When most buyers start hunting for a reliable SUV, they usually end up looking at the same handful of Japanese models. The Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V have built such strong reputations over the years that plenty of people never even consider anything else.
Meanwhile, one small American SUV has quietly been doing the exact thing buyers want most: starting every morning, staying cheap to run, and avoiding major headaches. It doesn’t get much attention, but its reliability scores are strong enough to put some far more popular rivals on notice.
The Buick Encore may not be the flashiest SUV on the road, but simple engineering, low ownership costs, and a surprisingly refined cabin make it a much smarter buy than most people realize.
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The Buick SUV nobody takes seriously
Why the Encore quietly outlasts its rivals
Among American SUVs, the 2021 Buick Encore is one of the quiet standouts for reliability. It’s even scored higher in dependability than some similar compact SUVs from Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai.
The Encore was never meant to be flashy—it was built as an affordable, easygoing option in the subcompact SUV space. In 2021, pricing started around $24,395, with simple trims like the base Encore and Encore Preferred, while the slightly larger Encore GX sat just above it with more equipment and trims like Select and Essence.
J.D. Power puts it ahead of every small SUV in 2021
According to J.D. Power, the 2021 Encore GX scores a solid 83 out of 100, but the standard Encore goes a lot higher at 91 for quality and reliability.
To put that in context, well-known subcompact SUVs like the Toyota C-HR, Chevrolet Trax, Kia Soul, Subaru Crosstrek, Chevy Trailblazer, and Hyundai Venue all come in lower. Even the 2021 Honda CR-V sits at 82, which puts the Encore comfortably ahead of a lot of the usual “safe bets.”
|
Model |
2021 Toyota CH-R |
2021 Chevrolet Trax |
2021 Kia Soul |
2021 Subaru Crosstrek |
2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer |
2021 Hyundai Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
J.D. Power reliability rating |
90/100 |
89/100 |
88/100 |
85/100 |
84/100 |
83/100 |
Owner reviews back it up too
On Kelley Blue Book, about 75 percent of owners say they’d recommend the 2021 Encore, based on 229 reviews. It lands at a solid 4 out of 5 overall, which isn’t class-leading, but it’s backed by a pretty decent sample size.
Dig a bit deeper and the ratings stay consistently strong: 4.0 for performance, 4.1 for value and reliability, 4.2 for comfort, and 4.3 for styling. Plenty of owners also report pushing past 100,000 miles with nothing more than basic maintenance along the way.
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Why the 2021 Buick Encore punches above its weight
Simple parts, low stress engineering, and a reputation that outlasts expectations
Sometimes the simplest choice really does turn out to be the best one, and that’s pretty much the Encore in a nutshell. It only gets one engine option (and the Encore GX uses something different), keeping things refreshingly straightforward.
It’s a small turbo-four that isn’t trying to be fast or fancy, but it’s tuned for easy, low-stress driving. Here’s what you’re working with under the hood in the 2021 Encore.
- Base Trim Engine
-
1.4L Turbo Inline-4 Gas
- Base Trim Transmission
-
6-Speed Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
155 hp
- Base Trim Torque
-
177 lb-ft @ 2000-4000 rpm
- Fuel Economy
-
24/32 MPG
- Make
-
Buick
- Model
-
Encore
- Segment
-
Subcompact Luxury SUV
Front-wheel drive was standard, though some used Preferred trims also came with optional AWD if you want a bit more grip. This isn’t a quick SUV by any stretch, with 0–60 coming in around 9.7 seconds.
But straight-line speed isn’t really the point here—this is all about steady, everyday reliability and getting on with the job without drama.
Simple engineering, fewer long-term headaches
A big part of the 2021 Encore’s reliability comes down to how conservative the engineering is. By the time this model year rolled around, most of the major hardware had already been around for years and proven across multiple GM vehicles.
The 1.4-liter turbocharged Ecotec inline-four is part of GM’s long-running LUV engine family, used in cars like the Chevy Cruze, Sonic, Trax, and earlier Encore models. That long run matters here because a lot of the early issues—like oil consumption problems, turbo wear, and PCV failures—had already been ironed out before the 2021 version came along.
Even more importantly, GM didn’t try to squeeze big power out of a small turbo-four here. With just 138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque, the setup is pretty conservatively tuned compared to modern small engines pushing well over 200 horsepower.
It uses a Garrett MGT turbo, and the whole thing is clearly geared more toward low-end drivability than performance. That means it’s usually running at fairly relaxed stress levels, which is exactly the kind of thing that helps it hold up better over high mileage.
