Compare the2025 Subaru ForesterVS 2024 Buick Encore GX

The Forester has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Encore GX doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Forester (except Base/Premium) offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Encore GX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Forester. But it costs extra on the Encore GX.

The Forester Touring’s 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 Forester and the Encore GX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The Forester’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Encore GX’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Forester’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.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 6 places higher in reliability than Buick.

The Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 43 more horsepower (180 vs. 137) and 16 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 162) than the Encore GX’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 25 more horsepower (180 vs. 155) and 4 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 174) than the Encore GX’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder.

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

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Forester lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Encore GX doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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

The Forester has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Encore GX (16.6 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Forester 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.

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

The Forester’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 Forester stops shorter than the Encore GX:

For superior ride and handling, the Subaru Forester 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 Forester has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Forester 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 Forester’s wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer than on the Encore GX (105.1 inches vs. 102.2 inches).

The Forester Sport handles at .82 G’s, while the Encore GX Avenir AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Forester’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the Encore GX’s (35.4 feet vs. 36.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Forester has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Encore GX (8.7 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Forester to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Forester has 16.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Encore GX (110.8 vs. 94.3).

The Forester has 1.5 inches more front headroom, 2.4 inches more front legroom, 2.8 inches more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 3.4 inches more rear legroom, 3 inches more rear hip room and 3.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Encore GX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring’s rear seats recline. The Encore GX’s rear seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the Forester is 2 inches lower than the Encore GX (15.5” vs. 17.5”). The Forester’s rear step up height is .8 inches lower than the Encore GX’s (17.25” vs. 18”).

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Encore GX with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 23.5 cubic feet). The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Encore GX with its rear seat folded (74.4 vs. 50.2 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Forester easier. The Forester’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.9 inches, while the Encore GX’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

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

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Forester Limited/Touring’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Encore GX doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Forester uses the Vehicle Dynamics Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Encore GX doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The engine in the Forester is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Encore GX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring’s front power windows both open or close with one touch of the switches. The Encore GX’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Forester has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Encore GX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Forester to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Encore GX doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Forester’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.

Both the Forester and the Encore GX offer available heated front seats. The Forester Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Encore GX.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Forester Touring 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.

The Forester 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 Avenir.

Both the Forester and the Encore GX offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring 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.

The Subaru Forester outsold the Buick Encore GX by over two to one during 2023.