Of course all of this is entirely forgivable if the price is right. At a starting price of $20,780 (including the $1,650 destination fee) no one is going to complain about slightly coarse-looking rigid plastic in the Chevrolet Trax, for example. The Buick Encore, however, is nearly 50 percent more expensive, starting at $29,645 (including $1,750 in destination charges) for the cloth-and-leatherette upholstered front-wheel drive Convenience trim and running up to $36,670 for the Premium AWD model. Add on my test car’s $1,895 Experience Buick package with its moonroof and navigation and you’re looking at $38,565 (less something like $1,542 worth of available discounts at the time of writing).

This is admittedly still several thousand dollars below the Lexus NX ($43,495 including destination), but it’s within spitting distance of the lower-riding Mercedes-Benz GLA ($39,195 with destination) and BMW X1 ($39,085 destination in). It’s also a good deal more expensive than slightly larger mainstream vehicles like the Honda CR-V, which starts at $27,785 with destination fees and tops out at $38,391 (destination in) with pretty much all the Encore Premium’s luxury features included (navigation, leather seating and a full suite of driver assistance technologies driver, for starters) plus some features the Encore doesn’t offer (like push-button start).

Warranty:
4 years/80,000 km; 6 years/110,000 km powertrain; 6 years/160,000 km corrosion perforation; 6 years/110,000 km 24-hour roadside assistance

Competitors:
Audi Q3
BMW X1
Chevrolet Trax
Mercedes-Benz GLA
Mini Countryman
Mitsubishi RVR
Nissan Juke
Subaru XV Crosstrek
Volkswagen Tiguan

The Buick does have the advantage that you won’t likely be passing your twin on the road all the time like you would in the CR-V. But starting for about the same money, the BMW and Mercedes-Benz offer equal or better exclusivity. In the final analysis, if you like the small footprint, tall seating position and vaguely cute looks of the Buick, and you value having lots of tech on board, then a well-equipped Encore could make sense (let’s face it, the German machines will get a lot more expensive when properly kitted out). But there’s much more competition out there now for the compact premium SUV dollar than there was when the Encore was first introduced, so you’ll want to do your homework before plunking down your cash.

Pricing: 2015 Buick Encore
Base price: $34,920 (Premium AWD trim)
Options: $1,895 (Experience Buick package)
Freight: $1,750
A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: $38,665

Connect with Autos.ca