Buick cars lie somewhere between luxury models and mainstream vehicles. But is Buick a good car? The majority of the car models are upscale models and feature redefined interiors and well-crafted and advanced infotainment systems.
The majority of the Buick vehicles out there aren’t able to compete with the gas mileage of their competitors. However, like the majority of car companies, this heavily depends on SUVs. You will find that there are Buicks that perform impressively well in some tests.
And in fact, the Buick cars are now the most reliable cars in the United States and regularly appear in the top five most reliable car ratings.
Let’s discover more about Buicks. For easier navigation throughout this post please use the table of contents below.
- Buick Reliability
- Buick Encore Problems
- Encore Gas Mileage
- Buick Encore Towing Capacity
- Encore AWD
- Buick Encore Safety Rating
- Buick Encore Cost
- Frequently Asked Questions
Buick Reliability
As far as SUVs go, Buick offers four of these. They include the Enclave, the Encore GX, the Envision, and the Encore. Buick no longer manufactures sedans and stopped their production around 4 years ago. Their focus is now on family crossover models.
When talking about a car’s reliability, some of the factors that you will need to consider include longevity, repair costs, safety, and even fuel efficiency.
As far as these things go some of the top-performing automakers include Toyota, Lexus, and Mazda. In 2022, two car models that have also joined the ranks include Honda and Buick. They have shown significant improvements in their reliability rankings.
Buick for instate has risen 14 positions thanks to its lack of issues and fewer problems compared to other car models. This makes Buicks the most reliable choice when buying a car made in America.
The 2022 Consumer Reports rank Buicks as above average when it comes to reliability. They received a rating of #11 out of the 32 car brands that were evaluated. This gave them a score of 72/100.
That said, it’s important to remember that Buicks are not as reliable as some Japanese brands such as Mazda and Toyota. But since it scored high marks compared to other American brands such as Chevrolet and Ford, they are the most reliable American brand.
Buick Encore Reliability
Many people who come across Buick cars often wonder is Buick a good car? If there is one thing that stands out about the Buick Encore is how enjoyable the car is to drive. This compact SUV is able to offer great handling, excellent power, as well as a quiet cabin. Yes, Buick Encore is considered a luxury brand but it is not very expensive to own.
The Buick Encore will cost on average $500 in annual maintenance and repairs. On the flip side the Buick doesn’t hold value and after 5 years will have depreciated by 35%.
As far as reliability goes the Buick Encore scores high marks. So is Buick a good car? Yes! RepairPal gave it a Reliability score of 4 out of 5. This allows the Buick Encore a ranking of 5 out of 7. The Buick Encore is considered by many as quite the capable subcompact. Its design allows for a much more luxurious feel.
Buick Encore Problems
Granted the Buick Encore may be a reliable car but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have its fair share of issues.
Is Buick A Good Car – Engine Problems
The 2017 model has a few unpleasant engine problems and issues such as excessively slow acceleration as well as stalling.
There were also many owners who said that their Buicks caught fire suddenly from the front of the vehicle. There are plenty of Buick owners who have also shared their disappointment with the car.
The strange thing is that these engine issues are more common with relatively new Buicks with less than 11,400 miles to them.
Furthermore, there are instances of serious injuries associated with such Buick issues. Many times owners have cited taking their vehicles to the mechanic but no issues were noted.
Is Buick A Good Car – Defective Seatbelts And Airbags
This is another common problem with Buick models from 2016 to 2017. The issue was so severe that general motors had to call in over 3.6 million vehicles including the Buick Encore 2017.
General Motors cited the problem to be a result of defective airbag sensing and diagnostic module SDM. The issue could be fixed by replacing the SDMs.
Is Buick A Good Car – Brake Problems
There are also brake issues that could significantly increase the chances of accidents. Many Buick drivers report noises coming from the wheels whenever they brake. Many drivers also say that the brakes lack enough force to stop the car resulting in a long braking distance.
Other drivers cited vibrations on the brake pedals as well as loss of control caused by a malfunctioning of the brakes. Furthermore, the brake issues occurred with cars that were less than 13,000 miles and therefore relatively new.
And while the Buick Encore owners would take the cars to the mechanic, the exact cause of the noise could not be identified.
Buick Encore Gas Mileage
The 2022 Buick Encore model has excellent gas mileage. This sits at 25 miles per gallon around the city and 30miles per gallon on the highway.
So, is Buick a good car as far as fuel efficiency goes? Even better is the all-wheel-drive version which can manage 23 miles per gallon in the city and 30 miles per gallon on the highway.
That said, the Buick Encore is still outperformed by other exotic brands such as Mazda CX-30 and the Hyundai Kona. However, the Buick offers a more spacious interior as well as a great infotainment system.
Buick Encore Towing Capacity
The Buick Encore is able to tow up to 1000 pounds. The factors behind this ability are the smooth transmission and powerful engine of the Buick Encore.
