Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
28–31 mpgcombined; city 26–30, highway 29–32; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$10,480–$11,600U.S. average; Ohio $9,360–$10,370 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2020 Encore GX. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 70 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Encore GX. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Service brakes
19
3
0
1
Unknown or other
19
0
0
0
Power train
18
0
0
0
Electrical system
16
0
0
0
Engine
14
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
6
1
0
0
Steering
4
1
0
0
Air bags
3
2
0
2
Fuel/propulsion system
3
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
2
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
2
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
2
0
0
0
8 more parts
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Lane departure
1
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
0
Structure
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2020 Encore GX over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Buick Encore GX and 2021-2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The emergency jack, if not positioned as directed in the vehicle owner's manual, can fracture while in use.
Risk: A fractured jack can cause the vehicle to collapse, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the jack, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owner of the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 26, 2021. A second notice will be mailed once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A212335470.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac CT4, CT5 and XT4, 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and 2020-2021 Buick Encore GX vehicles. Sensor connection contamination in the electronic brake boost system may cause an interruption of communication between the sensor and the brake boost system.
Risk: If communication with the sensor is interrupted, the electronic brake boost assist could be lost. Extra pedal force will be required to slow and stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is A202307260.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 638 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2020 Encore GX, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (169), electrical system (151), engine and engine cooling (129), unknown or other (108), power train (78).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2020 Encore GX.
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 6–7 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Encore GX Front-Wheel Drive
1.3 L, 3 cyl, turbo
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
30 / 32 / 31
Encore GX All-Wheel Drive
1.3 L, 3 cyl, turbo
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
26 / 29 / 28
Encore GX Front-Wheel Drive
1.2 L, 3 cyl, turbo
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
26 / 30 / 28
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data