Used car safety, rank #154 of 181
Buick Encore 2WD Safety Rating (2017-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2017-20 Buick Encore 2WD, a small luxury SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2017-20 Buick Encore 2WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 64 per million registered vehicle years against a small luxury SUVs average of 43.0, which is 49% above the class average. That places it #154 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 20.0/100.
What the Buick Encore death rate means
At 64 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Buick Encore 2WD is 49% worse than the small luxury SUVs average of 43.0. The 95% confidence interval is 38 to 90, which overlaps the class average, so some of the gap may be chance.
The other-driver death rate of 42 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Buick Encore. It is no higher than the Buick Encore's own driver death rate. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used luxury SUVs
The safest small luxury SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Buick Encore 2WD highlighted. It ranks 3 of the 3 shown; the class leader is the Mercedes-Benz GLA Class 4WD at a death rate of 20.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz GLA Class 4WD | 2017-20 | 20 (0 to 42) | 60.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Buick Encore 4WD | 2017-20 | 45 (12 to 77) | 33.7 | n/a | n/a |
| Buick Encore 2WD (this page) | 2017-20 | 64 (38 to 90) | 20.0 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for small luxury SUVs: 43.0 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Buick Encore
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Buick Encore we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Buick Encore GX | No award | 74.2 (provisional) |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 20.0 used-car score above.
Safety recalls for the Buick Encore 2WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
4 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering equipment, power train, service brakes, seats.
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Equipment: mechanical, accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift, stand
Risk: A fractured jack can cause the vehicle to collapse, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the jack, free of charge. Interim
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Power train: automatic transmission
Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020.
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Service brakes
Risk: If communication with the sensor is interrupted, the electronic brake boost assist could be lost. Extra pedal force will be required to slow and stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2020.
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Seats: critical fasteners
Risk: If an occupied front seat is missing the rear attachment bolts, it may move during a crash, increasing risk of injury to the occupant.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect seat attachments for both front seats and install attachment bolts as needed, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Buick Encore 2WD: Common Questions
Is the Buick Encore 2WD a safe car?
Not on this measure: its drivers died at a higher rate than its class average. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 64 per million registered vehicle years for the 2017-20 Buick Encore 2WD, 49% above the class average (43.0 for small luxury SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 20.0 out of 100 and rank #154 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Buick Encore 2WD driver death rate?
64 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 38 to 90. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Buick Encore died at a rate of 42 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2017-20 models.
How does the Buick Encore 2WD compare with other small luxury SUVs?
The small luxury SUVs class averages 43.0 driver deaths per million; the Buick Encore 2WD sits at 64. Among the 3 small luxury SUVs compared above it ranks 3 by safety score; the top of that group is the Mercedes-Benz GLA Class 4WD with a death rate of 20.