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Your vehicleHome›Buick›Encore› 2020
Buick · Compact SUV

2020 Buick Encore

Gas
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
C
Safety Signal
75 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 4
Complaints6 crash · 4 injured reported 89
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 31 mpg
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2020 Buick Encore is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Encore GX FWD, is EPA-rated at 31 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 89 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Buick Encore — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Buick Encore · Photo: Navigator84 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Encore GX FWDGasFWD1.3L 3-cyl turbo303231$2,150
Encore GX AWDGasAWD1.3L 3-cyl turbo262928$2,400
Encore GX FWDGasFWD1.2L 3-cyl turbo263028$2,400
Encore FWDGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo253027$2,500
Encore AWDGasAWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo242926$2,600

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42403, 42404, 42441, 41518, 41520.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Encore GX FWD7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay
Encore GX AWD, Encore GX FWD7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
Encore AWD, Encore FWD5 / 10California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement1.4 L
Engine configurationIn-Line

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainAWD/All-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds6

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking, Rear cross-traffic alert

Optional: Parking assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Essence, Preferred, Select, Sport Touring). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length168.1–171.3 in
Width (body, without mirrors)69.7–71.3 in
Height64.2–65.0 in
Wheelbase100.8–102.4 in
Track, front60.6–61.0 in
Track, rear60.6–61.8 in
Curb weight3,025–3,358 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear60/40 to 61/39

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 4 configurations: 4-door SUV AWD, 4-door SUV FWD, Gx 4-door SUV AWD, Gx 4-door SUV FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2020 Encore
Other years The 2023 Encore Recalls Buick recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2020 Buick Encore is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Equipment

A212335470
135,400 vehicles 97% reported repaired
Problem General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Buick Encore GX and 2021-2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The emergency jack, if not positioned as directed in the vehicle owner's manual, can fracture while in use. Risk A fractured jack can cause the vehicle to collapse, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Dealers will replace the jack, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owner of the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 26, 2021. A second notice will be mailed once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A212335470.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V440000 reported Jun 10, 2021 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Power Train

N202313440
194,105 vehicles 82% reported repaired
Problem 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. Risk 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. Fix 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 campaign 20V668000 reported Oct 29, 2020 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Service Brakes

A202307260
3,677 vehicles 98% reported repaired
Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac CT4, CT5 and XT4, 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and 2020-2021 Buick Encore GX vehicles. Sensor connection contamination in the electronic brake boost system may cause an interruption of communication between the sensor and the brake boost system. Risk If communication with the sensor is interrupted, the electronic brake boost assist could be lost. Extra pedal force will be required to slow and stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is A202307260.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 20V588000 reported Sep 24, 2020 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Seats

A202304380
105 vehicles 100% reported repaired
Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Encore GX and 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The rear attachment bolts of one or both front seats may not have been installed. Risk If an occupied front seat is missing the rear attachment bolts, it may move during a crash, increasing risk of injury to the occupant. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect seat attachments for both front seats and install attachment bolts as needed, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is A202304380.
NHTSA campaign 20V537000 reported Sep 3, 2020 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Encore

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2020 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Buick publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Buick’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2020 Buick Encore, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2020 Buick Encore

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Encore →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
89complaints filed

6 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 4 injuries · 0 deaths reported

10 per 10,000 built · Buick reported 85,273 Encore built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2020: 11 · 2021: 10 · 2022: 10 · 2023: 8 · 2024: 18 · 2025: 19 · 2026: 13

Most-cited components

Engine 23
Power Train 22
Unspecified 22
Service Brakes 21
Electrical System 20
Vehicle Speed Control 9

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

I took my 2020 Buick Encore to an independent auto repair shop to have a brake inspection after I had contacted GM multiple times about the loss of acceleration, check engine light and stabilitrak light would come on with brake pedal stiffness and then almost needing to push it to the floor to stop.
Service Brakes Apr 28, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11734263
Defective "TURBO CHARGER" at 38,091 miles. The defective worn-out or damaged turbocharger was removed from the engine and a new one was installed at a cost of $1816.00. This part should not wear out at 38,000 miles.
Engine Feb 25, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11720398
Engine light is on and vehicle is sluggish on hills and keeping up in traffic. Rpms run high if I try. Error code p0299 shows on scanning device- turbo under boost. I have 112,000 miles and need turbo replaced already. this vehicle is very well maintained. I did see a special notice for the GX version of this vehicle.
Power Train Apr 23, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11584659
I have to constantly jump start my vehicle. Took it to the dealers and they stated there is nothing wrong with the battery
Electrical System Sep 16, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11544897
The contact owns a 2020 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal and accelerator pedal became extremely hot to the touch. The contact became aware that the silver heat shield was missing.
Vehicle Speed Control at 77,213 miles Jun 25, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11746471
I've been dealing with a frustrating car issue lately where my vehicle keeps stalling and hesitating during acceleration - whether I'm pulling away from a stop or trying to pick up speed on the road. After getting it checked out, my mechanic determined that the high pressure fuel pump control module is the culprit and needs replacement.
Fuel/Propulsion System Oct 3, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11691163

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Buick itself: 24 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 30 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 28 per 100,000 built. Every Encore model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 9k

miles, typically

Half the 26 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 1,000 and 45,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 26 on file: 15 under 10k, 3 20k–30k, 1 30k–40k, 1 40k–50k, 1 50k–60k, 2 60k–70k, 2 70k–80k, 1 100k–150k.

