Compare the2022 Buick EncoreVS 2022 Lexus NX

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 Lexus NX has only front height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Encore and the NX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee 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, collision warning systems, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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 Safety Pick” for 2016, a rating granted to only 207 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The NX has not been tested, yet.

There are over 8 times as many Buick dealers as there are Lexus 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 13 points higher than the NX.

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 Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick second in reliability, above the industry average. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is ranked 6th.

On the EPA test cycle the Encore gets better mileage than the NX running its gasoline engine:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Buick Encore uses regular unleaded gasoline. The NX 350 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 NX 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 Lexus NX (6 to 7). This means the Encore produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the NX every 15,000 miles.

The Encore stops much shorter than the NX:

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 NX’s standard 60 series tires.

The Encore has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the NX; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Encore handles at .82 G’s, while the NX 350 AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Encore’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the NX’s (36.7 feet vs. 38 feet).

The Buick Encore may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 1100 pounds less than the Lexus NX.

The Encore is 1 foot, 3.1 inches shorter than the NX, 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 NX doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Encore has 1.3 inches more front headroom and .3 inches more rear headroom than the NX.

The front step up height for the Encore is 1 inches lower than the NX (16.8” vs. 17.8”). The Encore’s rear step up height is 1.4 inches lower than the NX’s (16.8” vs. 18.2”).

The Encore has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the NX with its rear seat folded (48.4 vs. 46.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Encore easier. The Encore’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.8 inches, while the NX’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The power windows standard on both the Encore and the NX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Encore is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The NX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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

Insurance will cost less for the Encore owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Encore will cost $615 to $1775 less than the NX over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Buick Encore will be $3934 to $12280 less than for the Lexus NX.

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

The Buick Encore outsold the Lexus NX by 47% during the 2021 model year.