Buick Encore GX

How it looks when you see on the street: The Encore has the front-end face of a car and the body of an SUV. It feels like a true crossover vehicle. It’s more traditional angles give a classic aesthetic. Our test model was equipped with the Essence package, offering up a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather seat covers, and an eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat that folds flat.

How it makes you feel when you get in: The cabin is roomy, which makes it comfortable for passengers. We like the custom content that’s available on the infotainment system. The use of plastic materials are not as luxe as many others in the segment.

How it drives: The Encore GX has two engine. The Esscence has the more powerul engine that is a peppy performer. It has a lot of feedback on bumpy patches of highway compared to other Buick models. It earns about 30 mile per gallon - not bad for a gasoline-powered engine.

Space for people and things: For its segment, Encore offers a fair amount of leg room for both front and back seat passengers and a healthy-sized trunk.

Best Features: A long list of standard safety features such as Teen Driver, which allows limits to be place on a secondary driver’s boundaries. An additional cool feature is a pair of rain-sensing windshield wipers

What should you compare it to: Compare the GX to the Buick Encore and the Kia Seltos.

How much does it cost: Base price for the Essence is $30,000 and our vehicle was specced up to $35,000 with a tech package added on with apps and a heads-up display.