5-Star Safety Rating for the 2021 Buick Encore
Photo: General Motors
When it comes to beloved Buick vehicles, it’s hard to beat the Encore. The crossover SUV was expected to be overshadowed by its larger, more technologically-loaded sibling: the Encore GX. However, despite being smaller and lacking in many of the GX’s entertainment and safety features, the original version continues to impress. The 2021 Encore was recently awarded a 5-Star Safety Rating, further cementing its relevancy in the face of its competition.
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The 2021 Encore’s 5-Star Safety Rating
The success of the 2021 Buick Encore is especially impressive when its safety tech is compared to that of the 2021 Encore GX. In addition to more cabin space, the Encore GX also boasts automatic emergency braking, various lane departure warnings, and pedestrian detection. These features are expected to be standard across most automakers’ vehicle output by the time the 2022 model year rolls around. The 2021 Encore lacks these features, and may very well be the last vehicle of its kind to not include these soon-to-be-standard safety options.
Despite this, the 2021 Encore still drove away with a 5-Star Safety Rating. The SUV crossover aced all of the NHTSA’s crash tests, save for the rollover test. Due to their taller ride height, a 4-Star Rating on this test is common for SUVs, so this lower performance didn’t hurt the Encore’s overall rating. The Encore’s safety features were granted a “Basic” rating by the IIHS, giving it another passing grade. Even with the superiority of the 2021 Encore GX taking the spotlight, the original Encore still managed to prove its worth.
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When the Encore GX launched, it was expected to be an easy replacement for the standard Encore. But the smaller SUV has proven to have far more staying power than Buick anticipated. It’s unclear how long the Encore nameplate will continue to coexist with its GX sibling, but in terms of safety performance, it seems that there is currently room enough on the road for both.
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