How safe is the Buick Encore?
Drivers of the 2017–2020 Buick Encore died at a rate of 57 per million registered vehicle years, 46% higher than the average of 38 for all vehicles. That makes it riskier than most vehicles for its driver: it ranks 100th of 127 vehicles, safer than 21% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
This is the most recent IIHS data for this model, covering 2017–2020 models. It doesn't appear in the newer 2023 study, often because it was redesigned or discontinued.
Where the Buick Encore sits among all 127 vehicles
Buick Encore (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 38
The rate is based on plenty of data, so this ranking is reliable.
2WD vs. 4WD
IIHS rates each drivetrain separately. The score above combines them, weighting the version with more data more heavily.
| Version | Deaths* | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Buick Encore 2WD | 64 | 38–90 |
| Buick Encore 4WD | 45 | 12–77 |
Vehicles ranked near the Buick Encore
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97 | Honda FitWagon / minivan · Mini | 53 | 24 |
| 98 | Toyota CorollaCar · Small | 58 | 23 |
| 99 | Nissan Frontier Crew Cab short bedPickup · Small | 57 | 22 |
| 100 | Buick EncoreLuxury SUV · Small | 57 | 21 |
| 101 | Ford Mustang coupeSports car · Midsize | 59 | 21 |
| 102 | Ram 2500 Mega Cab 4WDPickup · Very large | 65 | 20 |
| 103 | Dodge ChargerCar · Large | 61 | 19 |
How it compares with other luxury SUVs
Among the 15 luxury SUVs ranked, the Buick Encore is 15th. The safest luxury SUVs are below. See all luxury SUVs.
| Luxury SUVs rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Audi Q5 4WDLuxury SUV · Midsize | 2 | 100 |
| 2 | Volvo XC90 4WDLuxury SUV · Midsize | 4 | 98 |
| 3 | BMW X3 4WDLuxury SUV · Midsize | 0 | 94 |
| 4 | Volvo XC60 4WDLuxury SUV · Midsize | 5 | 94 |
| 5 | Lexus RX 350Luxury SUV · Midsize | 6 | 93 |
| 15 | Buick EncoreLuxury SUV · Small | 57 | 21 |
Common questions
Is the Buick Encore a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Buick Encore is riskier than most vehicles for its driver. Its driver death rate of 57 per million registered vehicle years is 46% higher than the average, and it ranks 100th of 127 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Buick Encore compare with other luxury SUVs?
It ranks 15th of 15 luxury SUVs. The safest is the Audi Q5 4WD, with a rate of 2.
Is the 2WD or 4WD Buick Encore safer?
The 4WD version had the lower driver death rate (2WD: 64, 4WD: 45). Their ranges overlap, so the difference may be down to chance.
Why is this different from the Buick Encore's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.