Used 2014 Buick Encore SUV Consumer Reviews

Dissatisfied with Encore, GM, and the Dealer!

We purchased our Encore brand new. After an initial "honeymoon period", we started having reliability issues. The car has now been repaired three times for suspension noise. It has gotten so bad that the Dealer & GM proposed a "Trade Assist" as they suggested we get rid of the car. Unfortunately the assistance wasn't much. We are very dissatisfied - we have spend endless time on the phone with GM and at the Dealer. I would highly recommend you consider another manufacturer!

Great Little Car

I purchased my Encore in September 2014 and I must say it is the best car I have ever owned. I am not one to like SUV's but needed something with AWD. This car sits up high like an SUV but drives like a small car. It does great in the rain and snow on curvy back roads. Gas mileage is great (average 26 mpg). As stated in many reviews, it is not a powerful car but it has the guts to get up on the highway at full speed. It has every comfort available and the safety features of a much more expensive vehicle. This is the best new car I have ever owned.

literally a vehicle sent from heaven

I purchased my Encore in May, 2014. I wanted a reliable car that would get good gas mileage and satisfactory performance. What I did not pay attention to was safety features but that has changed! I was driving this past Monday prior Thanksgiving and was driving near 70-mph at 10-pm when I fell completely asleep at the wheel. I rifled off the highway here north of Cincinnati and drove head on into a guard rail. I woke up to incredible jerking and twisting due to the collision which ripped guard rail posts, one-after-another, throwing me in a roller coaster ride. The car air bags erupted and the engine fell beneath me. I kicked open the passenger door and walked without harm!

Love this car! : 2 year update

2Year Update: This car has become a much loved vehicle. It's the Swiss Army knife of small SUVs. It does everything we want it to do. My husband drove it across the country last summer with our dog. It has been a great road trip car. Quiet and smooth. It also feels very lux inside. It holds way more than its small size indicates. For example, So we have hauled ( at different times) a power washer, a 55" TV, and 3 large dogs. It's very easy to fold both back and passenger seats. I would like it to get better mpg, but that's my only quibble. We have had no problems of any kind. I understand the new ones have push button start and improved rear camera with guidelines which improves an already great vehicle. I'd buy it again. I bought this car 2 months ago and we are both liking it more and more every day. I love a small car that's quiet and it has a high quality interior. Reviews about its lack of power are misleading. It has plenty of pep with the turbo and it actually gets better gas mileage than I thought it would. A joy to park in small spaces and I like the high seating position. For a small vehicle it feels quite roomy inside. It also handles well. We ar e empty nesters with 2 dogs and this is the perfect second vehicle for us.

