Compare the2022 Kia SoulVS 2022 Buick Encore GX

The Soul’s optional 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 GX doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Soul and the Encore GX 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, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Soul is safer than the Buick Encore GX:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Soul is 3.2% to 3.8% less likely to roll over than the Encore GX.

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, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Soul the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 121 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Encore GX has not been tested, yet.

The Soul comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Encore GX’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Soul 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Buick covers the Encore GX. 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 GX ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Soul’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Encore GX’s camshafts. If the Encore GX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Soul has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Encore GX’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Soul first among small suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Encore GX isn’t in the top three 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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Buick is ranked fifth.

The Soul’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (147 vs. 137) than the Encore GX’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The Soul Turbo’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 46 more horsepower (201 vs. 155) and 21 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 174) than the Encore GX’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Soul is faster than the Buick Encore GX 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the Soul gets better fuel mileage than the Encore GX FWD:

The Soul has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Encore GX (14.3 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Soul offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is more internally efficient than a CVT but just as easy to drive. The Encore GX doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the Soul Turbo’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Encore GX:

The Soul stops much shorter than the Encore GX:

For better traction, the Soul X-Line/GT-Line/Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Encore GX (235/45R18 vs. 225/55R18).

The Soul X-Line/GT-Line/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 GX’s 55 series tires.

The Soul X-Line handles at .91 G’s, while the Encore GX Essence AWD pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Soul Turbo executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Encore GX AWD (26.8 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Soul’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Encore GX’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.8 feet).

The Soul is 6.2 inches shorter than the Encore GX, making the Soul easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Soul has 7.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Encore GX (102.2 vs. 94.3).

The Soul has .2 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 2.8 inches more rear legroom, 5.3 inches more rear hip room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Encore GX.

The front step up height for the Soul is 1.3 inches lower than the Encore GX (16.2” vs. 17.5”). The Soul’s rear step up height is .6 inches lower than the Encore GX’s (17.4” vs. 18”).

The Soul has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Encore GX with its rear seat up (24.2 vs. 23.5 cubic feet). The Soul has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Encore GX with its rear seat folded (62.1 vs. 50.2 cubic feet).

The Soul uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Encore GX uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

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