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

Yes, the Encore has a clear edge. Owners filed 190 complaints on it, or 6.9 per 10,000 sold, against 486 for the C-HR, or 25.6 per 10,000. The C-HR's problems center on its CVT, while the Encore's are spread across the engine, turbo, air bags, and electrical system.

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

The C-HR has more. Federal recall records show 6 for the C-HR and 4 for the Encore across model years 2018 to 2022. The counts alone do not say how serious each recall was, so check any car's VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Which is cheaper to repair, the Encore or the C-HR?

The C-HR is slightly cheaper, at $441 a year against $466 for the Encore. That is $25 a year, or $125 over five years. A failed C-HR transmission, quoted from over $10,000 to $14,000, would wipe out that saving.

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. Failures cluster between roughly 59,000 and 128,000 miles, and there is usually no warning light beforehand.

What goes wrong most often on the Buick Encore?

Engine complaints are the largest group at 40, mostly check engine lights and exhaust faults. Turbocharger failure is the next most serious pattern, cutting power without warning at highway speed. Owners also report a radiator fan that keeps running after shutdown and drains the battery.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Buick Encore vs Toyota C-HR: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Buick Encore

Good

Toyota C-HR

Good

The Buick Encore is the more reliable choice over the Toyota C-HR, with a clear edge. C-HR CVT failures can run past $10,000. Owners filed far fewer complaints per car sold on the Encore, though its turbo and air bag reports are serious, and the Toyota is slightly cheaper to repair each year.

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

Shoppers looking at 2018 to 2022 are seeing the Encore at the end of a long run. Its first generation ran in the US from 2013 to 2022 and received a refresh in 2017, so no redesign separates the years you are comparing. The C-HR's first generation ran from 2018 to 2022, with a facelift in 2020. That splits the range: 2018 and 2019 came before the facelift and are the weakest years, while 2020 to 2022 came after it. A second generation covered only the 2023 model year.

Verdict

The Buick Encore is more reliable than the Toyota C-HR, scoring 79/100 vs 74/100.

Reliability goes to the Encore, and the edge is clear. Owners filed far fewer complaints per car sold, and nothing in its record matches the C-HR's CVT trouble, where a failed internal bearing means a full transmission and quotes from over $10,000 to $14,000. The Encore is not clean. Turbo failures and air bags that did not deploy are serious. Still, the C-HR's complaints pile up in one costly part, and it also has more recalls across the same five model years.

Key Differences

1Toyota C-HR costs $25 less per year to repair
2Buick Encore has 18.7 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Buick Encore scores 5 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

4Buick Encore

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1Toyota C-HR

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostSafety Rating

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

Buick Encore vs Toyota C-HR at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Buick Encore	Toyota C-HR
Reliability Score	79/100	74/100
Years Tracked	5	5
Total Recalls	4	6
Complaints per 10k Sold	6.9	25.6
Annual Repair Cost	$466/yr	$441/yr
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2022 NHTSA	2022 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	4 (1 tied)	0 (1 tied)

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

Different parts fail on each car. Encore trouble is spread out: turbocharger failure that cuts power without warning, check engine lights tied to a purge sensor, and a radiator fan that keeps running and drains the battery. C-HR trouble piles up in the CVT, which whines or hums louder with speed before a bearing fails. Both have reports of air bags not deploying in crashes, and the Encore's list is longer. Only the Encore has crash-linked reports in electrical and service brakes, including unintended acceleration. The C-HR has reports of a parked car rolling on its own.

Buick Encore vs Toyota C-HR common problem areas comparison
Component	Buick Encore	Toyota C-HR
POWER TRAIN	1Very Low	16High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.7Very Low	3.3Average
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	1.8Low
ENGINE	1.5Low	0.9Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.7Very Low	0.4Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.4Very Low	0.6Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.3Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.3Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.3Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	—None
STRUCTURE	—None	0.2Very Low
PARKING BRAKE	—None	0.2Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	0.2Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	—None
TIRES	0.1Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	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.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Buick Encore or Toyota C-HR?

Repair cost is close. Independent repair-cost data puts the C-HR at $441 a year and the Encore at $466. That is $25 a year, or $125 over five years, in the C-HR's favor. For the Encore, the data adds 0.1 unscheduled shop visits per year and a 12% chance that a repair is major. It gives no such figures for the C-HR. A CVT replacement quoted above $10,000 would erase the C-HR's yearly savings many times over.

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

Buick Encore vs Toyota C-HR year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Buick Encore	Toyota C-HR	Edge
2022	80/1000R / 8C	80/1000R / 2C	Tie
2021	80/1000R / 9C	77/1001R / 32C	Buick Encore
2020	77/1002R / 19C	76/1001R / 55C	Buick Encore
2019	76/1002R / 82C	70/1003R / 101C	Buick Encore
2018	80/1000R / 72C	66/1001R / 296C	Buick Encore

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Buick Encore scored 80/100 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 vs the Toyota C-HR?

Pick the Encore if you want fewer complaints overall and want to avoid a transmission bill that can pass $10,000. Target 2021 and 2022, the strongest years, and skip 2019 and 2020, the weakest. Ask for proof that any air bag warning light or passenger seat sensor fault was fixed, because owners said repeat dealer visits did not cure it. One owner also reported turbo failure with no warning symptoms, so have the turbo inspected. Pick the C-HR if the slightly lower annual repair cost matters to you and you accept the CVT risk. Aim for 2021 or 2022 and avoid 2018 and 2019. On a test drive, listen for a whine or hum that grows with speed. Failures cluster between roughly 59,000 and 128,000 miles and usually come with no warning light, so treat a car in that range with extra caution.

Buick Encore vs Toyota C-HR: Common Questions

Is the Buick Encore more reliable than the Toyota C-HR?: Yes, the Encore has a clear edge. Owners filed 190 complaints on it, or 6.9 per 10,000 sold, against 486 for the C-HR, or 25.6 per 10,000. The C-HR's problems center on its CVT, while the Encore's are spread across the engine, turbo, air bags, and electrical system.
Which has more recalls, the Encore or the C-HR?: The C-HR has more. Federal recall records show 6 for the C-HR and 4 for the Encore across model years 2018 to 2022. The counts alone do not say how serious each recall was, so check any car's VIN for open recalls before you buy.
Which is cheaper to repair, the Encore or the C-HR?: The C-HR is slightly cheaper, at $441 a year against $466 for the Encore. That is $25 a year, or $125 over five years. A failed C-HR transmission, quoted from over $10,000 to $14,000, would wipe out that saving.
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. Failures cluster between roughly 59,000 and 128,000 miles, and there is usually no warning light beforehand.
What goes wrong most often on the Buick Encore?: Engine complaints are the largest group at 40, mostly check engine lights and exhaust faults. Turbocharger failure is the next most serious pattern, cutting power without warning at highway speed. Owners also report a radiator fan that keeps running after shutdown and drains the battery.

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Decided between Buick Encore 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 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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