Makes›Buick›Encore›2015

2015 Buick Encore

Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2015 models.

Buick Encore
Pictured: 2017 Buick Encore 'Preferred' 1.4L front 6.16.19. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Body styles
4dr SUV AWD, 4dr SUV FWD
Engines
1.4L 4-cyl turbo
Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
MPG (best)
28 combined · 25 city / 33 hwy
Length
168.1 in
Curb weight
3,236–3,358 lb
NHTSA rating
★★★★★
Recalls
4 campaigns

Pros & cons

What's good

  • Excellent fuel economyUp to 28 MPG combined — 17% better than the average 2015 small SUV (24 MPG).
  • AWD / 4WD available
  • 5-star NHTSA safety ratingTop overall score in federal crash tests.

Watch out for

No weak spots against similar models in the data.

Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 10 similar 2015 models — not a review. How we calculate this →

Overview

The 2015 Buick Encore is a small SUV offered with a 1.4L 4-cyl turbo engine and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

It measures about 168 inches long and 70 inches wide on a 101-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 3,358 lb (4dr SUV AWD).

EPA rates its most efficient version at 28 MPG combined (25 city / 33 highway), 17% better than the 2015 small SUV average of 24 MPG, for an estimated $2,400 a year in fuel.

In NHTSA crash testing it earned the top 5-star overall rating.

It has 4 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 124 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the electrical system.

What changed for 2015

No changes to engines, powertrains, drivetrains, size, EPA ratings or NHTSA crash rating compared with the 2014 Encore — a carry-over year in the data.

Compared with 2014; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2014 Encore →

Dimensions & weight

BodyLengthWidthHeightWheelbaseTrack F / RCurb weightWeight F/R
4dr SUV AWD168.1 in69.7 in65 in100.8 in60.6 / 60.6 in3,358 lb60/40
4dr SUV FWD168.1 in69.7 in65 in100.8 in60.6 / 60.6 in3,236 lb60/40

Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.

Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →

Engines, MPG & running costs

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCity / Hwy / Combvs. classFuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Encore1.4L 4-cyl turboAutomatic (S6)Front-Wheel Drive25 / 33 / 28+17%$2,400320
Encore AWD1.4L 4-cyl turboAutomatic (S6)All-Wheel Drive23 / 30 / 26+15%$2,600348
7/10EPA fuel economy score (best version)
7/10EPA greenhouse gas score
Spend $1,000Fuel over 5 years vs. average new car
24 MPG2015 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD average

EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2015 EPA class average. How we calculate this →

Safety ratings & technology

VersionOverallFrontalDriver / passengerSideSide poleRolloverRollover risk
2015 Buick Encore SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★5★ / 5★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★19.8%
2015 Buick Encore SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★5★ / 5★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★17.9%
StandardElectronic stability control
OptionalForward collision warning
OptionalLane departure warning
Frontal crash test — 2015 Buick Encore SUV FWD
Frontal crash test — 2015 Buick Encore SUV FWD. Photo: NHTSA.
Side crash test — 2015 Buick Encore SUV FWD
Side crash test — 2015 Buick Encore SUV FWD. Photo: NHTSA.

Similar 2015 small SUVs

ModelBest MPG / rangeNHTSA overallRecalls
2015 Buick Encore (this car)28 MPG★★★★★4
2015 Hyundai Tucson25 MPG★★★★★2
2015 Volkswagen Tiguan23 MPG★★★★★4
2015 Kia Sportage23 MPG★★★★★2
2015 Jeep Compass25 MPGNot rated1
2015 Subaru Crosstrek31 MPGNot rated1
2015 Chevrolet Trax29 MPG★★★★★7

Recalls (4)

Air Bags › Frontal · Jul 10, 2017

NHTSA campaign 17V437000 · 40,683 vehicles

Problem
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk
A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Fix
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.
Seat Belts › Pretensioner · Sep 8, 2016

NHTSA campaign 16V651000 · 3,640,162 vehicles

Problem
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk
A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Fix
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
Equipment › Other › Labels · Mar 20, 2015

NHTSA campaign 15V162000 · 19,831 vehicles

Problem
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured August 26, 2014, to February 9, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Trax vehicles manufactured October 13, 2014, to February 3, 2015. The affected vehicles have tire placards that do not provide the rim size information for the front or rear wheels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims and Motor Home/Recreation Vehicle Trailer Load Carrying Capacity Information for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less."
Risk
If the label is missing front and rear rim size information, the owner may replace the rims with ones that are an incorrect size, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix
GM will notify owners, and will send owners a corrected label, free of charge. The recall April 29, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15166.
Steering › Electric Power Assist System · Mar 13, 2015

NHTSA campaign 15V146000 · 2,295 vehicles

Problem
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured November 27, 2014, to February 24, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Trax vehicles manufactured November 18, 2014, to February 17, 2015. The steering column assembly housing may contact the power steering printed circuit board causing the circuit board to wear.
Risk
The circuit board wear may cause a sudden loss of electric power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the steering column assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 24, 2015. 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 15168.
Check your VIN for open recalls at NHTSA ↗

Not every 2015 Buick Encore is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.

Owner-reported problems

124Complaints to NHTSA since 2015
6Involved a crash
2Involved a fire
7Injuries reported
33,200 miTypical mileage at failure
Electrical System30
Engine29
Steering27
Service Brakes20
Air Bags16
Unknown Or Other15
Power Train11
Fuel/Propulsion System7
Complaints received per month (last 24 months with reports)
22/04: 122/05: 122/07: 122/12: 323/02: 123/03: 123/04: 123/07: 123/08: 123/10: 123/11: 324/01: 224/02: 224/04: 124/07: 224/08: 224/11: 325/01: 125/07: 125/08: 125/09: 126/05: 126/06: 226/07: 122/0422/1223/0423/1024/0224/0825/0726/05max 3

Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.

Used 2015 Buick Encore buyer's checklist

  1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 4 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
  2. Electrical System — 30 owner reports. Test every window, lock, light, screen and USB port; check the battery age.
  3. Engine — 29 owner reports. Cold-start the engine, listen for knocking, and watch for warning lights or hesitation on acceleration.
  4. Steering — 27 owner reports. Turn lock-to-lock while parked and on the road; listen for noises and feel for heavy or loose steering.
  5. Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 33,200 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
  6. Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.

Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2015 Buick Encore. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.

Other Encore years

Compare all years →
YearMPG (best)LengthOverallRecallsComplaints
2026 Encore30171.3 inNot rated14
2025 Encore30171.3 inNot rated115
2024 Encore30168.1 inNot rated233
2023 Encore30168.1 inNot rated028
2022 Encore30168.1 in★★★★★142
2021 Encore31168.1 in★★★★★262
2020 Encore31168.1 in★★★★★489
2019 Encore28168.1 in★★★★★288
2018 Encore30168.1 in★★★★★074
2017 Encore30168.1 in★★★★★290
2016 Encore30168.1 in★★★★★280
2014 Encore28168.1 in★★★★★456

Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Buick. How we calculate this →