So, if the towing capacity is 1000 pounds what does this mean? It means that you can tow anything from camping gear and equipment to a trailer hitch.
A trailer hitch allows the car to pull additional weight of up to 1000 pounds. This then means that you can maximize on the Encore. If you’ve been wondering is Buick a good car for towing, then yes it is!
You also get an electric harness that makes possible the connectivity of electric equipment and lights to the Buick Encore.
The Buick Encore also comes with Stabilitrak which is an electronic system that makes it much easier to control the trailer of your Buick Encore.
Buick Encore AWD
The Buick Encore 2022 model is available in a couple of sub-models. This includes either the 4-door SUV with a 1.4 liter 4 cylinders turbo engine or the 4 door 1.4 liter 4 cylinder turbo engine with all-wheel drive.
One of the standard features of the AWD is the locking rear axle. This allows the engine to send power to the rear wheels in case there is a need for traction and grip. So, if you like to drive your car on challenging terrains such as mud, rocks, snow, or sand, the Buick Encore has you sorted.
When driving on low traction terrains such as mud or snow, the AWD system of the Buick Encore is able to send power to just one of the wheels at a time for better traction.
This is thanks to the Buick traction control system that detects the wheel that is turning less than the other wheels and sends power to this wheel.
The result is a phenomenal grip on the road.
On the other hand, when you are driving on common asphalt roads, you will likely notice the AWD less since the ground is flat and all wheels are getting pretty much the same level of power.
However, whenever you are cornering, the outer wheel will take the weight of the Buick Encore and the AWD will send more power to this wheel to provide it with even more grip.
Without the AWD there would be less traction which increases the chances of the car veering off course.
Buick Encore Safety Rating
If you want a smaller-size SUV that still provides safety to your cargo as well as your kids, then the Buick Encore is a good choice.
So, is Buick a good car when it comes to safety? The 2022 Buick Encore offers an overall safety rating of 5 stars which it gets from the National Highway Traffic Safety Authority (NHTSA).
Vehicle owners also gave the Encore an average safety rating of 4.7 out of 5.
Is Buick A Good Car -NHTSA Crash Test Results
The NHTSA gave the Buick Encore a 5-star rating for both the front, back, and side-impact tests. It even received a 5-star on the side pole where most vehicles have a hard time getting a 4-star rating.
The only area that which the Buick Encore doesn’t score top marks is the roll-over test where it got a 4 star.
Is Buick A Good Car – IIHS Crash Results
Crash tests at the Insurance Institute for Highway safety placed the Buick Encore on all types of crash tests. It received a good rating in almost every section apart from the small overlap front.
It also received an acceptable rating from the passenger side tests. The Buick Encore also lacks crash mitigation technology.
Buick Encore Size
The cabin of the 2022 Buick Encore feels spacious and sophisticated. Furthermore, it is super simple to control the infotainment system.
The Buick Encore has cargo room of up to 18.8 cubic feet that is behind the back seats. If you fold the back seats, this cargo room goes up to 48.4 cubic feet. Granted these are average figures for a compact SUV. But the great part is that you can also fold the front seat to get even more space.
The Buick Encore is a 5-seater that also comes with some pretty nice comfort features. These include a power-adjustable driver seat, synthetic leather upholstery, and a front passenger seat that folds flat.
While the headroom inside the car at both the front and back is ideal, three adults sitting at the back will feel a bit squeezed.
Raising the front seat of the Buick Encore also means more forward visibility.
You can also install a child seat using the two latch connectors. You can use these for the outboard seats and make use of the tether anchor if you want to connect the child seat to the middle of the rear seat.
Buick Encore Cost
The front-drive Buick Encore 2022 model has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $24,600. You will also need to put into account the destination charge. If you are lucky you may get a discount when you purchase the Buick through their retail site.
The Buick AWD will cost you an extra $620. There are a couple of more options that you may want to consider which could ultimately push the price even higher to the $30,000 range.
With such impressive prices, the Buick Encore semi-luxurious compact SUV is within the reach of many buyers.
Buick Encore Transmission Problems
While there is no doubt that the Buick Encore is a great and highly reliable car, it also comes with a few transmission issues. The more common ones include:
Slippage Of Gears
Another common transmission issue with the Buick is the slippage of gears. While driving you may notice gear slippage. There could also be an engine check light on the dashboard which can be diagnosed by a mechanic.
The main reason for the gear slippage could be that there is a worn-out solenoid or the solenoid could be broken. It is very rare that there is a mechanical failure that cannot be fixed.
There are several ways that you can tell if you have a slippage of gears problem. These include:
- having a hard time changing gears
- the acceleration is delayed or slow
- whining or grinding noises coming from the transmission area
- refusals of the revere gear engagement
- burning smells
- getting a check engine light
If you notice that the gears are slipping whenever you are driving then it is crucial that you take your vehicle to the mechanic as soon as possible. This is because it can result in a potentially dangerous situation.
