Compare the2023 Mazda CX-50VS 2022 Buick Encore

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

Safety

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The CX-50 has standard Smart Brake Support, 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus has standard Smart Brake Support-Reverse that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Encore doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-50. But it costs extra on the Encore.

The CX-50’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Encore.

The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360° Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Encore only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-50 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Braking on the Turbo Premium Plus automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Buick charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Encore and the Encore’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

The CX-50’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 CX-50 and the Encore have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front 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 and rearview cameras.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CX-50 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Encore last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2016.

Warranty

The CX-50’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Encore’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Buick is ranked 11th.

Engine

The CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 32 more horsepower (187 vs. 155) and 9 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 177) than the Encore’s 1.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 101 more horsepower (256 vs. 155) and 143 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 177) than the Encore’s 1.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-50 4 cyl. is faster than the Buick Encore:

	CX-50	Encore
Zero to 60 MPH	8.5 sec	10.7 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	17.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	84.1 MPH	77.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CX-50 with its standard engine gets better fuel mileage than the Encore AWD (24 city/30 hwy vs. 23 city/30 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-50 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Encore doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the CX-50 Turbo’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Encore doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The CX-50 has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Encore (15.8 vs. 14 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CX-50’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Encore:

	CX-50	Encore
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	12.8 inches	10.6 inches

The CX-50 stops much shorter than the Encore:

	CX-50	Encore
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CX-50 has larger standard tires than the Encore (225/65R17 vs. 215/55R18). The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Encore (245/45R20 vs. 215/55R18).

The CX-50 Premium Plus/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 CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo has standard 20-inch wheels. The Encore’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-50’s wheelbase is 10.2 inches longer than on the Encore (110.8 inches vs. 100.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CX-50 is 4.4 inches wider in the front and 4.7 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Encore.

The CX-50 2.5 Turbo handles at .87 G’s, while the Encore pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-50 2.5 S executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Encore AWD (28 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 29.6 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-50’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Encore’s (36 feet vs. 36.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-50 has a 2.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Encore (8.3 vs. 6.2 inches), allowing the CX-50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-50 Premium/Turbo’s minimum ground clearance is 2.4 inches higher than on the Encore (8.6 vs. 6.2 inches).

Passenger Space

The CX-50 has 7.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Encore (100.3 vs. 92.8).

The CX-50 has .9 inches more front legroom, 1.9 inches more front hip room, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, 4 inches more rear legroom, 2 inches more rear hip room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Encore.

Cargo Capacity

The CX-50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Encore with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 18.8 cubic feet). The CX-50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Encore with its rear seat folded (56.3 vs. 48.4 cubic feet).

The CX-50’s cargo area is larger than the Encore’s in almost every dimension:

	CX-50	Encore
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	42.6”/75.4”	28.5”/55.8”
Max Width	55.6”	39.5”
Min Width	40.2”	36”
Height	30.2”	31.8”

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CX-50 Select/Preferred/Premium/Turbo’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Encore doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CX-50 Preferred/Premium/Turbo has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Encore doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The CX-50 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Encore has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The CX-50 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Encore 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.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CX-50 Premium/Turbo, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Encore doesn’t offer memory seats.

The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Encore doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-50’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Encore has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The CX-50’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Encore’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

On a hot day the CX-50’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Encore can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CX-50 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 doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The CX-50’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Encore’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The CX-50’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Encore’s halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the CX-50’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 CX-50 detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Encore doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-50 Turbo has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Encore doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the CX-50 Premium/Turbo is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Encore’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The CX-50’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Encore doesn’t offer the luxury of automatic dimming mirrors.

The CX-50 Preferred/Premium/Turbo has standard heated front and second row seats (second row heated seats on Turbo Premium Plus) extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the Encore.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo Premium 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 CX-50 Turbo Premium’s standard 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 CX-50 Select/Preferred/Premium/Turbo’s standard 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 CX-50 Select/Preferred/Premium/Turbo’s standard 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 CX-50 and the Encore offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-50 Select/Preferred/Premium/Turbo 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 CX-50 has a standard Radar 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 Mazda CX-50 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Encore doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Mazda CX-50 and the Buick Encore, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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