Compare the2021 Kia SportageVS 2021 Buick Encore

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Sportage has standard Forward Collision Assist, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The Encore offers an available collision warning system without the automated brake feature that would prevent or reduce the collision if the driver fails to react.

The Sportage’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Encore doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sportage and the Encore have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sportage the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 108 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Encore last would have qualified as a “Top Pick” in 2016.

Warranty

The Sportage comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Encore’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year and 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sportage 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Buick covers the Encore. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Encore ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Sportage has a standard 140-amp alternator (150-amp - Sportage SX Turbo AWD). The Encore’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Sportage has a standard 600-amp battery. The Encore’s 438-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sportage second among compact suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Encore was rated third in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Buick vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Buick is ranked 7th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ December 2019 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 9 places higher in reliability than Buick.

Engine

The Sportage’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 43 more horsepower (181 vs. 138) and 27 lbs.-ft. more torque (175 vs. 148) than the Encore’s 1.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Sportage SX Turbo’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 99 more horsepower (237 vs. 138) and 112 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 148) than the Encore’s 1.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Sportage SX Turbo’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 102 more horsepower (240 vs. 138) and 112 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 148) than the Encore’s 1.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Sportage 4 cyl. is faster than the Buick Encore:

	Sportage	Encore
Zero to 60 MPH	8 sec	9.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16.3 sec	17.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86.4 MPH	79.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Sportage has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Encore (16.4 vs. 14 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Sportage’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Encore:

	Sportage LX/S/EX	Sportage SX Turbo	Encore
Front Rotors	12 inches	12.6 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	11.9 inches	10.6 inches

The Sportage stops shorter than the Encore:

	Sportage	Encore
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	131 feet	134 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Sportage has larger standard tires than the Encore (225/60R17 vs. 215/55R18). The Sportage SX Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Encore (245/45R19 vs. 215/55R18).

The Sportage SX Turbo’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Encore’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sportage SX Turbo has standard 19-inch wheels. The Encore’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Kia Sportage has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Buick Encore has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Sportage has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Sportage flat and controlled during cornering. The Encore’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sportage’s wheelbase is 4.5 inches longer than on the Encore (105.1 inches vs. 100.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sportage is 2.7 inches wider in the front and 3.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Encore.

The Sportage SX Turbo AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Encore pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Sportage SX Turbo AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.8 seconds quicker than the Encore AWD (26.8 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 29.6 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sportage’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Encore’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Sportage has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Encore (6.8 vs. 6.2 inches), allowing the Sportage to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Sportage has 5.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Encore (98.6 vs. 92.8).

The Sportage has .7 inches more front legroom, 2.6 inches more front hip room, 2.9 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 2.4 inches more rear legroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Encore.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Sportage’s rear seats recline. The Encore’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Encore with its rear seat up (30.7 vs. 18.8 cubic feet). The Sportage has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Encore with its rear seat folded (60.1 vs. 48.4 cubic feet).

The Sportage’s cargo area is larger than the Encore’s in almost every dimension:

	Sportage	Encore
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	33.4”/68.2”	28.5”/55.8”
Max Width	52.3”	39.5”
Min Width	41”	36”
Height	29.5”	31.8”

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sportage EX/SX Turbo’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Sportage’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Encore doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The Sportage has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Encore has no towing capacity.

Ergonomics

The Sportage has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and fuel theft. The Encore doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Sportage to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Encore doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Consumer Reports rated the Sportage’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Encore’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Sportage detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Encore doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

The Sportage’s optional rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Encore doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

The Sportage offers optional heated front seats, which keep the driver and front passenger extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the Encore.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Sportage (except S/LX) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Encore doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Sportage’s optional (except S/LX) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Encore doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Sportage’s optional dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Encore doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Sportage’s optional automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Encore doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Both the Sportage and the Encore offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Sportage has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Encore doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Sportage (except LX) offers an optional Smart Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Encore doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Sportage (except LX) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Encore doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Sportage owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Sportage will cost $270 less than the Encore over a five-year period.

The Sportage will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Sportage will retain 45.89% to 49.54% of its original price after five years, while the Encore only retains 34.79% to 38.48%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Sportage is less expensive to operate than the Encore because typical repairs cost much less on the Sportage than the Encore, including $11 less for a water pump, $179 less for front brake pads, $40 less for a starter, $117 less for a fuel pump and $202 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

The Kia Sportage has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Sportage	Encore
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	TRUE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	TRUE

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