In a worst-case scenario, you could start to notice your vehicle becoming hard to control. In this case, you should slowly bring your car to stop at the side of the road.
You can then call a tow service to pull your vehicle to a mechanics shop. not giving your car the level of attention and service it requires for its transmission can cause the problem to worsen and end up costing even more to fix.
Difficulty With Gear Shifting
You may notice that there is difficulty shifting gears from one to the next. This transmission issue is one of the more significant ones with Buick.
To fix the problem you may need to fix the pressure sensor. If the problem persists, you may also need to check for oil leaks that may be happening in the assembly of the individual gear in question. There is a good chance that the issue will be fixed by doing these two things.
Clunking Or Grinding Noise
You may also hear an unpleasant clunking or grinding noise when driving your Buick Encore. This is often a sign that there are issues with the transmission.
This is indicative of a faulty component within the transmission that needs replacement. This calls for complete removal and fixing of the entire transmission.
Burning Smell
A burning smell coming from your car when driving is something that should never be ignored.
If you notice a burning smell coming from your Buick Encore transmission then this is a sign that there is an issue with the transmission. The best course of action is to have the car checked by a qualified auto mechanic.
You may also check the transmission fluid levels. If you find that the levels are too low, then this could be causing friction in the moving parts resulting in the burning smell.
Sometimes the issue is as simple as replacing the transmission fluid. All other transmission parts could be completely fine and in good condition. However, if the fluid has broken down as a result of being in the car for a long time, and has lost its viscosity then it’s time to replace it with some new transmission fluid.
The best course of action is to check the condition of the transmission oil. If you find that it is too dirty simply refill it.
You may also want to check if there is any debris in the oil.
Leakage Of Transmission Fluid
If you get a P0842 error or a similar type of error that is caused by transmission issues, then you may want to check for signs of transmission fluid leakage. Once transmission fluid sensors detect low pressure, they will give off the signal indicating there could be a transmission fluid leakage.
One of the main causes of transmission fluid leaks is wear and tear. If the plugs are loose then the transmission fluid can leak through the spaces. You may also have a crack in the transmission fluid pan. Whichever the case, it is important that you get the problem fixed fast.
The easiest way that you can fix the problem is to locate where there is a leak and fix the problem. Failure to do this as soon as possible could cause even more issues with the car. Very often there is a wearing out of the gasket resulting in the leakage of transmission fluid.
Otherwise, this can cause even more damage to the transmission part components. Fixing such damage can be highly expensive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Buick Encore A Good Car
The Buick Encore features an easy-to-use and highly responsive infotainment system, smooth driving, and a spacious cabin. It also comes with good fuel mileage. On the flip side, the Buick Encore is not very fast and doesn’t come with standard safety tech. That said, the Buick Encore scores high marks in reliability which makes it a pretty good car to own and drive.
Is Buick Enclave A Good Car
The Buick Enclave is a reliable car with a 78/100 reliability score. Considering that predicted power reliability of 70-80 is considered average, the Buick Enclave doesn’t perform too badly even though it’s not the best. Overall it is a good car.
Is Buick Lacrosse A Good Car
The Buick Lacrosse performs well when it comes to safety scores, and has roomy seating, a good fuel economy, and plenty of interior space. That said, the Buick Lacrosse has limited trunk space. Overall the Buick Lacrosse is a good car although there are other models in its class that perform much better.
Is Buick Regal A Good Car
The Buick Regal gets a 4 out of 5 rating in reliability. Out of 24 midsized cars, the Buick Regal is at 13. With annual repair costs that average around $563, it is an easy-to-maintain vehicle. The car has a low frequency of repairs and the major issues are not common with the Buick Regal.
Is Buick Verano A Good Car
The Buick Verano scores high marks when it comes to reliability. With its hushed interior and comfortable ride, the Buick Verano also comes with a good crash rating. On the flip side, it doesn’t feature the most powerful engine performance and averages 21 miles per gallon in the city. It also does 31 miles per gallon on the highway. For a small car, it doesn’t score high on fuel mileage. That said the Buick Verano is still a reliable car.
Who Makes Buick
Buick is a well-known automaker that has been in existence for over 100 years. Buick is owned by General Motors which also owns Cadillac, GMC as well as the Chevrolet.
Where Is Buick Made
Buick may be an American automaker and brand but Buick cars do not have a specific location where they are made. They are instead made at production centers in Canada, China, Germany, South Korea as well as all around the United States of America.
How Long Does Encore Last
A well taken care of Buick Encore can last 200,000 miles. The Buick Encore has gotten a dependability award which means that it is a reliable car that can last a long time under proper ownership and regular service.
