Compare the2023 Buick Encore GXVS 2022 Acura RDX

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Encore GX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The RDX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Encore GX and the RDX 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors 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 GX is safer than the Acura RDX:

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

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

There are over 7 times as many Buick dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Encore GX’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 GX’s reliability 34 points higher than the RDX.

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 Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick above average in initial quality. With 44 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is rated below average.

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 Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick second in reliability, above the industry average. With 97 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 28th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Buick fourth in overall reliability. Acura is ranked 28th.

On the EPA test cycle the Encore GX gets better mileage than the RDX:

Regenerative brakes improve the Encore GX’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The RDX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

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

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Buick Encore GX higher (7 out of 10) than the Acura RDX (6). This means the Encore GX produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the RDX every 15,000 miles.

The Encore GX has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The RDX doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Encore GX stops much shorter than the RDX:

The Encore GX Essence AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the RDX A-Spec AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Encore GX’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the RDX’s (36.8 feet vs. 38.9 feet).

The Buick Encore GX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 800 pounds less than the Acura RDX.

The Encore GX is 1 foot, 4 inches shorter than the RDX, making the Encore GX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Encore GX uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The RDX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Encore GX AWD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Encore GX can be unhitched and driven around locally. The RDX can’t be towed flat on the ground.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Buick service is better than Acura. J.D. Power ranks Buick fifth in service department satisfaction. With a 1% lower rating, Acura is ranked 6th.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Encore GX’s available exterior PIN entry system. The RDX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its AcuraLink can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Encore GX Essence has a 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 RDX doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Encore GX Essence’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The RDX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Buick Encore GX will be $9017 to $14179 less than for the Acura RDX.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Buick Encore GX and the Acura RDX, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Buick Encore outsold the Acura RDX by 75% during the 2021 model year.