2022 Buick Encore Safety and Reliability

The NHTSA's review of the Encore resulted in a five-star overall rating, with five stars for both the frontal and side crash tests and four stars for the rollover test. The IIHS' review of the Encore wasn't quite as generous, with marks subtracted after a less than stellar performance in the overlap front passenger-side test which dropped its score from Good to Acceptable; still, the rating agency awarded it Good in the remaining five crashworthiness categories. The Buick Encore has a rating for its headlights of Marginal, which is a bit disappointing.

The standard safety specs include the usual ABS brakes, stability/traction control, and required rearview camera. Somehow, Buick also managed to fit a total of ten airbags in such a compact car, so it scores points for that. It's one of the few smaller cars to offer side airbags and curtain airbags for all outboard seating positions.

For 2022, the new Buick Encore Preferred has cruise control as standard and there are two optional safety packs. The Safety Package ($495) includes a 120-volt power outlet, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring. It can be ordered without having to opt for Safety Package II. You can't, however, add the Safety Package II without also opting for the first, which makes its $695 price a moot point. Realistically, you're looking at an additional $1,190 if you want your Encore to have forward collision alert, front/rear park assist, rain-sensing wipers, and lane departure warning.

The 2021 Buick Encore attained a rating from J.D. Power of 85 out of a possible 200. This includes specific ratings of 85/100 for quality/reliability and 91/100 for the dealership experience. This makes it one of the most reliable cars in the subcompact crossover segment. The 2022 model has not been rated yet but should fare similarly. According to the NHTSA, 2020 was the last time the Buick Encore was recalled; one issue was for missing front-seat attachments and another was for missing bolts on the start/stop accumulator that could cause a transmission oil leak. At the time of writing, the 2022 Encore had not yet been recalled for any issues.

The Encore is sold in the US with a 36,000-mile/36-month warranty, and a 60,000-mile/60-month powertrain and roadside assistance plan.