​​Overlooked but Overdelivering, the Buick Encore GX Is One of the Most Reliable Small SUVs on the Market​ 

Before even getting to the Buick Encore GX, TopSpeed.com spends considerable pixels on how underrated reliability is. It is the province of J.D. Power and Consumer Reports, but it doesn’t get much attention in the car magazines, which dwell more on performance, expressive design, and new technology. And yet reliability is what people seek in a new car. It may be the reason they are replacing their current vehicle, and likely why they are shopping for a new rather than a used vehicle. But the fact is, the Encore GX has consistently rated in the 87th percentile in J.D. Power ownership surveys and occasionally breaches 90%. Ewing Buick GMC fills you in on this unsung hero of reliability. 

Buick practically invented the sub-compact crossover category with the original Encore.  The somewhat egg-shaped crossover was one of the smallest crossovers available when it came out, and certainly not what anyone would have expected from Buick, which was still known primarily for large premium sedans at the time.  The Encore proved possibly too small for many, so the larger Encore GX came out beside it and eventually replaced it, and in that time, a whole sub-compact SUV category emerged. 

The Encore confirms the “Good things come in small packages” axiom with a premium interior that is unexpected in the category but fully in line with Buick’s standards. The dash is modern and elegant, with dual digital displays. On the Avenir, the top of the three-trim model line, you will find heated, perforated, leather-appointed front seats with unique quilted stitching, the “Avenir” embossed in the headrests, a panoramic glass roof, and niceties such as a rear camera mirror, an HD surround vision camera system, and wireless smartphone charging. In other words, the kind of amenities you expect from a Buick in the proverbial small package. 

It is a compact vehicle with good mileage and surprising utility, easy to park and drive, and that feels entirely grown-up inside. Its 155-hp 1.3-liter turbocharged engine is tuned for efficiency and durability rather than excitement. The efficient continuously variable transmission then sends power to either the front wheels or all four – an option across the model line. It won’t win races, but it will get you where you need to go with little fuss and unexpected quiet, and it will do so while returning 30 combined mpg without the complication or cost of hybridization.   

The simplicity approach gives it a J.D. Power score of 84, just shy of the top-rated Chevy Trailblazer, which it shares mechanicals with but not its upscale cabin. In addition, the Encore GX shows high rates of ownership loyalty. It may not call attention to itself, but owners who find it think highly of it. Plus, with a starting MSRP of $27,995, including the destination charge, it is the most affordable way to enjoy Buick refinement.   

If you live near Plano, Texas, and are looking for reliable, comfortable transportation, visit Ewing Buick GMC and select from our extensive inventory of Encore GX models. During your test drive, enjoy the refinement, but never forget the reliability.