Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year per car on the road, against this model's usual year.
2014GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.9× usual Extended coverage
45 serious complaints of 60, the most about engine (25) and power train (9); per car on the road, 0.9× this model's usual year. 4 recalls.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2014 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitant to accelerate and lost power while on an incline. Traction and engine warning light was illuminated The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the engine, Oct 2023
“I purchased my 2014 buick encore april 2021 that next year 2022 my engine light came on I took it to o'reilly they turned it off towards the end of the year my vehicle started driving rough I was having trouble taking off once I did it would idle up high when I came to a stop it would start shaking and it would turn off cars went around me I couldn't…”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the power train, Jul 2023
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage Special Coverage - Certain 2014 model year Buick Encore, 2011 - 2014 model year Chevrolet Cruze, 2012 - 2014 model year Chevrolet Sonic, and 2014 model year Chevrolet TRAX vehicles, equipped with a 1.4L Engine (RPO LUJ or LUV), may have a condition where cracks can develop in the diaphragm of the… (N202299080, Jul 2020)
- Extended coverage On certain 2013-2015 model year chevrolet trax and buick encore vehicles, the rear-seat-belt buckle cover may be broken and fully separated from the rear-seat-belt buckle due to seat-belt buckle head contact between the iso fixture and the seat-hinge stud, seat-hinge bracket, or floor panel.… (14567, Jun 2015)
- Repair program Customer Satisfaction Program - Certain vehicles may have a condition where the vehicle's Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) was reprogrammed during service with the incorrect software. Dealers are to reprogram the electronic brake control module. (A192271080, Mar 2020)
- Repair program This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a Diagnostic Trouble Code B101D stored in Telematics Communication Interface Control Module. (PIT5236F, Aug 2015)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
60 owner complaints · 4 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 25–28 mpg · NHTSA: 4–5 of 5 stars · 2014 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. Cars on the road from New York State registrations. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 1.4L 4-cyl turbo · Drive: AWD, FWD
2014 Encore trims
| Convenience | Leather | Premium |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Buick reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Buick aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | AWD, FWD | 26–27 mpg | 5 of 5 | 0 | 8 | Unknown or other (4) | Yes |
| 2021 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | AWD, FWD | 26–27 mpg | 5 of 5 | 0 | 9 | Power train (3) | Yes |
| 2020 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | AWD, FWD | 26–27 mpg | 5 of 5 | 2 | 19 | Engine (7) | Yes |
| 2019 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | AWD, FWD | 26–28 mpg | 5 of 5 | 2 | 86 | Engine (33) | Yes |
| 2018 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | AWD, FWD | 27–30 mpg | 5 of 5 | 0 | 74 | Engine (29) | Yes |
| 2017 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | AWD, FWD | 27–30 mpg | 5 of 5 | 2 | 89 | Engine (35) | Yes |
| 2016 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | AWD, FWD | 26–30 mpg | 5 of 5 | 2 | 80 | Engine (41) | No |
| 2015 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | AWD, FWD | 26–28 mpg | 5 of 5 | 4 | 124 | Electrical system (30) | No |
| 2014 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | AWD, FWD | 25–28 mpg | 4–5 of 5 | 4 | 60 | Engine (25) | No |
| 2013 | 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | AWD, FWD | 25–28 mpg | 4–5 of 5 | 6 | 52 | Engine (21) | No |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Which years have…
Apple lists CarPlay for: Encore 2017–2022 (Apple).
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Buick Encore SUV AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 8 |
| 2022 | Buick Encore SUV FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 8 |
| 2021 | Buick Encore SUV FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 9 |
| 2021 | Buick Encore SUV AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 9 |
| 2020 | Buick Encore SUV AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 2 | 19 |
| 2020 | Buick Encore SUV FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 2 | 19 |
| 2019 | Buick Encore SUV AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 2 | 86 |
| 2019 | Buick Encore SUV FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 2 | 86 |
| 2018 | Buick Encore SUV FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 74 |
| 2018 | Buick Encore SUV AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 74 |
| 2017 | Buick Encore SUV AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 2 | 89 |
| 2017 | Buick Encore SUV FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 2 | 89 |
| 2016 | Buick Encore SUV FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 2 | 80 |
| 2016 | Buick Encore SUV AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 2 | 80 |
| 2015 | Buick Encore SUV FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 4 | 124 |
| 2015 | Buick Encore SUV AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 4 | 124 |
| 2014 | Buick Encore SUV AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 4 | 60 |
| 2014 | Buick Encore SUV FWD | 4 | Optional | Optional | 4 | 60 |
| 2013 | Buick Encore SUV AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 6 | 52 |
| 2013 | Buick Encore SUV FWD | 4 | No | No | 6 | 52 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Encore AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2022 | Encore FWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 27 |
| 2021 | Encore AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo, SIDI |
26 |
| 2021 | Encore FWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo, SIDI |
27 |
| 2020 | Encore AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2020 | Encore FWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 27 |
| 2019 | Encore | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo, SIDI Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo |
27–28 |
| 2019 | Encore AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo, SIDI Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo |
26–27 |
| 2018 | Encore | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo, SIDI; Stop-Start Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo |
28–30 |
| 2018 | Encore AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo, SIDI Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo |
27–28 |
| 2017 | Encore | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo, SIDI; Stop-Start Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo |
28–30 |
| 2017 | Encore AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo, SIDI Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo |
27–28 |
| 2016 | Encore | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo, SIDI Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo |
28–30 |
| 2016 | Encore AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo, SIDI Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo |
26–28 |
| 2015 | Encore | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 28 |
| 2015 | Encore AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2014 | Encore | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 28 |
| 2014 | Encore AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 25 |
| 2013 | Encore | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 28 |
| 2013 | Encore AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.4 L, Turbo | 25 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.