Is the Buick Encore GX more reliable than the Toyota C-HR?

Yes, by a slight margin. Both have a good standing, but the Encore GX drew 6.4 complaints per 10,000 sold against 25.6 for the C-HR. The C-HR's complaints lean heavily on CVT failure. The Encore GX is newer, so some of its advantage reflects less time on the road.

Which has more recalls, the Encore GX or the C-HR?

They are even. Federal recall records show six recalls for each. The Encore GX's come across seven model years and the C-HR's across five. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before you buy, since the counts do not say which cars were fixed.

What is the biggest problem with the Toyota C-HR?

The CVT. Owners describe a whine, hum, or growl that gets louder with speed, usually traced to a failed internal bearing. The fix is a full transmission, with quotes from over $10,000 to $14,000. Failures cluster between roughly 59,000 and 128,000 miles, often with no warning light.

What goes wrong with the Buick Encore GX?

Most often a false "Shift to Park" warning after the car is put in Park. The engine or accessory mode stays on, chimes sound, and the horn may honk when the driver walks away. Owners also report turbocharger and check engine light problems, and some brake complaints with very stiff pedals.

Which model years of these two SUVs should I avoid?

For the Encore GX, avoid 2020 and 2021, its weakest years. For the C-HR, avoid 2018 and 2019. The C-HR's 2021 and 2022 rank strongest, and the Encore GX's 2023 is a solid pick, while its 2026 has had little time to collect complaints.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Buick Encore GX vs Toyota C-HR: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Buick Encore GX

Good

Toyota C-HR

Good

The Buick Encore GX has a slight reliability edge over the Toyota C-HR, mostly because owners filed far fewer complaints per car sold. The C-HR's costly CVT failures weigh on it, while the Encore GX's most common trouble is a false "Shift to Park" warning.

How Do the Buick Encore GX and Toyota C-HR Generations Compare?

Nearly every used Encore GX you will see is a first-generation car, because that generation began with the 2020 model year and is still going. The original design ran through 2023, and a refresh arrived for 2024. Years from the refresh onward have had less time to collect complaints, so their clean records prove little. The 2020 and 2021 cars are the weakest of the original run. The C-HR's first generation ran from 2018 to 2022, with a facelift for 2020. Pre-facelift 2018 and 2019 are its weakest years, while 2021 and 2022 rank best. A second generation appeared in the US for 2023 only. Most used C-HRs a shopper finds are first-generation cars, which are now old enough to reach the mileage range where CVT failures cluster.

Verdict

The Buick Encore GX is more reliable than the Toyota C-HR, scoring 76/100 vs 74/100.

Reliability tips slightly toward the Buick Encore GX. Both models hold a good standing, and both have six recalls in federal records, so the gap is narrow. What separates them is owner complaints: 6.4 per 10,000 sold for the Encore GX against 25.6 for the C-HR. The C-HR's trouble concentrates in one expensive failure, the CVT, with quotes from over $10,000 to $14,000. The Encore GX's problems are more varied and usually cheaper. It is also the newer design, so part of its lead comes from having had less time to collect complaints.

Key Differences

1Buick Encore GX has 19.2 fewer complaints per 10k sold
2Buick Encore GX scores 2 points higher in reliability
3Buick Encore GX has a 1-star higher safety rating

Category Scoreboard

3Buick Encore GX

—

0Toyota C-HR

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Buick Encore GX vs Toyota C-HR: Which Is More Reliable?

Buick Encore GX vs Toyota C-HR at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Buick Encore GX	Toyota C-HR
Reliability Score	76/100	74/100
Years Tracked	7	5
Total Recalls	6	6
Complaints per 10k Sold	6.4	25.6
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2022 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	0	3

What Are the Common Problems With the Buick Encore GX and Toyota C-HR?