Buick built a fancy Go Cart

What I mean is, while it's not the quickest to accelerate, our AWD Encore Premium gets out of its own way well enough. Active stability, ABS and AWD make it a hoot to drive in the snow. I haven't had a situation where it didn't just get going . Around corners in town, I can encourage a little bit of slide, but it corrects it immediately and brings the car to a solid heading. I can't say enough for its winter performance. Heated seats are HOT at the highest level and don't take long to get there and you can easily find a setting to turn it down to for long term driving comfort. Ours has a heated steering wheel as well, and as my wife said shortly after driving it "every car we buy from here on out is going to get expensive.." as in, heated steering wheel is no longer an option. It's like thumb warmers on a snowmobile. There are 4 zones that heat up, so you can find a good spot to heat your hands and maintain control, as well as off the zones to take a break. No adjustment on the level of heat though, would have liked to have that. Newer models have a touch screen infotainment center, but after a couple of days getting used to the large button layout and center control knob, setting up the radio as well as the personalizations this car has to offer was pretty easy to figure out, and fun to play with. Cargo space with the seats up is limited with the seats up, but it's tidy and tight and gives you plenty of room to do a weeks worth of grocery shopping for 2. I like that the Cargo cover stores in the vehicle just by sliding it up and down behind the back seat....great engineering Buick! Overall what put me on buying the Encore was the fuel mileage ( averaging 27 in the winter and fill ups are only 11.5 Gallons! ) and we are averaging 250 mil plus per tank. Currently the weather has been -35F with highs of -10 and it starts right up and takes very little time for the engine to warm up and get to heating the interior. The raw cost of replacement parts for the Encore are reasonably priced, particularly due to the fact that the Encore chassis is shared with 4 other models around the world...that helps keep the cost down. I did a lot of research before settling on this car, and owner reviews have been overwhelmingly positive for comfort and owner satisfaction. Long distance driving was a noted plus, which for us was important due to the desire to begin doing more out of state driving. The only real negatives I can give about this car is the lack luster performance of the motor and the buzzing noise you get out of small displacement 4 cylinder motors as they rev up. Buick does a pretty good job of insulating you from most of the noise, but the motor isn't going to inspire anyone with a penchant for performance or exhaust note, but it does sip fuel decently for an AWD potato. One other complaint would be rear visibility..the C pillars are pretty big, and the back window small. The rearview mirror is also small, but it gives a clear view of what you can see behind you. The side mirrors work well for viewing behind the left and right sides though, so if you are used to using your mirrors as they are intended, the rear C pillars become less of an annoyance. They all come with a rear parking camera anyway, so use it and the side mirrors and you'll do fine. I worried that the short wheel base might be a problem for stability as I found I wasn't a fan of 2 door Jeep wranglers when I had driven one, but it really doesn't affect the handling of the car at all. It's very nimble, the AWD system doesn't seem to impair the ability to maneuver tight radius turns either. I'm really trying to discuss negatives I've found with the car, but in reality, I'm really having to think hard of things I don't like about the car. If you can accept the size and understand the limitations that come with that and that 30+ mpg out of an AWD SUV (CUV) usually means sacrificing the power of a V6 or large displacement 4 cylinder, then you'll find yourself falling in love with the Encore. One last thing. I'm shy of 6 ft tall and 240lbs. My wife is short ( 5'5") and our driving positions are fairly close in this thing. If she drives my Bonneville and I get in afterwards, I have to move the seat before I can get it because it's so tight. The upright seating position in the Encore makes it so that I have very little to adjust when I drive it vs. my wife. We haven't even set up the memory seat positions we were adamant on getting when we were looking, so for you couples out there looking that are body size challenged between the two of you, you may find the Encore to be a really good fit. *update 8/1/2019 * Still happy with the encore. Have taken long trips and it's quiet and comfortable. *update 2/2020* Replaced turbo under warranty after driving in mountains. You'll know it if the turbo goes. *update 8/2020 still enjoy the car immensely. The only really clunky function is the voice assisted media center. I

2014 Buick Encore SUV

2014 Buick Encore White perl. About $32,000 before tax for full fully loaded premium AWD 2014 incluing cargo net, organiser, cargo floor, floor mats etc. I have driven it from Seattle to Los Angeles for a week mostly west coast 1 and 101 hwy. Here is what I felt after driving over 1400 miles. 1. Very comfy riding experience, also thx to the noise reduction technology. Stylish exterior and cute design good for 20s 30s female driver. 2. Despite of small suv size, it is roomy inside for 4 ppl. Cargo space is little tight though. 3. No problem merging hwy; however, no confident following another suv up on the mountain hills. I felt little embarrassing.

First Impression

Just bought this used at 23k miles. I'm 6'2" and there's plenty of room for me, front or back. For a 4 cylinder, acceleration was okay except for a slight lag. Handling is nimble with good steering response. Visibility is a problem out the back, especially with back seat passengers so learn to use the camera and side mirrors. Plenty of controls for the driver seat position, even lumbar support, but the seat was feeling a little hard after only an hour of highway driving. The main screen is bright and clear with intuitive controls. Only the driver gets an arm rest. It's odd, but there are only three vent configurations: foot, dash, and windshield. The interior has a refined appearance with a leather wrapped steering wheel and soft-touch dash. An auxiliary jack and USB are easily accessible. Plenty of storage bins and cubbies. The back seat has no air vents, but it does have pull-down drink holders. First impression: a nimble, fun-to-drive SUV that is unexpectedly roomy.

