2020 Buick Encore GX Among Most Reliable Three-Year-Old Vehicles, Says Consumer Reports
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The 2020 Buick Encore GX represented the first model year of the first-generation Buick B-segment crossover. Now, Consumer Reports has ranked the 2020 model as one of the most reliable three-year-old vehicles on the market.
This high praise comes as the result of a 5/5 score in six major reliability trouble spots, including:
- Engine major
- Engine minor
- Engine Cooling
- Transmission major
- Transmission minor
- Drive system
These scores, among a slew of other reliability rankings, give the 2020 Encore GX an overall reliability score of 4/5. This places the 2020 model at number two of five vehicles in its segment.
This strong reliability ranking is contradicted by a low owner satisfaction rating of 2/5. Owners ranked the driving experience at 63/100, comfort at 72/100, value at 65/100, and styling at 86/100.
As a whole, the 2020 Encore GX performed very well against its competition, with an overall score of 65/100. This score beats out the likes of the Audi Q3 and Lexus UX, which posted scores of 63/100 and 55/100, respectively. Only the Buick Encore ranked higher, earning an 84/100.
It’s worth noting that CR originally gave the 2020 Encore GX a reliability score of 3/5.
As a reminder, the 2020 Buick Encore GX was offered with two engine options, including the turbocharged 1.2L I3 LIH gasoline engine, rated at 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, and the turbocharged 1.3L I3 L3T gasoline engine, rated at 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. The LIH engine was mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in FWD configuration, while the L3T connected to the GM nine-speed automatic transmission in AWD configuration.
Under the current-generation Encore GX’s skin is the GM VSS-F vehicle set, while production for the U.S. takes place at the GM Korea plant in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, South Korea. Chinese-spec models are produced at the SAIC-GM Dongyue South plant in China.
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GM learned how to make compacts when it purchased and perfected Korean operations. Detroit automakers were never good in this segment but now Buick leads Toyota, Honda, VW, Ford (critical darlings).
Chevrolet should have identical quality if it wants to be on top again. I would seriously buy a Verano Pro if sold in the US. Even a Regal. Especially a Tour X.
The Chevy Trailblazer also ranks high in reliability, I believe above the Encore GX , but would have been excluded from this survey as it was introduced as 2021, while the Buick was introduced as a 2020 . The survey was for 3 year old vehicles.
The Trailblazer is essentially the same vehicle underneath as the Buick GX. My son has one now for 2 years and it has been absolutely trouble free. The 1.3L AWD with the 9 spd has plenty of pep and great real world fuel economy.
The reports show the TB as one of the most trouble free cars in 2021.
These Korean built GM vehicles are not just built there with a GM badge . The design and engineering were collaborated on by NA teams , so while these vehicles are built in south Korea, the design and engineering is NA
influenced.
Most reliable 3 year old vehicle? What a stupid category. Show me a vehicle that isn’t reliable after 3 years of ownership from new.
Best comment. Cost of ownership isn’t really applicable until 80-120k miles or 6-7 hard yrs with salt. The TB platform is garbage 🗑️.
3 year old vehicles are covered under warranty. I need to know how reliable they are when I have to pay.
I’ll be sitting in the wings just waiting for those few people on here who love to bash the 1.2 and 1.3L engines and say how bad they will be. Especially eager to see what our Kia/Mazda fan has to say.
I like to bash the 3 cylinder engines not because of reliability or performance, but because of uninspiring fuel economy. It’s pathetic!
I’m sorry Simon, but where did I bring up MPG? Isn’t this article about reliability? Not only that, but MPG is one of the biggest issues drivers face due to location, altitude, weather, trip length and most importantly how the person drives. Personally, I don’t have any experience with these and the MPG being good or bad. But what I can say is that many people drive like they are crazy and just don’t care about MPG. I do and drive likewise.
Says who?, we have 1 in the family and it delivers great real world fuel economy!
If a modern car is falling apart in 3 years, it’s a lemon. This is kind of a joke statistic. Just wait until 8+ years and 100,000 miles and then we’ll see how it’s doing.
My wife’s Korean-built 2014 Buick Encore was perfectly fine until that point as well… then the whole thing started to fall apart at the seams in these past 6 months. As in, rapid-fire succession, one thing after another.
At the end of the day, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s just lipstick on a Daewoo. Completely throw away vehicles not made for longevity.
Good job GM. Now let’s get to work on the full size truck reliability.
Get back to us when the cars are 10 years old and have 150,000 miles on them. Like others have already posted, three years is not a determination of long term reliability.