familiar interior design. Buick Encore S's central control screen tilts to the driver's seat side, reflecting the driver-centered design concept, with the LCD instrument and button shift mechanism, the sense of technology is born, which is also the current interior design feature of Buick.
It is worth saying that the interior material of Buick Encore S 552T is more elaborate, a large number of soft materials are covered, and there is a circle of high-gloss grain trim around the central control screen, which at first glance looks a bit like carbon fiber material. The addition of leather steering wheels and leather seats not only ensures a good visual perception, but also brings enough comfort.
Let's focus on the central control screen, this 10-inch central control screen has a built-in eConnect system, in addition to the regular functions, it also supports CarPlay and CarLife, and enjoys 100G of free traffic for the OnStar Car Union app every year.
It should be noted that Buick launched a new round of large-scale OTA upgrade operations some time ago, although Buick Encore S car series did not participate in this upgrade action, but it has OTA upgrade capabilities, perhaps in the near future, Buick Encore S car owners can also enjoy a more convenient car experience brought by the new system.
In terms of space, buick Encore S is positioned as a medium-sized SUV, and the body length, width and height of the 552T model are 4662*1883*1631mm, and the wheelbase is 2779mm. My height is 178cm, and after the front seat is adjusted to the right position, there are more than two fists of leg space and about three fingers of head space, which is still relatively spacious overall. Moreover, the rear row is also equipped with two mobile phone charging interfaces and air conditioning outlets, which are at the mainstream level of this level of models.
As far as the interior design and space performance of the Buick Encore S 552T are concerned, friends familiar with Buick will inevitably feel very kind, after all, it is a family design, although there is less personality, but for a home SUV, such a performance, at least in terms of practicality, can get a high score.
Overall, the launch of the Buick Encore S 552T model has further lowered the entry threshold for the entire car series, but it has not reduced the configuration level because of its status as an entry-level model. Of course, from the test drive performance, I think you don't have to worry about whether this 1.5T hybrid system is enough, after all, this is still a home SUV, driving and riding comfort is far more important than the power performance.
Well, old rule, above!