Should You Buy a Buick Crossover?

Pound for pound the Encore GX is the best crossover Buick has to offer—but the Enclave and Envision are giving the Encore a run for its money.
Written by Matt Nightingale
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
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From the powerful Enclave to the nimble Encore,
Buick
has four great crossovers to choose from. The Envision is a great choice for the driver who doesn’t want to have to choose between city and backroad driving.
If you want the sporty look and cargo space of an SUV combined with a smaller body and better fuel efficiency, a crossover is probably right up your alley. And Buick builds some of the most reliable crossovers around.
But, which Buick crossover is the best? Here to answer that very question is car insurance
super app
and crossover connoisseur
Jerry
. We’ll look at which Buick crossovers are best on fuel, which ones offer the best safety, and we’ll even show you have to save on your car insurance once you get one.

What crossovers does Buick have?

In addition to legendary sedans like the
Regal
, the
Roadmaster
, and the
Century
, Buick has begun to make a name for itself with an excellent line of crossovers. Here’s a look at what Buick brings to this wildly popular segment:
Model
Starting price
Type of crossover
Edmunds.com rating
Car and Driver rating
Enclave
$42,800
midsize
7.8/10
5.5/10
Encore
$24,600
subcompact
N/A
6.5/10
Encore GX
$24,200
small SUV
7.9/10
6.5/10
Envision
$31,800
small SUV
7.4/10
6.5/10

What’s the difference between crossovers and SUVs?

The main difference between crossovers and SUVs is that SUVs are built on truck chassis and crossovers are built on car chassis. Crossovers tend to be smaller and more affordable while traditional SUVs are generally roomier.
Although crossovers aren’t really SUVs in the technical sense, they still have the same utilitarian, sporty design as their bigger siblings, and they’re often marketed as SUVs.
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How powerful are Buick crossovers?

When it comes to power, names like
Ford
and
Porsche
likely spring to mind. But while Buick isn’t pumping out muscle cars or herculean heavy-duty pickups, they offer enough power to get you through the day.
Not all Buick crossovers are created equal, though. If you’re just looking to get from work to school to home, the Buick Encore will probably do you just fine. But if you need more power for off-road excursions and camping trips you might want to look higher up the Buick line-up to the Envision or the Enclave.
Here’s a look at the power ratings of all the crossovers in the Buick lineup:
Model
Horsepower
Torque
Towing capacity
Enclave
310
266 lb-ft
5,000 lbs
Encore
155
177 lb-ft
1,000 lbs
Encore GX
137–155
162–174 lb-ft
1,000 lbs
Envision
228
258 lb-ft
1,500 lbs
The Encore is the only Buick crossover model that offers more than one engine option, so you can add some power without having to jump up a level in Buick’s SUV lineup. That said, larger engines consume more gas, so if you upgrade your Encore GX to the available turbocharged 1.3-liter engine, expect to pay a little more at the pump.  

Are Buick crossovers good on gas?

If you take even a quick look at any list of the most fuel-efficient vehicles available, you’ll notice that the category is dominated by
Toyota
,
Honda
, and
Hyundai
. While Buick never really seems to be a contender for the fuel consumption crown, they’re no slouches either. 
Here’s a look at how Buick’s crossover lineup performs on highway and city streets:
Model
City
Highway
Combined
Enclave
18
26
21
Encore
24
32
27
Encore Gx
29
31
30
Envision
24
31
26
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With the exception of the Enclave, Buick’s crossovers score fairly well in terms of fuel efficiency, with average combined ratings falling in the high 20s. But Buick only makes traditional gas-powered engines, so their efficiency has limitations. If you want the most fuel-efficient crossover, look to a hybrid model such as the
Hyundai Tucson
PHEV or the
Toyota RAV4 Prime
—they get 80and 94 mpg, respectively.

Are Buick crossovers safe?

Buick’s crossovers have scored quite well on safety tests—all of the models received a “Good” rating from the IIHS, which is the top rating the organization gives. Buick crossovers are built with high-strength steel and feature front and side airbags, along with a host of available safety features such as:
  • Forward Collision Alert
  • Automatic Emergency Braking
  • Lane Keep Assist
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Following Distance Indicator
  • Automatic High Beam
  • Front Pedestrian Monitoring
The 2022 Buick Encore GX earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. Here is a look at the safety ratings for Buick's entire crossover lineup:
Model
NHTSA rating
IIHS rating
Recalls
Enclave
Not rated
Good
4
Encore
5 stars
Good
0
Encore GX
5 stars
Good
4
Envision
5 stars
Good
2

Are Buick crossovers reliable?

Buick really shines when it comes to quality and reliability—they consistently rank among the top five most reliable brands. In 2022, Buick ranked 2nd behind Kia in J.D. Power’s annual Vehicle Dependability Study.
According to RepairPal.com, the average annual repair cost for Buick models is $608 a year, which falls below the $652 annual average. According to the same source, Buick owners also average 0.3 annual repair shop visits for unexpected maintenance, which is better than the industry average of 0.4 shop visits.
Unfortunately, Buick doesn’t have the strongest warranty in the game. In 2021, the company reduced its 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain coverage to just 5 years or 50,000 miles, while bumper-to-bumper coverage has been reduced to 3 years/36,000 miles from 4 years or 50,000 miles.
Here are the full details of Buick’s warranty for the 2022 model year: 
  • 36,000 basic miles / 5 drivetrain years
  • 60,000 drivetrain miles / 5 roadside assistance years
  • 6 corrosion years / 60,000 roadside assistance miles
  • 3 corrosion years / 36,000 corrosion miles
  • 1 year / 1 visit maintenance note / 100,000 corrosion miles
With this new limited warranty, Buick buyers will just have to hope that the company continues to make quality reliable vehicles that stay out of the repair shop in the first place.

Which Buick crossover is best?

Ultimately, which Buick crossover is the best depends on your own needs and desires. That said, with high safety ratings, good fuel efficiency, and available engine upgrades, the Buick Encore GX is the most diverse offering in the Buick lineup.
The Encore GX has the most affordable entry point of any Buick SUV at $24,200, and it offers more space than the Encore base model. The GX also received a Top-Safety Pick from the IIHS and has the best fuel efficiency in the Buick SUV family.
But, if you’re looking for specific qualities, here are the models you should consider:
  • If you’re looking for an off-road vehicle, the Enclave sports a ground clearance of 7.5 inches and a 310 horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 with 266 pound-feet of torque.
  • If you’re looking for a city vehicle, your best bet is the Buick Encore, which has a city fuel efficiency rating of 32 mpg.
  • If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, the Buick Envision offers a combined fuel efficiency of 26 mpg in tandem with a 228 horsepower engine and a 1,500-pound towing capacity. 

The best way to save money on Buick insurance

Whether you plan on taking your new Buick crossover to the grocery store or the Grand Canyon, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got good car insurance coverage. And you can find the best rates on car insurance by using the
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FAQs

The Buick Envision is a crossover. Crossovers are distinguished by the fact that they are built on car chassis, while traditional SUVs are built upon truck chassis. However, crossovers tend to be marketed as SUVs.
The smallest Buick crossover is the Encore which has a total passenger volume of 92.8 cubic feet—slightly smaller than the Encore GX which sports a total passenger volume of 94.3 cubic feet.
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