Is the Buick Encore more reliable than the Ford Ecosport?

Yes, and by a large margin. The Encore drew 190 owner complaints against 1,826 for the Ecosport. Ecosport owners describe low oil pressure warnings, stalling and seized engines. Encore reports are fewer and spread across turbochargers, air bags and electrical faults.

Which has more recalls, the Encore or the Ecosport?

The Ecosport has more. Federal recall records show 12 recalls across its 2018 to 2022 model years, against 4 for the Encore. Many Ecosport engine complaints involve a recall campaign, with owners reporting long waits for parts and problems returning after repairs.

Which is cheaper to repair, the Encore or the Ecosport?

The Encore is cheaper. Independent repair-cost data estimates $466 a year for the Encore and $775 for the Ecosport. Across five years, that adds up to roughly $1,545 more for the Ecosport, before any engine replacement quoted at over $6,000.

What is the biggest problem with the Ford Ecosport?

Engine failure is the biggest. Owners report a low oil pressure light, then knocking, power loss and a seized engine, often at highway speed. Dealers commonly find a failed oil pump belt or tensioner. Reported failures cluster between about 61,000 and 73,000 miles.

What goes wrong with the Buick Encore?

Turbocharger failure is a leading complaint, and it can cut power suddenly on hills or while passing. Owners also report check engine lights, a cooling fan that drains the battery, and front air bags that did not deploy in crashes. Those air bag reports are the most serious.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Buick Encore vs Ford EcoSport: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Buick Encore

Good

Ford EcoSport

Good

Far fewer owner complaints put the Buick Encore well ahead of the Ford Ecosport on reliability. Owners filed 190 complaints on the Encore against 1,826 on the Ecosport, where stalling and seized engines dominate. Repair costs and recalls also favor the Buick.

How Do the Buick Encore and Ford EcoSport Generations Compare?

Late in its life cycle, the Encore is a mature design. It belongs to a first generation that began in 2013, ran through US model year 2022, and received a refresh in 2017. Every 2018 to 2022 car you will see used sits after that refresh. The Ecosport belongs to a second generation covering US model years 2018 to 2022. It received a facelift in 2018 and another in 2021. The 2021 and 2022 cars are the later facelifted ones and rank among its stronger years. Even so, they carry the engine complaints that mark this model.

Verdict

The Buick Encore is more reliable than the Ford EcoSport, scoring 79/100 vs 61/100.

A large gap separates these two, and it favors the Encore. Owner complaints run far lower per car sold, federal recall records show fewer campaigns, and independent repair-cost data puts yearly upkeep well below the Ecosport. The deciding factor is the Ecosport's engine pattern: low oil pressure warnings, stalling and seized engines show up in owner complaints again and again. The Encore has serious reports too, but they are much rarer and spread across several systems.

Key Differences

1Buick Encore costs $309 less per year to repair
2Buick Encore has 66.8 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Buick Encore scores 18 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

5Buick Encore

—

0Ford EcoSport

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostSafety Rating

Buick Encore vs Ford EcoSport: Which Is More Reliable?

Buick Encore vs Ford EcoSport at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Buick Encore	Ford EcoSport
Reliability Score	79/100	61/100
Years Tracked	5	5
Total Recalls	4	12
Complaints per 10k Sold	6.9	73.7
Annual Repair Cost	$466/yr	$775/yr
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2022 NHTSA	2022 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	5	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Buick Encore and Ford EcoSport?

Engine failure defines the Ecosport's complaints. Owners report a low oil pressure light, then knocking, stalling and a seized engine. Dealers often find a failed oil pump belt or tensioner and quote a replacement engine at over $6,000. Transmission shudder and a costly infotainment module failure add to it. The Encore's problems are scattered: turbocharger failure with sudden power loss, check engine lights, a cooling fan that drains the battery, and front air bags that did not deploy in crashes. Only the Encore has crash-linked air bag reports. Only the Ecosport has crash-linked reports in its engine areas.

