Compare the2023 Audi A4 AllroadVS 2023 Buick Encore GX

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi A4 Allroad have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Buick Encore GX doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The A4 Allroad’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Encore GX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the A4 Allroad and Encore GX have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A4 Allroad has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Encore GX’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The A4 Allroad has a standard Audi Backguard System, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Audi Backguard System moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The Encore GX doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The A4 Allroad has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Encore GX doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the A4 Allroad. But it costs extra on the Encore GX.

Both the A4 Allroad and the Encore GX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 Audi A4 Allroad weighs 574 to 822 pounds more than the Buick Encore GX. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the A4 Allroad its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 122 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Encore GX is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

The A4 Allroad comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Encore GX’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The A4 Allroad’s corrosion warranty is 6 years and unlimited miles longer than the Encore GX’s (12/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

Reliability

The Audi A4 Allroad’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Encore GX’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the A4 Allroad’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Encore GX’s camshafts. If the Encore GX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the A4 Allroad has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Encore GX’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

Engine

The A4 Allroad’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 124 more horsepower (261 vs. 137) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 162) than the Encore GX’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The A4 Allroad’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 106 more horsepower (261 vs. 155) and 99 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 174) than the Encore GX’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

The A4 Allroad has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Encore GX (15.3 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The A4 Allroad offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is more internally efficient than a CVT but just as easy to drive. The Encore GX doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The A4 Allroad’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Encore GX doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A4 Allroad’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Encore GX:

	A4 Allroad	Encore GX
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	11.81 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	10.39 inches

The A4 Allroad’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Encore GX are solid, not vented.

The A4 Allroad stops much shorter than the Encore GX:

	A4 Allroad	Encore GX
70 to 0 MPH	152 feet	174 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	122 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the A4 Allroad has larger tires than the Encore GX (245/45R18 vs. 225/55R18).

The A4 Allroad’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 GX’s standard 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Audi A4 Allroad has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Buick Encore GX has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The A4 Allroad has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the A4 Allroad flat and controlled during cornering. The Encore GX’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The A4 Allroad has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Encore GX’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the A4 Allroad’s wheelbase is 8.7 inches longer than on the Encore GX (110.9 inches vs. 102.2 inches).

The A4 Allroad Prestige handles at .85 G’s, while the Encore GX Essence AWD pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The A4 Allroad Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Encore GX AWD (26.3 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The A4 Allroad has .4 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Encore GX.

Cargo Capacity

The A4 Allroad has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Encore GX with its rear seat up (24.2 vs. 23.5 cubic feet). The A4 Allroad has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Encore GX with its rear seat folded (58.5 vs. 50.2 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the A4 Allroad easier. The A4 Allroad’s trunk lift-over height is 26.1 inches, while the Encore GX’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the A4 Allroad’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Encore GX doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the A4 Allroad. The Encore GX doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The A4 Allroad’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Encore GX’s (3968 vs. 1000 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The A4 Allroad uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Encore GX 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.

The engine in the A4 Allroad is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Encore GX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The A4 Allroad’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 GX’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the A4 Allroad the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Encore GX can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The A4 Allroad 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 GX doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The A4 Allroad’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 GX’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the A4 Allroad to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Encore GX doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The A4 Allroad’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Encore GX’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A4 Allroad Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Encore GX doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the A4 Allroad has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Encore GX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the A4 Allroad to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Encore GX doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The A4 Allroad’s standard rear view mirror and optional 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 GX offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The A4 Allroad has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Encore GX. The A4 Allroad Prestige also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Encore GX.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the A4 Allroad (except Premium) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Encore GX doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The A4 Allroad has a 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. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Encore GX Select/Essence.

Both the A4 Allroad and the Encore GX offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the A4 Allroad has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Encore GX doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Economic Advantages

The A4 Allroad will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the A4 Allroad will retain 46.18% to 46.44% of its original price after five years, while the Encore GX only retains 45.57% to 45.58%.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi A4 Allroad and the Buick Encore GX, based on reliability, safety and performance.