Transmission trouble defines the C-HR. The CVT whines or growls, usually with no warning light, then a failed internal bearing calls for a full transmission. The Encore GX's biggest issue is milder: a false "Shift to Park" warning that leaves the engine or accessory mode on, chimes sounding, and doors possibly unlocked. Crash links differ too. C-HR power train reports include parked cars rolling or reversing on their own, and its air bag reports describe bags that failed to deploy in serious crashes. The Encore GX has crash-linked reports only in service brakes, where owners describe very stiff pedals and abrupt stops.

Buick Encore GX vs Toyota C-HR common problem areas comparison
Component	Buick Encore GX	Toyota C-HR
POWER TRAIN	1.4Low	16High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.9Very Low	3.3Average
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.2Low	1.8Low
ENGINE	0.7Very Low	0.9Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.6Very Low	0.6Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.3Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.4Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.3Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.2Very Low	—None
STRUCTURE	—None	0.2Very Low
PARKING BRAKE	—None	0.2Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	0.2Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	—None
EQUIPMENT	0.1Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	0.1Very Low

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Buick Encore GX vs Toyota C-HR Reliability Compare by Year?

Buick Encore GX vs Toyota C-HR year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Buick Encore GX	Toyota C-HR	Edge
2022	74/1001R / 29C	80/1000R / 2C	Toyota C-HR
2021	74/1002R / 50C	77/1001R / 32C	Toyota C-HR
2020	70/1002R / 66C	76/1001R / 55C	Toyota C-HR

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Buick Encore GX scored 74/100 and the 2022 Toyota C-HR scored 80/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Buick Encore GX vs the Toyota C-HR?

Choose the Encore GX if you want fewer complaints per car sold and would rather risk an annoying warning than a huge repair bill. Target 2023 and avoid 2020 and 2021, its weakest years. Test the shifter in Park before you buy, because the false warning reports cluster between 24,000 and 34,200 miles. Also check brake pedal feel on a drive. The 2026 model ranks well, but it has had little time to collect complaints, so do not read that as proof. Choose the C-HR only if you can confirm the transmission is healthy. Favor 2021 or 2022 and avoid 2018 and 2019. CVT failures cluster between roughly 59,000 and 128,000 miles, so listen on the test drive for a hum or growl that rises with speed, and pay a mechanic to inspect the car. Walk away from any example making that noise. Shoppers who put air bag performance first should weigh the C-HR's non-deployment crash reports.

Buick Encore GX vs Toyota C-HR: Common Questions

Is the Buick Encore GX more reliable than the Toyota C-HR?: Yes, by a slight margin. Both have a good standing, but the Encore GX drew 6.4 complaints per 10,000 sold against 25.6 for the C-HR. The C-HR's complaints lean heavily on CVT failure. The Encore GX is newer, so some of its advantage reflects less time on the road.
Which has more recalls, the Encore GX or the C-HR?: They are even. Federal recall records show six recalls for each. The Encore GX's come across seven model years and the C-HR's across five. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before you buy, since the counts do not say which cars were fixed.
What is the biggest problem with the Toyota C-HR?: The CVT. Owners describe a whine, hum, or growl that gets louder with speed, usually traced to a failed internal bearing. The fix is a full transmission, with quotes from over $10,000 to $14,000. Failures cluster between roughly 59,000 and 128,000 miles, often with no warning light.
What goes wrong with the Buick Encore GX?: Most often a false "Shift to Park" warning after the car is put in Park. The engine or accessory mode stays on, chimes sound, and the horn may honk when the driver walks away. Owners also report turbocharger and check engine light problems, and some brake complaints with very stiff pedals.
Which model years of these two SUVs should I avoid?: For the Encore GX, avoid 2020 and 2021, its weakest years. For the C-HR, avoid 2018 and 2019. The C-HR's 2021 and 2022 rank strongest, and the Encore GX's 2023 is a solid pick, while its 2026 has had little time to collect complaints.

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Decided between Buick Encore GX and Toyota C-HR? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Buick Encore GX and Toyota C-HR

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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