Excellent car, pass on the navigation

We are pleased with everything except the navigation. Worst GPS routing I have ever used. Hard to use as it is voice only and some names not recognized, also GM wants $140 to update map every year. Our TOM TOM comes with free lifetime map updates for less than one GM update -- and it is easier to use. The vehicle is exce;;ent for what we do, lots of long distance driving, a bit small on the inside but perfect for two. We will not use it for anything other than finding an address in town -- if it even can find the address. Do not waste your money on the navigation system. Spend $100 on a portable instead of $800 for the car system.

great little suv for the price

My wife didn't want a car or a large suv. The size is perfect. She's had the Encore for 6 years and she loves it. 100% happy. Going on Still a great little suv. Some paint fading and one rust spot on the door. No mechanical issues yet at 98,000 miles.

Give it an Encore for getting in and out!

My first experience was getting in and out of my Encore. What a treat that was! I am used to driving in a 2005 Chevy Cavalier. I always had to clime off of the floor of that car. I deliver pizza's for Domino's Pizza, and I can deliver up to 30 deliveries in an 8 hour day. That's a total of 60 times I had to crawl out of that car, and hit my head on the roof getting in, and out of that car. But enough of the Cavalier. Now I finally found my ''Dream Vehicle'' for delivering. Easy in and out. I just step in, and out with no effort at all. I am impressed. Just Imagine having to just step out of the car now. My knees, and back are thanking me to the hilt! Other wise it is a Quiet and comfortable car to drive. The handling is perfect. I need to make sudden U-Turns in my job, and this car can do them on the dime. Did I mention Quiet? Wow! It's Buick Quiet all right. I stopped at a traffic light to make a left turn the other day, and a car stopped next to me in the right lane. Business as usual right? Well I turned to look out my passenger window, and I saw the lady next to me get out of her car, and go to the rear or her car. She was mad all heck about something. Then I realized another car had hit her from behind. The other car behind her was smashed into her car. To think I didn't even hear a thing. Now that's what I call Buick Quiet! Any way, I love my Buick Encore. And I recommend it for all the people that need head room, leg room, easy in and out, and a car with all the fetchers you would ever want for comfort, and safety. Tell them Dan ''The Pizza Man'' sent you!

WHAT A RIDE!!

I've had this car for 3 years and I do not have any major complaints. It's a peppy little thing and the steering is very responsive. Gas mileage is good. Storage space is good. Everything about this car is excellent.

Several small issues

There are several small issues with the car, mostly electrical: 1) The entertainment system has locked up many times. The screen will not change, and I cannot control anything (change channels, volume, etc). It will restart on it's own after driving for about 5 minutes. 2) The tire pressure monitoring system was reversed. The pressure of the front right tire was actually the pressure of the rear right tire and vice versa. Same thing on the left side. 3) When I used Bluetooth voice command to call a number of someone not already in my phone, it reversed the 2nd and 3rd digits. (i.e. call "928-xxx-xxxx" and it would call "982-xxx-xxxx". 4) The blind spot alerts have stopped working on multiple occasions. I read this sometimes happens with snow or rain, but it was not inclement weather when this happened to me. 5) The AC fan started making a squeaking sound. I was able to get this replaced prior to it going out of warranty. Other than this, the car is ok, it just has very little power.

I'm a late Buick adopter!

I bought my certified pre-owned Encore with 6,000 miles on it 2 months ago. I commute 80 miles to work each day and this vehicle is so comfortable and handles like a charm! I constantly get compliments on my Encore and how fancy it looks. The only cons that I have about it are, as mentioned in other reviews, it doesn't have the pep you'd expect with turbo; I find that braking isn't as good as I thought it should be; and rear view visibility is impaired by the back seat headrests. I love SUVs and have previously owned several Subaru SUVs and the Buick is a class above them in that it handles better, is sooo comfortable for my long commute, and looks great!

This car saved my life

I had owned my baby (which I nicknamed Rainy) for a little under 8 months, until someone decided to run a red light right infront of me at 50 mph. Miraculously, both me and my friend are alive, unscratched- all because of this car. This car, quite literally, saved our lives. I cannot express how safe this car is and how grateful I am to have had this car. Rainy may be no longer, but I will always remember it as the car that saved our lives.

