Encore Wraps Successful First Full Year of Sales
Positive consumer reaction and sales for the luxury small crossover

DETROIT– Closing its first full year, the Encore became the Buick lineup's fifth model and second crossover, ringing up sales success in one of the industry's fastest-growing segments.

Entering the small SUV and small luxury SUV segment in the U.S. at the end of last January, the Encore helped boost sales in a rapidly expanding market that just last year alone, grew by 52 percent from 2012.

"Right out of the gate, demand for the Encore was high," said Tony DiSalle, vice president of Buick marketing. "It accounted for most of the segment's growth last year and that's because it offers the right safety, technology, and features in the right-sized vehicle for many customers."

As one of the first luxury crossovers of its size, Encore's U.S. retail sales reached 31,046 units during its first full year of sales. Globally, the Encore sold 97,311 vehicles in calendar year 2013, helping Buick set its global sales record of 1,032,056 last year.

"The small SUV segment looks like the next hot spot in the new-car market," said Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book. "The combination of functionality and fuel efficiency offered by models like the Buick Encore makes them a compelling value equation for consumers. We're seeing rising research activity in these models from users of KBB.com, and we expect sales to grow in the coming months and years."

Encore's early entry to these segments is significant. Combined, the segments are expected to more than double in sales between now and 2018.

The Encore earned an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2013 Top Safety Pick and 5-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

It also ranked highest in the Sub-Compact CUV segment in the 2013 J.D. Power Initial Quality StudySM and among others, was named the winner of Kelley Blue Book's 2014 5-Year Cost to Own awards in the Luxury Compact SUV/Crossover category.

Encore customers cite good fuel economy, high quality and exterior design as the top reasons for purchase, with one in two buyers coming from a non-General Motors brand.

New enginge is more powerful & fuel efficient than the previous 1.7-liter unit

Opel has unveiled the Mokka 1.6 CDTI, ahead of its debut at the Paris Motor Show.

Set to go on sale early next year, the model features an all-new 1.6-liter turbodiesel engine that produces 136 PS (100 kW) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque. This will enable the crossover to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 9.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 191 km/h (118 mph). When connected to a six-speed manual transmission, the model averages 4.1 L/100km (57.3 mpg US / 68.8 mpg UK) with CO2 emissions of 109 g/km.

To put those numbers into perspective, the new 1.6-liter CDTI engine has 6 PS (4 kW) and 20 Nm (14 lb-ft) more than the outgoing 1.7-liter CDTI unit. The new engine also consumes 0.5 l/100 km less fuel and has CO2 emissions which are 11 g/km lower.

If you don’t have a decent compact crossover in your range these days, you are pretty much doomed in the European sales chart.

Customers are showing much love to this particular segment and Vauxhall has them covered by offering the Mokka (sold as an Opel in mainland Europe and as the Buick Encore in North America, but without a diesel) as an alternative to Nissan’s Juke, Renault’s Captur and Citroen C4 Cactus to name a few.

What has changed?

The biggest news sits under the bonnet, where Vauxhall has placed the 1.6CDTi ‘Whisper’ diesel, known from the Astra. The new unit makes 135hp and 236lb ft of torque (320Nm) at 2000-2250rpm and is Euro 6 compliant, offering a combined 68.9mpg UK fuel economy and a CO2 rating of 109g/km. 0-60mph comes in 9.3 seconds with a top speed of 119mph.

As with the rest of the ‘Whisper’ engine family, a lot of effort has been put into reducing vibrations and suppressing noise in order to offer a class-leading unit. The engine block is made from aluminium instead of cast iron -a first for Vauxhall- as well as the crankshaft bedplate and cylinder head, saving 20kg in weight.

How does it perform?

The driving position offers you great all-around visibility and there is a roomy feel you get of a larger car than it really is. Once warmed up, the engine is really quiet and you start to appreciate its great refinement and flexibility. Leave it in a high gear and the available torque is there to pull you strongly out of junctions and corners all the way up to about 4000rpm where it eventually loses its breath.

Steering is light but consistent and the Mokka proves to be a much more agile car than it looks. This new engine means that you arrive faster than ever into corners revealing the good balance of the car and some expected body roll. The Mokka offers a tidy handling package, allowing good progress overall but not without some flaws getting in the way. The test car had the optional 19-in wheels fitted which look great but combined with the compliant suspension made the ride busier, slightly upsetting the car over bumps and potholes. Smaller wheels are definitely a better match for it.

Overall, the Mokka 1.6 CDTi is well balanced and offers plenty of grip and agility when you want to explore its flexible and punchy diesel engine but sadly leaves the driver involvement out of the equation.

And the verdict is…

Vauxhall’s compact crossover is a practical, well-rounded small family car with an exceptional diesel engine. It doesn’t stand out from the other cars in its segment in any area other than the 1.6CDTi unit, with the competition offering either better and/or more involving handling, but this doesn’t mean that the Vauxhall Mokka is a bad proposition for the ones who are after an honest small crossover.

The biggest news sits under the bonnet, where Vauxhall has placed the 1.6CDTi ‘Whisper’ diesel, known from the Astra. The new unit makes 135hp and 236lb ft of torque (320Nm) at 2000-2250rpm and is Euro 6 compliant, offering a combined 68.9mpg UK fuel economy and a CO2 rating of 109g/km. 0-60mph comes in 9.3 seconds with a top speed of 119mph.

As with the rest of the ‘Whisper’ engine family, a lot of effort has been put into reducing vibrations and suppressing noise in order to offer a class-leading unit. The engine block is made from aluminium instead of cast iron -a first for Vauxhall- as well as the crankshaft bedplate and cylinder head, saving 20kg in weight.