Compare the2023 Audi Q3VS 2023 Buick Encore GX

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
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Q3’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 Q3 and Encore GX have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q3 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 Q3 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 Q3. But it costs extra on the Encore GX.

The Q3 has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Encore GX’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Q3 has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Encore GX.

Both the Q3 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, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The Audi Q3 weighs 643 to 891 pounds more than the Buick Encore GX. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi Q3 is safer than the Buick Encore GX:

	Q3	Encore GX
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	346	401
Leg Forces (l/r)	261/249 lbs.	409/383 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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi Q3 is safer than the Buick Encore GX:

	Q3	Encore GX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	88	91
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	95 lbs.	199 lbs.
Hip Force	333 lbs.	459 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	159	185
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
Hip Force	485 lbs.	591 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Q3 is 1.5% to 2.1% less likely to roll over than the Encore GX.

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 Q3 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 134 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Encore GX is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

The Q3 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck 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 Q3’s corrosion warranty is 6 years and unlimited miles longer than the Encore GX’s (12/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

Reliability

The Audi Q3’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 Q3’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 Q3 has a standard 140-amp alternator. The Encore GX’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 5 places higher in reliability than Buick.

Engine

The Q3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 91 more horsepower (228 vs. 137) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 162) than the Encore GX’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The Q3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 73 more horsepower (228 vs. 155) and 84 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 174) than the Encore GX’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Audi Q3 is faster than the Buick Encore GX 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder:

	Q3	Encore GX
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	9.3 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	19.3 sec	31.2 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	8.3 sec	10.1 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	17 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91 MPH	80 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Q3 has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Encore GX (15.9 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Q3’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Encore GX:

	Q3	Encore GX
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	11.81 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	10.39 inches
Opt Rear Rotors	12.2 inches

The Q3’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 Q3 stops much shorter than the Encore GX:

	Q3	Encore GX
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	174 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q3 has larger standard tires than the Encore GX (235/55R18 vs. 225/55R18). The Q3’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Encore GX (255/45R19 vs. 225/55R18).

The Q3’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Encore GX’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q3 offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Encore GX’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Audi Q3 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q3’s wheelbase is 3.3 inches longer than on the Encore GX (105.5 inches vs. 102.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Q3 is 1.1 inches wider in the front than on the Encore GX.

The Q3 handles at .91 G’s, while the Encore GX Essence AWD pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The Q3 has 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear legroom and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Encore GX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Q3’s rear seats recline. The Encore GX’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Q3 easier. The Q3’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.8 inches, while the Encore GX’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

The Q3’s cargo area is larger than the Encore GX’s in almost every dimension:

	Q3	Encore GX
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	34”/65”	31.8”/60.8”
Max Width	54”	53”
Min Width	39”	40.7”
Height	28”	32”

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Q3. The Encore GX doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Q3’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Encore GX’s (1500 vs. 1000 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The Q3 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.

Ergonomics

The Q3’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 Q3 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 Q3 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 Q3’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.

The Q3’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Encore GX’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

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 Q3’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Encore GX’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Q3 Premium Plus has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Encore GX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Q3’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 GX offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Q3 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 Q3 and the Encore GX offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Q3 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 Q3 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Q3 will retain 50.79% to 50.87% 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 Q3 and the Buick Encore GX, based on reliability, safety and performance.