Is the Chevrolet Trax more reliable than the Buick Encore?

Yes, but only slightly. The Trax holds an excellent standing and the Encore a good one. Owners filed fewer complaints per car sold on the Trax, and it has no air bag pattern like the Encore's. The Encore is a bit cheaper to repair, which keeps the gap narrow.

Which has more recalls, the Trax or the Encore?

The Trax has 5 recalls across 8 model years, and the Encore has 4 across 5 model years. The Trax has the higher total, but it also covers more years on the road. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before buying either one.

Which costs less to repair, the Trax or the Encore?

The Encore costs less. Independent repair-cost data shows $466 a year for the Encore and $488 for the Trax. The Encore also makes fewer unscheduled shop visits, 0.1 a year against 0.2. Each has a 12% chance that any repair is major.

What is the biggest safety problem on the Buick Encore?

Front air bags that did not deploy in crashes. Owners reported six crashes and eight injuries, including a head-on deer strike with no frontal deployment. Others describe the passenger seat sensor turning the air bag off with an adult seated. Repeat dealer visits did not fix it.

What goes wrong with the Chevrolet Trax most often?

Electrical faults lead the list. The digital instrument panel flickers or goes dark, hiding the speedometer and fuel range. Engine and turbocharger failures come next, with power loss and smoke. Cracked front lower control arms have also been reported, and owners often waited weeks or months for parts.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Buick Encore vs Chevrolet Trax: Reliability Compared

Buick Encore

Good

More Reliable

Chevrolet Trax

Excellent

Reliability favors the Chevrolet Trax over the Buick Encore by a slight margin, with fewer complaints per car sold. Encore repairs run slightly cheaper. The Encore also has an air bag non-deployment pattern in crashes that the Trax does not show.

How Do the Buick Encore and Chevrolet Trax Generations Compare?

Shoppers face two different situations. The first-generation Trax, called the U200, covered US model years 2015 to 2022 and was refreshed for 2017. The data also lists a second generation, so the newest Trax years come from a different design and have had little time to collect complaints. The Encore ran as a single generation starting in 2013 and ending with the 2022 model year, with a refresh for 2017. That generation has ended, so every used Encore you consider shares one design, and the 2021 and 2022 cars were its final years.

Verdict

The Chevrolet Trax is more reliable than the Buick Encore, scoring 81/100 vs 79/100.

A slight edge goes to the Trax. Owners filed fewer complaints per car sold, and its main problem areas leave out the failed front air bag deployment that is the Encore's most serious pattern. The Encore is a bit cheaper to repair and visits the shop less often, so it is not a weak choice. Turbocharger trouble that cuts power while driving shows up on both. The Trax earns the nod on complaint rate and air bag record, not on cost.

Key Differences

1Buick Encore costs $22 less per year to repair
2Chevrolet Trax has 2.3 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Chevrolet Trax scores 2 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

3Buick Encore

—

2Chevrolet Trax

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

Buick Encore vs Chevrolet Trax: Which Is More Reliable?

Buick Encore vs Chevrolet Trax at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Buick Encore	Chevrolet Trax
Reliability Score	79/100	81/100
Years Tracked	5	8
Total Recalls	4	5
Complaints per 10k Sold	6.9	4.6
Annual Repair Cost	$466/yr	$488/yr
Repair Frequency	0.1/yr	0.2/yr
Major Repair Risk	12%	12%
Year Wins	2	3

What Are the Common Problems With the Buick Encore and Chevrolet Trax?

Crash-linked trouble falls in different places. Trax owners mostly report a digital instrument panel that flickers or stays dark, turbocharger failures, and cracked front lower control arms. Steering assist that cuts out has the most crash-linked complaints, 4, and suspension has 3. Encore owners report turbocharger failure with sudden power loss, a cooling fan that runs after shutdown and drains the battery, and surging or stalling at the brake pedal. The Encore's air bag complaints stand apart: front air bags failed to deploy, with 11 crash-linked complaints. The Trax has no air bag category among its main problems.

Buick Encore vs Chevrolet Trax common problem areas comparison
Component	Buick Encore	Chevrolet Trax
ENGINE	1.5Low	0.6Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	1Very Low
POWER TRAIN	1Very Low	0.4Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.7Very Low	0.4Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.7Very Low	0.2Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.4Very Low	0.2Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	0.5Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.2Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.3Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	—None
TIRES	0.1Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	0.1Very Low
WHEELS	—None	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None

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

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Buick Encore or Chevrolet Trax?

A small cost edge goes to the Encore: $466 a year in independent repair-cost data against $488 for the Trax. Over five years that gap comes to about $110. The Encore also averages 0.1 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.2 for the Trax. A repair is major 12% of the time on each. The cost edge is small and does not outweigh the complaint gap.

How Does Buick Encore vs Chevrolet Trax Reliability Compare by Year?

Buick Encore vs Chevrolet Trax year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Buick Encore	Chevrolet Trax	Edge
2022	80/1000R / 8C	81/1000R / 9C	Chevrolet Trax
2021	80/1000R / 9C	81/1000R / 18C	Chevrolet Trax
2020	77/1002R / 19C	81/1000R / 80C	Chevrolet Trax
2019	76/1002R / 82C	75/1002R / 123C	Buick Encore
2018	80/1000R / 72C	75/1002R / 93C	Buick Encore

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Buick Encore scored 80/100 and the 2022 Chevrolet Trax scored 81/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Buick Encore vs the Chevrolet Trax?

Pick the Trax if you want the lower complaint rate and the higher reliability standing. Skip the 2018 and 2019 model years, which are its weakest. Before you buy, ask whether the front lower control arm recall work was done, and check that the instrument panel stays lit on a test drive. The 2025 and 2026 years rank strongest, but they have had less time to collect complaints, so do not read that as proof. Pick the Encore if the lower repair bill and fewer shop visits matter most to you. Target the 2021 or 2022 model year and avoid 2019 and 2020. Check the air bag warning light and the passenger seat sensor before you sign, since that is the Encore's most serious pattern. Ask for proof of any turbocharger work too. If you often carry front-seat passengers, the Trax is the safer bet on the air bag question.

Buick Encore vs Chevrolet Trax: Common Questions

Is the Chevrolet Trax more reliable than the Buick Encore?: Yes, but only slightly. The Trax holds an excellent standing and the Encore a good one. Owners filed fewer complaints per car sold on the Trax, and it has no air bag pattern like the Encore's. The Encore is a bit cheaper to repair, which keeps the gap narrow.
Which has more recalls, the Trax or the Encore?: The Trax has 5 recalls across 8 model years, and the Encore has 4 across 5 model years. The Trax has the higher total, but it also covers more years on the road. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before buying either one.
Which costs less to repair, the Trax or the Encore?: The Encore costs less. Independent repair-cost data shows $466 a year for the Encore and $488 for the Trax. The Encore also makes fewer unscheduled shop visits, 0.1 a year against 0.2. Each has a 12% chance that any repair is major.
What is the biggest safety problem on the Buick Encore?: Front air bags that did not deploy in crashes. Owners reported six crashes and eight injuries, including a head-on deer strike with no frontal deployment. Others describe the passenger seat sensor turning the air bag off with an adult seated. Repeat dealer visits did not fix it.
What goes wrong with the Chevrolet Trax most often?: Electrical faults lead the list. The digital instrument panel flickers or goes dark, hiding the speedometer and fuel range. Engine and turbocharger failures come next, with power loss and smoke. Cracked front lower control arms have also been reported, and owners often waited weeks or months for parts.

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Decided between Buick Encore and Chevrolet Trax? 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 and Chevrolet Trax

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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