STRATFORD, Virginia — I’m a fan of minnows. Affordable, fun entry-level subcompacts. The versatile Honda Fit hatchback. The Mazda Miata sportscar. I still weep for the loss of the Ford Fiesta ST funbox.
Allow me to add another unsung candidate, the $25,795 Buick Encore.
On a recent road trip to Stratford, Virginia — marinated in U.S. history, from George Washington’s birthplace to the Lee family home — Mrs. Payne and I rented a compact vehicle from Hertz. “Anything in Aisle Two” said the attendant. And there amongst the usual Corollas and Sentra sedans was Buick’s premium entry-level SUV.
