Compare the2022 Buick EncoreVS 2022 Porsche Macan

For enhanced safety, the front shoulder belts of the Buick Encore are height-adjustable, and the rear seat shoulder belts have child comfort guides to move the belt to properly fit children. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages children to buckle up. The Porsche Macan has only front height-adjustable seat belts.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Encore’s optional rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Macan doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

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

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Encore the rating of “Top Pick” for 2016, a rating granted to only 220 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Macan has not been tested, yet.

Buick’s powertrain warranty covers the Encore 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Porsche covers the Macan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Macan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 10 times as many Buick dealers as there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Encore’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Encore’s reliability 37 points higher than the Macan.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are better in initial quality than Porsche vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick 12th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Porsche is ranked 15th, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Porsche vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Buick fourth in reliability. Porsche is ranked 9th.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Buick Encore uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Macan requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Encore has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Macan doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Buick Encore higher (7 out of 10) than the Porsche Macan (5). This means the Encore produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Macan every 15,000 miles.

For better maneuverability, the Encore’s turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the Macan’s (36.7 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

The Buick Encore may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 to 1050 pounds less than the Porsche Macan.

The Encore is 1 foot, 5.7 inches shorter than the Macan, making the Encore easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Encore is 6 inches narrower than the Macan, making the Encore easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The Encore uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Macan doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Encore has a much larger cargo volume than the Macan with its rear seat up (18.8 vs. 17.2 cubic feet).

The Encore offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Macan doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Encore’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Macan’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Encore has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Macan only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Encore has standard extendable sun visors. The Macan doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Encore offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Macan doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Encore is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Macan doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Encore is less expensive to operate than the Macan because it costs $364 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Encore than the Macan, including $148 less for a water pump, $639 less for a muffler, $69 less for front brake pads, $293 less for a starter, $329 less for fuel injection, $96 less for a fuel pump, $382 less for front struts, $429 less for a timing belt/chain and $374 less for a power steering pump.

The Buick Encore has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

The Buick Encore outsold the Porsche Macan by almost five to one during the 2021 model year.