Topic: Test Drive: 2015 Buick Encore AWD

[ArticSteve]

GM sales charts are USELESS.  As soon as a vehicle leaves a GM plant it's booked as a SALE.  GM uses the "push" system and has by a huge margin the most vehicles booked as sales, but actually not sold.




On Aug. 1, there were 15,100 ATS sedans on dealer lots or in transit, or a 152-day supply based on the recent selling rate, according to the Automotive News Data Center. CTS inventory stood at 16,900 units, or a 215-day supply.

Dealership lots also are swollen with excess supply of Cadillac's two other passenger cars: The XTS sedan, assembled in Canada, had a 152-day supply on Aug. 1; and the ELR plug-in hybrid's inventory stood at 1,400 units, a 194-day supply at the coupe's glacial selling pace.

GM dealers have sold just 578 of the $75,995 ELR (including destination fees) since its January launch. It's built at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant in Michigan.

Overall, Cadillac's car inventory stood at 44,700 units on Aug. 1. That’s equal to a 172-day supply -- about triple the level that is considered healthy. By comparison, Lincoln's car inventory was 87 days on Aug. 1. Audi's was 45 and BMW's was 42.

[aaronk]

This is a nice size for retired folks who find it a challenge to get into lower cars but don't need a large SUV. I think all iterations of this vehicle are pretty ugly personally, but the more parsimonious Trax at least offers better value for the dollar. But when criticizing the Encore for price, consider a fully-loaded Tiguan is over $43K before taxes/freight.

[Snowman]

   Who made this list:

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

[mmret]

Every small crossover ever! Forgot the 500X.

[ArticSteve]

GM sales charts are USELESS.  As soon as a vehicle leaves a GM plant it's booked as a SALE.  GM uses the "push" system and has by a huge margin the most vehicles booked as sales, but actually not sold.




On Aug. 1, there were 15,100 ATS sedans on dealer lots or in transit, or a 152-day supply based on the recent selling rate, according to the Automotive News Data Center. CTS inventory stood at 16,900 units, or a 215-day supply.

Dealership lots also are swollen with excess supply of Cadillac's two other passenger cars: The XTS sedan, assembled in Canada, had a 152-day supply on Aug. 1; and the ELR plug-in hybrid's inventory stood at 1,400 units, a 194-day supply at the coupe's glacial selling pace.

GM dealers have sold just 578 of the $75,995 ELR (including destination fees) since its January launch. It's built at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant in Michigan.

Overall, Cadillac's car inventory stood at 44,700 units on Aug. 1. That’s equal to a 172-day supply -- about triple the level that is considered healthy. By comparison, Lincoln's car inventory was 87 days on Aug. 1. Audi's was 45 and BMW's was 42.

Channel stuffing. Old habits die hard...

Actually quoted the old article.  This is from Nov1/2014:  As a result, on November 1 there was a 151-day supply of ATS and 113-day supply of CTS cars on their way to dealers – and that’s after some heavy incentives offer last moth to help move the cars out of the dealerships.

http://www.carscoops.com/2014/11/gm-cuts-one-shift-due-to-reduced-demand.html

Point is ... is if you can't determine the amount in dealer inventory, those monthly sales charts are fairly useless.

[JRM]

So overpriced it's laughable.  The ostentatious Buick styling doesn't work on vehicle this small either.

How much is a Tiguan again??

The Tiguan is overpriced too, in my opinion, but at least it's a VW, not a Buick.  I'm 67 and still consider Buick to be an old man's car. 

[Noto]

Getting a bit off-topic here, but....in Canada it looks like for March 2015 YTD:

Audi A4: 1.103 units
Cadillac ATS: 519

So 50% of the (ageing) A4's volume.

That's not where the money is. All of these are aimed at and priced for the US. If they can pick up incremental numbers in Canada, so much the better, but it's not required.

...and as far as Buick is concerned, the money isn't in the US, either.  It's all in China.  Who cares about a couple thousand sold in Canada, or even tens of thousands in the US, compared to the hundreds in China.

See here - Buick (all vehicles) sold 18,745 in Canada, 228,963 in the US, and 919,582 in China.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Getting a bit off-topic here, but....in Canada it looks like for March 2015 YTD:

Audi A4: 1.103 units
Cadillac ATS: 519

So 50% of the (ageing) A4's volume.

That's not where the money is. All of these are aimed at and priced for the US. If they can pick up incremental numbers in Canada, so much the better, but it's not required.

...and as far as Buick is concerned, the money isn't in the US, either.  It's all in China.  Who cares about a couple thousand sold in Canada, or even tens of thousands in the US, compared to the hundreds in China.

See here - Buick (all vehicles) sold 18,745 in Canada, 228,963 in the US, and 919,582 in China.

  The only reason why Buick was kept, was the Chinese market.

[Noto]

Getting a bit off-topic here, but....in Canada it looks like for March 2015 YTD:

Audi A4: 1.103 units
Cadillac ATS: 519

So 50% of the (ageing) A4's volume.

That's not where the money is. All of these are aimed at and priced for the US. If they can pick up incremental numbers in Canada, so much the better, but it's not required.

...and as far as Buick is concerned, the money isn't in the US, either.  It's all in China.  Who cares about a couple thousand sold in Canada, or even tens of thousands in the US, compared to the hundreds in China.

