Compare the2024 Buick Encore GXVS 2024 Kia Seltos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Buick Encore GX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Seltos doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Encore GX offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Seltos only offers a rear monitor.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Encore GX has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Seltos S/EX/X-Line/SX offers Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning.

The Encore GX has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Seltos’ blind spot isn’t offered on Seltos LX.

Both the Encore GX and the Seltos 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, and rearview cameras.

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 Kia Seltos:

	Encore GX	Seltos
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	24%	24%
Neck Stress	190 lbs.	237 lbs.
Neck Compression	15 lbs.	23 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	83/261 lbs.	460/429 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	401	405
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	29%	41%
Neck Compression	82 lbs.	171 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, results indicate that the Buick Encore GX is safer than the Kia Seltos:

	Encore GX	Seltos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	91	109
Chest Movement	1.1 inches	1.2 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	185	234
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	70 G’s
Hip Force	517 lbs.	754 lbs.

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

Warranty

The Encore GX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Seltos’ (6/100,000 vs. 5/100,000).

There are almost 3 times as many Buick dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Encore GX’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Encore GX first among small SUVs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Seltos isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 8 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 8th.

Engine

The Encore GX’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder produces 30 lbs.-ft. more torque (162 vs. 132) than the Seltos’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Encore GX 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder AWD gets better fuel mileage than the Seltos 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder (26 city/28 hwy vs. 25 city/27 hwy).

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

Regardless of its engine, the Encore GX’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Kia only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Seltos 2.0.

The Encore GX 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 Seltos doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Buick Encore GX higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Seltos (5). This means the Encore GX produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Seltos every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Encore GX	Seltos
Front Rotors	11.81 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.39 inches	10.3 inches

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The Encore GX has a standard brake assist system to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Seltos doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

The Encore GX stops shorter than the Seltos:

	Encore GX	Seltos
60 to 0 MPH	126 feet	128 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Encore GX has larger standard tires than the Seltos (225/55R18 vs. 215/55R17). The Encore GX Avenir’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Seltos (245/45R19 vs. 235/45R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Encore GX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Seltos. The Encore GX Avenir’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Seltos AWD X-Line/SX.

The Encore GX has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Seltos doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Encore GX AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Seltos S pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Encore GX AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Seltos S (27.8 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

Chassis

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 Seltos doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Encore GX uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Seltos doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Towing

The Encore GX has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Seltos has no towing capacity.

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 Seltos can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Buick service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Buick fifth in service department satisfaction. With a 38% lower rating, Kia is ranked 26th.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Encore GX Avenir, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Seltos doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Encore GX Avenir’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Seltos doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Encore GX’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Seltos has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Encore GX’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Seltos’ standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

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 Seltos doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Encore GX’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Seltos’ passenger power window and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Encore GX Avenir’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Seltos’ manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

The Encore GX’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Kia only offers heated mirrors on the Seltos S/EX/X-Line/SX.

When the Encore GX Avenir is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Seltos’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

On extremely cold winter days, the Encore GX’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Seltos doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Encore GX Avenir’s 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. The Seltos doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Encore GX Avenir 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 Seltos doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

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

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