An excellent buy for an commuter/urban vehicle

My car came with zero flaws. Great build quality. I have probably bought 20 or so new cars over my lifetime and none came as flawless as this one. First oil change due now after about 5,000 miles. I have not been back to the dealer since I bought it in June.

Nice quiet ride

Excellent buy - check for visibility.

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Loved this car and knew it was exactly what I wanted the very first time I saw it. My only regret is that I did not order the AWD and chrome wheels. I love it!! I have since traded my 2014 for a low milage 2015 with AWD and I could not be happier. I just love the Encore. The size is perfect for me, love the performance, the smoooooth ride and the good looks. I recently picked up three friends at the airport. Plenty of room for three gals and all their luggage.

Was in love with my little AWD encore until......

I have enjoyed owning and driving this car overall. The visibility is not that great, but it does have a back up camera and blind spot detection so that helps. For a very small car with a 1.4L engine it is pretty zippy from a stop so that is nice. Never felt like it bogged down like some of these cars can. I have put about 30,000 miles on the car since owning it and have had regular maintenance done ( great systems for reminders built in to car). One day last week my engine went out in rush hour traffic. No warning, no lights, no nothing. It was working one minute and then the next just unable to excelerate and TONS of white smoke. Luckily I was able to pull off as I was in the outer lane and could coast. AAA picked me up and took us to the dealer for repair. Still under warranty so no problem there and everyone was nice, helpful and got me in a rental and on my way quickly. About 3 days later they called me with the news that there is a factory defect in the 3rd piston that caused it to break unexpectedly. They are currently replacing all 4 pistons and SAID that they checked all other parts in the engine and everything else looks fine......I am not convinced as that amount of smoke had to cause some type of damage to the rest of the engine. I won't get my car back for several more days, but now I am terrified to drive it and afraid that they will just draw it out until the warranty runs out. I am not basing this on anything but fear as they have been great so far. Mine is a 2014 model - not basic but also not fully loaded. One of the cutest cars on the road in this class, but now I am afraid of it. Ugh. Update: I no longer own this car. I went through some post tramatic stress after it almost got me killed by dying on the freeway when the pistons blew on the engine. It was a manufacturing defect and they replaced the pistons but not the engine so, I traded it in on a different car. Hopefully it's next owner has better luck with it.

Buick.....come on :/

So went to the dealer looking to upgrade to a little suv. Now I have had my eye on these encores for a while so I test drove one, it was really nice. Pearl white, roof rack, top tier of the selections and 40,000 miles. I did my research before pulling the trigger, How wrong I was, I am glade I bought the 100,00 0 mile warranty. Took it 6 miles from dealer ship to my friends, parked it, showed it off and then went to leave.....it turned on with the check engine light and then just stopped working. After getting it towed by the dealership and having them look at it they told me it was emc and it could be replaced and it would be good to go. (Laughing) yea got it from the Buick service and made it to their sign when,it died,again. Same thing emc and about 4 pages of error codes later, I returned to the dealership with keys in hand. Thankfully I had a 5 day money back garentee so I was covered, however if you are buying this vehical.....don’t.

Great vehicle but tight inside

This is a great car but its really small and compact if you are looking for closeness with your passengers then this is the car for you. Has everything in the car you would want but feel like riding in a bubble.

Do not buy this car!

I have Encore base for 7 months and it has about 6K miles now. It is a comfortable car, but all positives ends here. Performance is mediocre. Driving it is a nightmare: I experience automatic transmission issues at times. Gears are switching erratically and incorrectly, the car is shaking. Dealer is reluctant to do anything: they just cannot duplicate the problem. Build quality is horrible: I did have a problem with shock absorber, it took me 4 visits to dealer to fix it. Do not buy this car under any circumstances!

Love Hate Relationship

I purchased my 2014 Buick Encore about a year ago, and it was a great car for about 8 months.... I noticed a coolant leak which I was told was in the turbo. No mechanic could find the leak. Around month 10, all of a sudden my car started shaking when I braked, high pitch screech from engine, constant check engine light, started to stall when I accelerated. This car only has 40,000 miles on it. Everything about the car was great, until it wasn’t.

