Model year 2021 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2021 Buick Encore: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2021 Buick Encore at 26–31 mpg combined across 7 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 62 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

26–31

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as ENCORE GX.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Buick dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2021 Buick Encore recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2021 Buick Encore, newest first.

Equipment: Mechanical: Accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift: Stand

NHTSA 21V440000 Reported Jun 10, 2021

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. A212335470)
Units affected: 135,400 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Buick Encore GX and 2021-2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The emergency jack, if not positioned as directed in the vehicle owner's manual, can fracture while in use.
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 owner notification letters informing owner of the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 26, 2021. A second notice will be mailed once remedy parts become available. 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 A212335470.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Service brakes

NHTSA 20V588000 Reported Sep 24, 2020

Filed by: General Motors, LLC (manufacturer recall no. A202307260)
Units affected: 3,677 (estimate)
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac CT4, CT5 and XT4, 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and 2020-2021 Buick Encore GX vehicles. Sensor connection contamination in the electronic brake boost system may cause an interruption of communication between the sensor and the brake boost system.
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. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is A202307260.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2021 Buick Encore fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2021 Buick Encore EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Encore AWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	24/29/26 mpg	$2,600	344
Encore AWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	23/30/26 mpg	$2,600	338
Encore FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	25/30/27 mpg	$2,500	329
Encore FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	24/32/27 mpg	$2,500	325
Encore GX AWD	1.3L 3-cyl turbo	Automatic 9-spd	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	26/29/28 mpg	$2,400	330
Encore GX FWD	1.2L 3-cyl turbo	Automatic	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	28/31/29 mpg	$2,300	302
Encore GX FWD	1.3L 3-cyl turbo	Automatic	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	30/32/31 mpg	$2,150	288

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2021 Buick Encore crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2021 Buick Encore NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2021 Buick Encore GX SUV AWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	17.9%	Standard
2021 Buick Encore GX SUV FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	18.5%	Standard
2021 Buick Encore SUV AWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	17.9%	Optional
2021 Buick Encore SUV FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	4 stars	19.8%	Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2021 Buick Encore owner complaints

Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Buick Encore, most recently on Sep 18, 2026. 2 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 5 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2021 Buick Encore complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	18
Power train	14
Service brakes	9
Fuel/propulsion system	7
Unknown or other	7
Electrical system	5
Air bags	2
Equipment	2
Vehicle speed control	2
Back over prevention	1

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Buick Encore model years

Buick Encore by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2026 Encore	27–30 mpg	1	4	5/5
2025 Encore	27–30 mpg	1	15	5/5
2024 Encore	27–30 mpg	2	33	5/5
2023 Encore	27–30 mpg	0	28	5/5
2022 Encore	26–30 mpg	1	42	5/5
2020 Encore	26–31 mpg	4	89	5/5
2019 Encore	26–28 mpg	2	88	5/5
2018 Encore	27–30 mpg	0	74	5/5
2017 Encore	27–30 mpg	2	90	5/5
2016 Encore	26–30 mpg	2	80	5/5
2015 Encore	26–28 mpg	4	124	5/5

All Buick Encore years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2021 Buick models

2021 Buick Enclave 2021 Buick Envision

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Buick.