See here - Buick (all vehicles) sold 18,745 in Canada, 228,963 in the US, and 919,582 in China.

  The only reason why Buick was kept, was the Chinese market.

We're a good team, SirO, you and I!   

[nlm]

"On the other hand, if you don’t think the world needs a small, tall-riding, ventiported, gizmo-loaded SUV that’s neither particularly affordable nor especially luxurious, well, you might just ask what the heck the Encore is trying to accomplish."

Fake hood vents does not a ventiported make.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Getting a bit off-topic here, but....in Canada it looks like for March 2015 YTD:

Audi A4: 1.103 units
Cadillac ATS: 519

So 50% of the (ageing) A4's volume.

That's not where the money is. All of these are aimed at and priced for the US. If they can pick up incremental numbers in Canada, so much the better, but it's not required.

...and as far as Buick is concerned, the money isn't in the US, either.  It's all in China.  Who cares about a couple thousand sold in Canada, or even tens of thousands in the US, compared to the hundreds in China.

See here - Buick (all vehicles) sold 18,745 in Canada, 228,963 in the US, and 919,582 in China.

  The only reason why Buick was kept, was the Chinese market.

We're a good team, SirO, you and I!   

 

[Fobroader]

Getting a bit off-topic here, but....in Canada it looks like for March 2015 YTD:

Audi A4: 1.103 units
Cadillac ATS: 519

So 50% of the (ageing) A4's volume.

That's not where the money is. All of these are aimed at and priced for the US. If they can pick up incremental numbers in Canada, so much the better, but it's not required.

...and as far as Buick is concerned, the money isn't in the US, either.  It's all in China.  Who cares about a couple thousand sold in Canada, or even tens of thousands in the US, compared to the hundreds in China.

See here - Buick (all vehicles) sold 18,745 in Canada, 228,963 in the US, and 919,582 in China.

  The only reason why Buick was kept, was the Chinese market.

We're a good team, SirO, you and I!   

 

[Noto]

Getting a bit off-topic here, but....in Canada it looks like for March 2015 YTD:

Audi A4: 1.103 units
Cadillac ATS: 519

So 50% of the (ageing) A4's volume.

That's not where the money is. All of these are aimed at and priced for the US. If they can pick up incremental numbers in Canada, so much the better, but it's not required.

...and as far as Buick is concerned, the money isn't in the US, either.  It's all in China.  Who cares about a couple thousand sold in Canada, or even tens of thousands in the US, compared to the hundreds in China.

See here - Buick (all vehicles) sold 18,745 in Canada, 228,963 in the US, and 919,582 in China.

  The only reason why Buick was kept, was the Chinese market.

We're a good team, SirO, you and I!   

 

Nice!  I always love a good Tenacious D reference!

[bombastic]

So overpriced it's laughable.  The ostentatious Buick styling doesn't work on vehicle this small either.

How much is a Tiguan again??

Just for your ignorance:

Comfortline AWD is 35,650 CAD including freight and PDI with 200HP engine. Plus Tiguan is bigger in any possible way.
And how much is your Buick?

[Fobroader]

So overpriced it's laughable.  The ostentatious Buick styling doesn't work on vehicle this small either.

How much is a Tiguan again??

Just for your ignorance:

Comfortline AWD is 35,650 CAD including freight and PDI with 200HP engine. Plus Tiguan is bigger in any possible way.
And how much is your Buick?

Thats a lot of money for a Golf with shady reliability and questionable styling....

Sent from my Galaxy S3

[bombastic]

This is a nice size for retired folks who find it a challenge to get into lower cars but don't need a large SUV. I think all iterations of this vehicle are pretty ugly personally, but the more parsimonious Trax at least offers better value for the dollar. But when criticizing the Encore for price, consider a fully-loaded Tiguan is over $43K before taxes/freight.

And what is the issue with the fully loaded Tiguan? Bigger, better engine?

[bombastic]

So overpriced it's laughable.  The ostentatious Buick styling doesn't work on vehicle this small either.

How much is a Tiguan again??

Just for your ignorance:

Comfortline AWD is 35,650 CAD including freight and PDI with 200HP engine. Plus Tiguan is bigger in any possible way.
And how much is your Buick?

Thats a lot of money for a Golf with shady reliability and questionable styling....

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Shady reliability? Any proof? So is OK to pay 46K$ for RDX which is a dressed up CR-V with an even more questionable styling?

[Fobroader]

So overpriced it's laughable.  The ostentatious Buick styling doesn't work on vehicle this small either.

How much is a Tiguan again??

Just for your ignorance:

Comfortline AWD is 35,650 CAD including freight and PDI with 200HP engine. Plus Tiguan is bigger in any possible way.
And how much is your Buick?

Thats a lot of money for a Golf with shady reliability and questionable styling....

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Shady reliability? Any proof? So is OK to pay 46K$ for RDX which is a dressed up CR-V with an even more questionable styling?

Well yeah, thats an Acura....which is a Honda. I'll pay for the name.

Sent from my Galaxy S3

[mlin32]

Our Tiguan Comfortline 4motion may be more expensive than other domestic-made SUVs but the quality is there. Worth its 30 k US$ purchase price. Hell, it's overall better-engineered than my 30 k US$ Mazda 3 BM. And it's not just the engine folks.