Median mileage by component

ComponentReportsMedian milesVs same age
Service Brakes141,4760.19×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2020-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: service brakes (0.19×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆18%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆20%
SUV AWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆18%
SUV FWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆18%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 4 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every GM warranty extension (33) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 1,292
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 1280 service bulletins, 6 service campaigns, 4 warranty extensions

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Power Train.

  • PIT5698F Service bulletin
    2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
  • This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
  • PIP4902W Service bulletin
    2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
  • This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
  • PIT5995B Service bulletin
    2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
  • This Preliminary Information provides the dealer information of the location of the rear seat child anchors.
  • N232407740-03 Warranty extension
    2026-09-01 · Engine
  • Special Coverage. Certain 2020 model year Buick Encore GX vehicles, equipped with a 1.2L engine, may have a condition that could cause the turbocharger to fail. If this condition occurs, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) will illuminate, and a diagnostic trouble code will set. Additionally, a message may be displayed indicating the vehicle’s available engine power is reduced.
  • PIT6196A Service bulletin
    2026-08-28 · Unknown Or Other
  • This Preliminary Information provides a diagnostic tip for diagnosing an issue with Cruise Control, Adaptive Cruise and Lane Keep Assist Turns Off or Inoperative.
  • PIC6548B Service bulletin
    2026-07-23 · Unknown Or Other
  • This Preliminary information communicates to the technician the direction needed when encountering an issue with switching between adaptive cruise control and regular cruise control or an issue with automatic high beam feature after the front camera was replaced.
  • PIT5099J Service bulletin
    2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
  • PI to help diagnose A/C concern
  • PIP6032C Service bulletin
    2026-06-03 · Unknown Or Other
  • PIP6032B provides diagnostic direction for dealers when encountering transmission leaks

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0299
P0299 on Buick →		The turbocharger or supercharger is not making the boost the computer asked for.Engine13 bulletins · 2 owner reports
P0234
P0234 on Buick →		The turbocharger or supercharger is making more boost than the computer asked for.Engine13 bulletins
P219A
P219A on Buick →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other9 bulletins
P26BBManufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →9 bulletins
C0051Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Steering7 bulletins
P0521
P0521 on Buick →		The oil pressure sensor reading does not track what the engine is doing.Engine7 bulletins
P0442
P0442 on Buick →		A small leak in the evaporative emissions system.Electrical System · Gas cap →6 bulletins
P0455
P0455 on Buick →		A large leak in the evaporative emissions system — often a fuel cap left off.Electrical System · Gas cap →6 bulletins
B000A
B000A on Buick →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →5 bulletins
B3055
B3055 on Buick →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →5 bulletins
B3060
B3060 on Buick →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →5 bulletins
B3935
B3935 on Buick →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →5 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Buick Encore failed the emissions check on 4.7% of first inspections — higher than the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.3% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%).

New York inspections 4.7%

failed emissions

3,510 initial inspections of 3,429 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2020 EncoreEvery 2020 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check4.7%2.2%3,500
Failed the safety inspection2.3%1.6%3,510
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.09%0.19%3,510
Miles driven a year8,1079,980odometer at inspection
Average odometer50,95262,630odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2020 vehicle” is every 2020 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Encore by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2026 A 1 4 30 mpg2025 A 1 15 30 mpg2024 B 2 32 30 mpg2023 A 0 28 30 mpg2022 A 1 42 30 mpg2021 B 2 62 31 mpg2020 this page C 4 89 31 mpg2019 B 2 88 28 mpg2018 A 0 74 30 mpg2017 B 2 90 30 mpg2016 B 2 80 30 mpg

Common questions about the 2020 Encore

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2020 Buick Encore have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2020 Buick Encore. The most serious on file is 21V440000, covering Equipment. 1 of them was filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2020 Buick Encore?

NHTSA gave the 2020 Buick Encore 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (75/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Buick Encore?

Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2020 Buick Encore, the best EPA combined figure is 31 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2020 Buick Encore?

Transport Canada measured it at 168.1–171.3 in long, 69.7–71.3 in wide (body, without mirrors), 64.2–65.0 in tall, on a 100.8–102.4 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,025–3,358 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2020 Buick Encore?

Owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Buick Encore, most often about engine, power train, unspecified. Of those, 6 involved a crash, 4 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2020 Buick Encore?

The EPA smog rating for the 2020 Buick Encore runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2020 Buick Encore?

The manufacturer has filed 1292 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2020 Buick Encore, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2020 Buick Encore do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Buick Encore failed the emissions check on 4.7% of first inspections — higher than the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.3% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations5 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates5 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls4NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints89NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings4 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins1292NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2023 Encore The Encore model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every Buick recall on file All campaigns filed against Buick vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Encore by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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