Compare the2022 Buick EncoreVS 2022 Ford Escape

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Chassis
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Ford Escape has only front height-adjustable seat belts.

The Buick Encore has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Escape doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the Encore and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee 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 all wheel drive, collision warning systems, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors 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 Buick Encore is safer than the Ford Escape:

	Encore	Escape
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	122	143
Neck Compression	12 lbs.	23 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.3 inches	.5 inches
Neck Stress	122 lbs.	181 lbs.

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Buick Encore is safer than the Ford Escape:

	Encore	Escape
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	197
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	120 lbs.	191 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	672 lbs.	816 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Buick Encore is safer than the Escape:

	Encore	Escape
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	188	391
Head Peak Forces	no contact	93 G’s
Neck Tension	223 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.69 in	1.77 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	848 lbs.	1160 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	126	168
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	1.54 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.5 in
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	825 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

The Encore’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Escape’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

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

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 58 points higher than the Escape.

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 Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick above average in initial quality. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick second in reliability, above the industry average. With 41 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Buick fourth in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 22nd.

Fuel Economy and Range

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Buick Encore uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Escape with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Brakes and Stopping

The Encore stops much shorter than the Escape:

	Encore	Escape
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	137 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Encore’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Encore has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Escape.

Chassis

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

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

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Buick service is better than Ford. J.D. Power ranks Buick fifth in service department satisfaction. With a 34% lower rating, Ford is ranked 22nd.

Ergonomics

The Encore’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Escape’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

The Encore’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Escape and aren’t offered on the Escape S.

The Encore has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Escape S doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Encore has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Escape S doesn’t offer rear vents.

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 Escape doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Encore is less expensive to operate than the Escape because it costs $37 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Encore than the Escape, including $1040 less for a muffler, $151 less for a starter, $85 less for fuel injection, $13 less for front struts, $352 less for a timing belt/chain and $268 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

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

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