Compare the2024 Kia SeltosVS 2024 Buick Encore GX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Seltos and Encore GX have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Seltos S/EX/X-Line/SX has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Encore GX’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The Seltos’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Encore GX doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Seltos and the Encore GX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights and blind spot warning systems.

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

	Seltos	Encore GX
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Stress	127 lbs.	153 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	144/44 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 Kia Seltos is safer than the Buick Encore GX:

	Seltos	Encore GX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	170 lbs.	199 lbs.
Hip Force	428 lbs.	459 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
HIC	225	337
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	38 G’s
Hip Force	433 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 Seltos is 1% to 3.4% 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 Seltos its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Encore GX is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

The Seltos comes with a full 5-year/60,000-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 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Seltos 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Buick covers the Encore GX. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Encore GX ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Seltos’ 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 Seltos has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Encore GX’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Buick is ranked second.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 2 places higher in reliability than Buick.

Engine

The Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (146 vs. 137) than the Encore GX’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The Seltos X-Line/SX’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 40 more horsepower (195 vs. 155) and 21 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 174) than the Encore GX’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Seltos is faster than the Buick Encore GX 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder:

	Seltos 4 cyl.	Seltos X-Line/SX	Encore GX
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	6.9 sec	9.3 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	15.4 sec	17 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	85.5 MPH	91.2 MPH	80 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Seltos
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/34 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
Encore GX
	FWD	1.2 turbo 3-cyl.	30 city/31 hwy
		1.3 turbo 3-cyl.	29 city/31 hwy
	AWD	1.3 turbo 3-cyl.	26 city/28 hwy

The Seltos has a standard locking fuel door. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Encore GX. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Seltos X-Line/SX’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Encore GX:

	Seltos X-Line/SX	Encore GX
Front Rotors	12 inches	11.81 inches
Rear Rotors	11.2 inches	10.39 inches

The Seltos stops much shorter than the Encore GX:

	Seltos	Encore GX
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	176 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	122 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Seltos AWD 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 solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Seltos’ wheelbase is 1.3 inches longer than on the Encore GX (103.5 inches vs. 102.2 inches).

The Seltos SX handles at .84 G’s, while the Encore GX Avenir AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Seltos S AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Encore GX AWD (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Seltos’ turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Encore GX’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.9 feet).

Passenger Space

The Seltos has 4.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Encore GX (99 vs. 94.3).

The Seltos has .3 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 2 inches more rear legroom, 2.1 inches more rear hip room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Encore GX.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Encore GX with its rear seat up (26.6 vs. 23.5 cubic feet). The Seltos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Encore GX with its rear seat folded (62.8 vs. 50.2 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Seltos easier. The Seltos’ cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.4 inches, while the Encore GX’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

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

	Seltos	Encore GX
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	32.7”/62.4”	31.8”/60.8”
Max Width	52.3”	53”
Min Width	41.6”	40.7”
Height	32.5”	32”

Ergonomics

Consumer Reports rated the Seltos’ headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Encore GX’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

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

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Seltos SX 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.

Both the Seltos and the Encore GX offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Seltos S/EX/X-Line/SX 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.

Recommendations

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

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its December 2020 issue and they ranked the Kia Seltos S higher than the Buick Encore GX AWD.