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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.
The Encore GX offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Corolla Cross only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.
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 Corolla Cross LE/XLE offers Rear Cross-Traffic Alert.
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. Only the Corolla Cross LE and XLE offer a system to reveal vehicles in the Corolla Cross’s blind spots.
Both the Encore GX and the Corolla Cross have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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, 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 Toyota Corolla Cross:
|
Encore GX |
Corolla Cross |
OVERALL STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
185 |
191 |
Neck Injury Risk |
24% |
33.6% |
Neck Stress |
190 lbs. |
297 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
15 lbs. |
61 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
83/261 lbs. |
324/279 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.4 inches |
.4 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
29% |
32.9% |
Neck Stress |
153 lbs. |
155 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
409/383 lbs. |
592/372 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 Buick Encore GX is safer than the Toyota Corolla Cross:
|
Encore GX |
Corolla Cross |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
91 |
92 |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Spine Acceleration |
41 G’s |
43 G’s |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Hip Force |
591 lbs. |
623 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.