At first glance, it’s fairly obvious that there’s something not quite right with this picture. Better than most photoshops or renderings, but not quite convincing as a real picture, this car seems trapped in the Uncanny Valley, as if it were photographed undergoing winter testing on the set of the film The Polar Express. In any case, this little Corsa-based CUV (allegedly to be named “Mokka”) will debut at the Geneva Auto Show, and will take on such B-segment crossovers as the Nissan Juke, Suzuki SX4 and Ford’s forthcoming new Ecosport.
Meanwhile, GM’s American-market interpretation of a B-segment CUV is likely to be quite different from these little rough-and-ready softroaders [Ed: Or, not]. Buick is slow-strip-teasing its forthcoming Encore on Facebook, and it’s already looking like the Baby Enclave rumors were well-founded in terms of its exterior design. On the other hand, this isn’t a wildly detailed photo, so who knows? Either way, both the Mokka and the Encore are based on a jacked-up version of the Gamma II subcompact platform, and based on a video of what appears to be some relatively early chassis testing, the short-wheelbase and tall suspension took a little taming. Hit the jump to see for yourself…
I mistakenly thought the Encore was going to be based on the Theta platform. Unfortunately this will be too small for our family.
So it’s official, no car is too big or too small to be jacked up and fitted with $5 worth of black wheel-well molding to ward off dead cats. Once every car finally has been so treated, I predict an irresistible new fad of normal-height cars to take hold.
Here’s hoping this turns out to be the redesigned, updated Rendezvous that the bloated, thirsty, expensive [though otherwise excellent] Enclave is not.
The proportion is all wrong. It looks like someone placed the greenhouse in the wrong place, way too much forward. Probably shouldn’t bring it to the States, unless GM wants to repeat the Aztek ridicule.
You may not like it, but you have to agree that this thing has way better proportions than the Aztek… That thing was just butt-ugly!
I can’t speak for the one in the video–it’s too covered up and filmed from too far away to get a really good sense of what it will look like as a finished product, but if it looks like the white soft-roader in the pic, I have to say it’s really not that bad. If they bring it, they will sell.
I know this is supposed to compete with vehicles like the SX4 but honestly it looks like an Opel SX4.
If they mated: Vibe + SX4
“I know this is supposed to compete with vehicles like the SX4 but honestly it looks like an Opel SX4.”
Hmmm, the Suzuki SX-4 is quite cute, don’t know much about the Opel SX-4.
This, however, is….well…as Thumper’s mother said, “…if you cannot say anything nice….”
It looks like a bad training shoe. Not for me, thanks!
So, they think there is a market for that? Where? As far as I know, most governments require their drivers to see good enough to drive. And that level of vision would prevent folks from buying this ugly canker of a vehicle.
Uncanny valley? Try The Big Valley, because this vehicle looks like a mummified version of Victoria Barkley. Except when it comes to handling, it seems this Mokka has more wiggle in it’s tail than Victoria had.
the proportions are all wrong
it’s like they got a sedan and squished it down instead of trying to clean sheet it
Reminds me of a Pontiac vibe. Rented that once, a few years back. I remember thinking the vibe should have been sold in Europe (where I live), small, practical, fun. I must add that I don’t like the looks of this one much.
I’m confused by the article. Is that a real photo of the actual vehicle? What is the source of the photo–GM?
Thanks for the clarification Mr Ed!
Could be the garish tone of the photo, but that car has a style that is reminiscent of sci-fi anime from the 80s.
Are they going to make a sedan named the Alliance to go with it?
Windshield in photo looks crooked. SX4, vibe, matrix all look better.
Based on the teasers, you can tell that the Encore is the same vehicle, save for a more Buick-y grille. I figured that it would be another Theta rebadge,a Saturn Vue with different trim.
Turns out its even worse.
I don’t have words for how ridiculous this is. I thought Buick was supposed to be a premium brand. There’s nothing premium about this stumpy little crossover. I can’t see how there’s any market for this vehicle, let alone with a Buick badge.
Looking at the “photo” there, it looks like it’s the Gamma crossover developed by GM Brazil (it even has the trademark huge lights). There’s going to be a Chevrolet version of this crossover for South America, the market where you can sell anything (specially a mini crossover). I bet this will send like candy.