Compare the2024 Volkswagen TiguanVS 2024 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
Recommendations

Safety

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The Tiguan has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Tiguan SE R-Line Black/SEL R-Line has standard Maneuver Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Encore GX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Tiguan 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Encore GX’s blind spot costs extra.

Both the Tiguan 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Volkswagen Tiguan weighs 477 to 917 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 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 Volkswagen Tiguan is safer than the Buick Encore GX:

	Tiguan	Encore GX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	49	91
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	82 lbs.	199 lbs.
Hip Force	337 lbs.	459 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	156	185
Hip Force	510 lbs.	517 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
HIC	330	337

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 Tiguan is 1.1% to 1.7% 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 vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Tiguan its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Encore GX is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Warranty

The Tiguan comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Encore GX’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Tiguan’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Encore GX’s (7/100,000 vs. 6/100,000).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tiguan for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Buick doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Encore GX.

Reliability

The Volkswagen Tiguan’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 Tiguan’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.

Engine

The Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 47 more horsepower (184 vs. 137) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 162) than the Encore GX’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 29 more horsepower (184 vs. 155) and 47 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 174) than the Encore GX’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder.

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

	Tiguan	Encore GX
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	9.3 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	24.8 sec	31.2 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	8.9 sec	10.1 sec
Quarter Mile	16.4 sec	17 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	84 MPH	80 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Tiguan FWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Encore GX (15.3 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Tiguan AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Encore GX (15.9 vs. 13.2 gallons).

The Tiguan has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. 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 Tiguan’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Encore GX:

	Tiguan	Encore GX
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	11.81 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	10.39 inches

The Tiguan stops shorter than the Encore GX:

	Tiguan	Encore GX
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	176 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Tiguan SE R-Line Black’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Encore GX (255/45R19 vs. 245/45R19).

The Tiguan SEL R-Line’s 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 Avenir’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Tiguan SEL R-Line has standard 20-inch wheels. The Encore GX’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Volkswagen Tiguan 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 Tiguan has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Tiguan 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 Tiguan’s wheelbase is 7.7 inches longer than on the Encore GX (109.9 inches vs. 102.2 inches).

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

The Tiguan SEL R-Line 4Motion® handles at .83 G’s, while the Encore GX Avenir AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Tiguan has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Encore GX (7.6 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Tiguan to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Tiguan offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Encore GX can only carry 5.

The Tiguan has 29.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Encore GX (123.9 vs. 94.3).

The Tiguan has 2.6 inches more front hip room, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 2.7 inches more rear legroom, 2.8 inches more rear hip room and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Encore GX.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Tiguan’s cargo area provides more volume than the Encore GX.

	Tiguan	Encore GX
Third Seat Folded	33 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	37.6 cubic feet	23.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	65.3 cubic feet	50.2 cubic feet
Max Cargo Volume	73.4 cubic feet	50.2 cubic feet

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

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

	Tiguan	Encore GX
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	17.2”/39.7”/74.5”	n.a./31.8”/60.8”
Max Width	55”	53”
Min Width	39.8”	40.7”
Height	33.5”	32”

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the Tiguan’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Encore GX doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

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

Servicing Ease

The Tiguan 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 Tiguan’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 Tiguan SE/SEL/SEL Premium the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows with the driver’s door power window switch. The driver of the Encore GX can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Tiguan’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 Tiguan SE/SEL 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.

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

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Tiguan SE R-Line Black/SEL/SEL Premium R-Line has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Encore GX doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Tiguan SEL R-Line 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 Tiguan and the Encore GX offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Tiguan 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

The Volkswagen Tiguan outsold the Buick Encore by 88% during 2022.