- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 2
- on record
- MPG
- 28
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 1 report involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2019 Buick Encore
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 2
- Owner complaints
- 82
- Complaints citing a crash
- 9
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
2 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
2 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 18V774000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Buick Encore, Chevrolet Spark, Traverse, and Trax vehicles. The Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM) on these vehicle may not have been turned off of "manufacturing mode," preventing the air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Consequence
If the air bags do not deploy in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the SDM module to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18365.
- 20V668000high
Drivetrain issue
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Consequence
Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2019 Buick Encore.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 17.9%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2019 Buick Encore 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 9 comparable 2019 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 17.9% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2019 Buick Encore, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
26
City
31
Hwy
28
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,200
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 312 g/mi
How this compares
At 28 MPG combined, the 2019 Buick Encore ranks 3rd of 11 small SUVs (2WD) EPA rated for 2019 — 3 MPG better than the 25 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little above the middle of its class. Fuel cost is close enough to its rivals that other running costs will probably matter more.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,200, $600 less than the $2,800 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $11,000, a $3,000 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 312 grams per mile — about 4.7 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
82 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 82
- Total
- 9
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 9
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE39
- AIR BAGS11
- OTHER7
- BRAKES7
- ELECTRICAL4
Serious Concerns
82 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a death. 9 reports involve injuries. 9 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2019 Buick Encore, newest first.
- Recall
Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
- Recall
If the air bags do not deploy in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 1.4L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
26
City
31
Hwy
28
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,200
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
- Recall
If the air bags do not deploy in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.