Buick Encore: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Buick Encore: 10 model years scored from 598 NHTSA owner complaints and 22 recall campaigns. Worst year 2015, best year 2014.
Buick Encore: which years to avoid
Across 10 scored model years the Buick Encore ranges from 61/100 in 2015 to 94/100 in 2021 — a 33-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Electrical System (30 of them).
Safest years: 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2014 (score 82). Worst: 2015 (score 61, CAUTION).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 93 | BUY | $3,338 | 8 | 0 |
| 2021 | 94 | BUY | $3,474 | 9 | 0 |
| 2020 | 92 | BUY | $3,640 | 19 | 2 |
| 2019 | 66 | CAUTION | $3,848 | 84 | 2 |
| 2018 | 79 | BUY | $3,786 | 74 | 0 |
| 2017 | 70 | BUY | $4,088 | 89 | 2 |
| 2016 | 77 | BUY | $4,190 | 79 | 2 |
| 2015 | 61 | CAUTION | $4,394 | 124 | 4 |
| 2014 | 82 | BUY | $4,415 | 60 | 4 |
| 2013 | 78 | BUY | $4,536 | 52 | 6 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the Encore, through the years →
Encore sub-models & family
What goes wrong on the Buick Encore
Across every Encore model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Engine221 complaints across all Encore years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System84 complaints across all Encore years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other69 complaints across all Encore years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Air Bags68 complaints across all Encore years · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement$600–$1,700
- Power Train64 complaints across all Encore years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Fuel/Propulsion System49 complaints across all Encore years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Buick Encore years to buy?
2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2021 at 94/100, on 9 complaints and 0 recall campaigns.
Which Buick Encore years should I avoid?
The 2015 is the weakest year we score, at 61/100 (CAUTION), on 124 complaints and 4 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Buick Encore problem?
221 of the complaints filed against the Encore across all its model years sit in the Engine group — more than any other component.
Compare with
Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04