Buick Encore vs Ford EcoSport common problem areas comparison
Component	Buick Encore	Ford EcoSport
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.3Very Low	33.1High
ENGINE	1.5Low	20.2High
POWER TRAIN	1Very Low	7.2Above Avg
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.7Very Low	4.6Average
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	2.1Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.4Very Low	1.3Low
AIR BAGS	0.7Very Low	0.9Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	0.9Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.4Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
WHEELS	—None	0.4Very Low
TIRES	0.1Very Low	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	0.1Very Low

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

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Buick Encore or Ford EcoSport?

Repair bills favor the Encore at an estimated $466 a year, against $775 for the Ecosport. Over five years that is about $1,545 more for the Ecosport. The Encore averages 0.1 unscheduled shop visits a year, and 12% of its repairs are major. The data gives no shop-visit or major-repair figure for the Ecosport. Its complaints do describe engine replacements quoted at over $6,000, which a yearly average does not capture well.

How Does Buick Encore vs Ford EcoSport Reliability Compare by Year?

Buick Encore vs Ford EcoSport year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Buick Encore	Ford EcoSport	Edge
2022	80/1000R / 8C	74/1002R / 10C	Buick Encore
2021	80/1000R / 9C	60/1003R / 255C	Buick Encore
2020	77/1002R / 19C	58/1003R / 390C	Buick Encore
2019	76/1002R / 82C	58/1002R / 451C	Buick Encore
2018	80/1000R / 72C	56/1002R / 720C	Buick Encore

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Buick Encore scored 80/100 and the 2022 Ford EcoSport scored 74/100 — 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 Ford EcoSport?

If you want the lower chance of a big bill, pick the Encore. Complaints are few and repair costs are lower. Target 2021 and 2022, its strongest years, and be cautious with 2019 and 2020, its weakest. Check that the air bag warning light behaves normally and goes off, and test for a cooling fan that keeps running after shutdown. Ask whether the car has ever lost power suddenly, since turbocharger failure is a leading complaint. Pick the Ecosport only if the price is clearly lower and you accept the engine risk. Target 2022 or 2021, and avoid 2018 and 2020, its weakest years. Ask for proof that every open recall was completed, and look for any history of low oil pressure warnings or stalling. Owners reported engine failures between about 61,000 and 73,000 miles, so a car in that range deserves extra scrutiny. Budget for the chance that an infotainment failure costs thousands.

Buick Encore vs Ford EcoSport: Common Questions

Is the Buick Encore more reliable than the Ford Ecosport?: Yes, and by a large margin. The Encore drew 190 owner complaints against 1,826 for the Ecosport. Ecosport owners describe low oil pressure warnings, stalling and seized engines. Encore reports are fewer and spread across turbochargers, air bags and electrical faults.
Which has more recalls, the Encore or the Ecosport?: The Ecosport has more. Federal recall records show 12 recalls across its 2018 to 2022 model years, against 4 for the Encore. Many Ecosport engine complaints involve a recall campaign, with owners reporting long waits for parts and problems returning after repairs.
Which is cheaper to repair, the Encore or the Ecosport?: The Encore is cheaper. Independent repair-cost data estimates $466 a year for the Encore and $775 for the Ecosport. Across five years, that adds up to roughly $1,545 more for the Ecosport, before any engine replacement quoted at over $6,000.
What is the biggest problem with the Ford Ecosport?: Engine failure is the biggest. Owners report a low oil pressure light, then knocking, power loss and a seized engine, often at highway speed. Dealers commonly find a failed oil pump belt or tensioner. Reported failures cluster between about 61,000 and 73,000 miles.
What goes wrong with the Buick Encore?: Turbocharger failure is a leading complaint, and it can cut power suddenly on hills or while passing. Owners also report check engine lights, a cooling fan that drains the battery, and front air bags that did not deploy in crashes. Those air bag reports are the most serious.

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How we score the Buick Encore and Ford EcoSport

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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