What a pain

While it was still under warranty it had two oil leaks and awd would shut off when there was any wheel spin. Since the warranty has expired.....three more oil leaks (different spots), broken springs rattling suspension and a cracked differential. It sounds like an abused car but really its not. I drive 25 miles to work everyday on newly paved highway. No off roading! I have 83000 miles on it and I have been so disappointed in this car. A co-worker had the same vehicle and she also had oil leaks.

Great vehicle

I've really enjoyed the vehicle, it has been a worry free vehicle. The comfort and performance of the vehicle has been good.

The Ruby Red Contessa

In May 21, 2020 my beautiful 2014 Buick Encore that had under 35,000 miles, was beat to a bloody pulp in a Texas hailstorm that had golf ball to baseball sized hail. The Insurance totaled it out and took it away. The only place that didn’t have deep hail dents was the driver’s side door. I haven’t replaced it and may not since I have free access to handicapped transportation.

Love my encore

Love my 2014 Encore. Naysayers should drive it!

I am an active older woman, and my husband and I wanted to buy a vehicle with some luxury touches, a higher seating position and a quiet interior. I kept looking at the Encore and being put off by reviews saying that the engine is too small, it’s slow etc. But when I actually test drove an Encore Leather, I was hooked. No problems merging on to the highway or driving on hills. The turbocharged engine managed just fine. Have driven it for 3 mths mostly in town with a few trips on the highway, and one in Rocky Mountain Nat. Pk. There, the car purred quietly up and down the snowy and sometimes slippery mountain roads and I could easily control the downhill speed in the Manual range.

3rd Valve Cover Gasket

I purchased this car in September 2014 and I really enjoy it. The gas milage is great. It is sporty, it is versatile and on trend. It is now February 2020 and I have had to replace 3 valve cover gaskets and each repair is upwards of $300.00. There must be a defect in the engineering and its very frustrating. When the valve cover needs to replaced the engine light comes on, the car drives rough and sputters like it is going to shut off. At this moment the car has only 101,564 miles.

Efficient, Stylish, Small

Bought the Leather AWD Feb. 2014 and I currently have 65,000+ miles on mine. Great commuter car. I drive 12 miles (no highway) in/out of Boston for work. Easy to maneuver. Easy to park. Excellent milage. Quiet engine. Love my sunroof. No outstanding maintenance issues so far - regular wear and tear stuff. Although there is plenty of room in the back seat for friends, this car struggles to move through the gears with the weight of 4 adults on hilly New England highways. It's perfect for a driver and a passenger on a road trip. The back seats easily fold flat for luggage, coolers, golf clubs and beach umbrellas. Love the profile; especially the waterfall grill. So bummed the external profile changed. I would honestly buy this car all over again if they ever bring back the original profile with the waterfall grill.

Junk!!!!

My Buick encore only had 81,000 miles on it and the transmission went out July 2023 and now we are in this December 2023 and I am told now I need a manifold as they are common problems for cracking. I thought it was a squeal from a pulley or loose belt, but then told it was a crack, making the noise. Also, I was told the valve cover would need to be replaced. Another thousand dollars after already putting a transmission in. I've had better luck with old beaters with over 200,000 miles on them. I think I'll stick with the old cars. New vehicles with under 100,000 miles on them should be purring like a kitten. I will never buy another Buick no matter what year it is.

2014 Encore is a money pit

Be sure to get an extended warranty on the Encore if you plan to keep it very long. Mine has constant MAJOR repairs since I passed 80,000 miles.

Mother in-laws Car My Foot!