Then there’s the transmission paired to it. Instead of going with a CVT or the newer nine-speed auto you’ll find in the Encore GX, the 2021 Encore sticks with GM’s Hydra-Matic 6T40 six-speed automatic.
By this point, the 6T40 was already a well-worn, widely used gearbox across GM’s lineup, with years of updates and plenty of parts support behind it. It’s not flashy or particularly quick to shift, but it’s smooth at low speeds and avoids the constant gear hunting you get with more complex modern setups.
For an everyday SUV like this, that kind of simplicity is a big reason it tends to hold up so well over time.
Proven GM reliability, no unnecessary complexity
If you’re after a massive touchscreen and a cabin full of tech, the Encore probably isn’t your thing. It was built before compact SUVs started getting overloaded with huge displays, touch-heavy controls, and layers of driver-assist systems and drive modes.
Even in the higher Preferred trim, things stay pretty simple with analog gauges, physical climate knobs, and a straightforward eight-inch Buick IntelliLink screen (seven-inch on the base model). There are still shortcuts and touch functions, but it’s far from the screen-heavy setups you see in newer SUVs.
Mechanically, the Encore follows the same simple, no-fuss approach. It rides on GM’s Gamma II platform, using a MacPherson strut setup up front and a torsion beam rear axle on FWD models, which leans more toward durability than sharp handling.
Even the AWD versions keep things fairly straightforward, using an electronically controlled coupling to bring in the rear wheels when needed instead of a more complex torque-vectoring system. That simplicity is a big part of why the Encore still feels solid today, even in a segment packed with more advanced compact SUVs.
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What it’s like to own a 2021 Buick Encore today
Cheap to run, easy to live with, and still surprisingly solid years later
Alongside its strong reliability scores and simple design, the 2021 Encore is still a pretty affordable small SUV on the used market. Based on Kelley Blue Book averages, you’re looking at around $14,400 for a base model and about $15,000 for the Preferred trim.
What makes it stand out a bit more is that it feels slightly more premium than a lot of other budget-friendly compact SUVs from the same era. You get things like thicker acoustic glass, decent sound insulation, and suspension tuned more for comfort than sharp handling.
For just a few hundred dollars extra, the Preferred trim also feels like the much better buy with its added equipment. It comes with push-button start, keyless entry, remote start, dual-zone climate control, and the larger infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also get a leatherette-and-cloth mix, softer-touch materials, and a cabin that avoids the harsh plastics you’ll find in a lot of other entry-level SUVs from the same era.
Small size, surprisingly versatile package
The 2021 Encore is compact in every sense, measuring 168.4 inches long, 70.1 inches wide, and 65.3 inches tall, with a 100.6-inch wheelbase. That makes it small enough to feel right at home in tight city streets and parking spots.
Even so, it doesn’t feel cramped inside, and there’s still enough space for passengers to stay comfortable. Here’s a look at the interior dimensions for the 2021 Encore.
|
Headroom |
Shoulder room |
Hip room |
Legroom |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Front/rear |
39.6 inches/38.8 inches |
54.2 inches/52.5 inches |
51.7 inches/50.0 inches |
40.8 inches/38.8 inches |
You also get 60:40 split-folding rear seats for a bit more flexibility when you need extra space. With everything up, there’s 18.8 cubic feet of cargo room, which opens up to 48.4 cubic feet when you fold the seats down.
There’s also a flat-folding front passenger seat, so you can slide in longer items when you really need to.
Low running costs keep the 2021 Encore easy to live with
RepairPal estimates the Encore will only cost about $466 a year in maintenance and gives it a solid 4 out of 5 reliability rating. They also report just 0.1 unscheduled repairs per year on average, compared to 0.4 for most other vehicles.
Fuel economy isn’t class-leading, but it holds its own for a small SUV. Front-wheel drive models return about 27 mpg combined (25 city/30 highway), while AWD versions come in at 26 mpg combined (24 city/29 highway), with a range of roughly 370 miles and annual fuel costs around $2,200 to $2,300.
The 2021 Encore works so well because it doesn’t try to be clever or over-engineered. It leans on tried-and-tested GM parts, keeps power outputs modest, and avoids the kind of complexity that tends to cause problems as cars get older.
Everything about it is intentionally simple, and while it’s not an exciting small SUV, it’s the kind that just gets on with the job without any drama. One Kelley Blue Book owner review pretty much sums up the whole experience.
We bought ours brand new in 2021. It has, to this date, April 2025, never let us down in any way. Easy to drive & Park. Easy on gas. Seats 4 comfortably. Nice hatch/trunk area. Nice big backup screen.