Do research about the dealership and cost along with push back a pushy salesman. The once upon a time in disclosing that the car "used to belong" is just about the best way to turn around and leave any dealership. I have owned my car for 11 month and in the beginning it was just want I wanted. although the price in paying off the mother in laws issues is not worth it, I felt I could afford the thing which has turned in the creature from the black lagoon. I have had it towed to two different Buick dealerships 6 times and i just waiting for the 7th the pop up any day now. The service departments have replaced the batteries 4 times and one was a call back and I don't even remember what the other issue was. None-the-less the surgical attempts failed and I am stuck with the grayest lemon in the city of Massillon, Ohio. I have reviewed several other reviews from individuals who shared having the same problem and the results were the same unresolved by Mr. GM and the dealership. At one point, there was contact with the dealership that was made but being told to take it somewhere that services Buick was fine, but no offers of support were ever issued. You know you have a semi-lemon (semi because it will work on occasion) When a opening statement of regret starts as "Well." Alright you have been had kiddo, lights out, party's' over, pig's on the griddle and you have been cooked. Why is there not a legitimate complaint division for cars? and true justice for a lemon. Yes I do I understand the lemon law but who's to listen. Such unrequited trust in what we count as justice, until those who we count on to deliver justice is wearing our size 9.5's. If I don't express my feeling I would probably break and drive it right down GM's you know what.

Favorite Car

Absolutely Love this Car. Addictive to drive. Blows away the whole field of SUVs

good review

For a small SUV it handles very well and gets good gas mileage 30+ for an AWD. Ride is comfortable, handles 4 grownups in comfort.

Underwhelmed

Burnt valve at 53000, water pump replaced and oil pan resealed at 65000, water outlet replaced at 73000,still has an oil leak probably from the turbo. Convinced not to buy another Buick Encore.

TERRIBLE SUV

I hate this car its in the shop as I’m typing this this will be the 5th time thank god I bought the warranty I have had oil leaks AWD go out when it’s cold. water pump, oil cooler, 2 catalytic converter’s. I’m getting the turbo changed because they think it’s was leaking oil into the catalytic converter. Ball joints and stability bar 🙄 will never buy a Buick SUV again I’ll spend the 50k for a front runner……. I wish

WORST SUV OF ALL TIME

If you want to spend your days going back and forth to dealerships to fix the multitude of problems-- this suv is for you. Every possible thing that can go wrong will. Buick should be ashamed for making such a [non-permissible content removed] suv. I will absolutely NEVER EVER BUY A BUICK AGAIN. I bought this with under 10,000 miles and have had issues since day 1. The dealerships don't even know how to fix these awful SUVs and it typically takes 3 or more visits to get 1 issue resolved... so that you get a couple of weeks break before the next issue. LEMONS.

Blown head gasket

GARBAGE. This pile of junk blew a head gasket before 30k miles. Now the front end is shot. I’m referring to a 2014 and couldn’t be more displeased. Rattle box trash. Good job GM.

Bad Buick

I’ve owned over a dozen Buick/Oldsmobiles over the years and this is the absolute worst Buick I have ever owned. I bought it in 2017 with 36,000 miles on it and have taken it to the shop for several issues (thankfully under warranty). It’s had to have a new battery, the AWD had to have a software download because it quit working, one of the front struts went bad at 40,000 miles. It developed a coolant leak at 61,000 and needed a new turbo and water pump. The stereo has horrible sound and the Bluetooth often doesn’t work right. I have to keep trying to get it to understand who to call. Also the blind spot warning is glitchy and often stops working. The steering is too sensitive and there is a huge blind spot in the rear and a huge pedestrian hiding blind spot in the front door posts. It’s zippy to drive, but kinda gutless at 0-60. The only good things about this car is that it gets amazing gas mileage, holds a lot of junk, and is comfortable in long trips. I was hoping to be able to keep this car for five years or more, but that isn’t going to happen. I’m done with GM cars. I’m switching to Toyota.

More dissatisfied with this car

I got rid of the car, the steering wheel column had to be replaced. I had the turn the car off n on until it moved. It was costing me a fortune! I purchased a part for the passenger side roof, in front of the racks. This piece as big as a ruler cost me 31.00. I’m hoping this one doesn’t fall out! My radio jumps from aux to radio now and I don’t even have 90,000 km. on the car. I believe I bought a brand new lemon! I will never buy another Buick!

Under powered no quality

Just don't waste your time nor money on a GM product. Same old story from the 80 when we purchased. Suburban. Brought it in for an oil change and the service yech disconnected the sensor and only added 2 quarts of oil. Oh yea, sure as expected, seized up before we got home. Only thing that changes with GM is the name of finance decision to cover up crooked past and the year they do it in.