Showing the 2019 Encore Essence. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 1.4 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
26–28 mpgcombined; city 24–26, highway 29–31; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$11,600–$12,490U.S. average; Ohio $10,370–$11,160 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 2019 Encore. 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 87 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Encore. 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
Engine
33
3
1
3
Fuel/propulsion system
12
0
0
0
Unknown or other
12
3
1
1
Air bags
11
5
0
7
Electrical system
10
1
0
2
Power train
10
1
1
0
Service brakes
7
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
7
2
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
6
0
0
1
Exterior lighting
5
0
0
1
Suspension
4
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
3
0
0
0
8 more parts
Tires
3
0
0
0
Lane departure
2
0
0
0
Steering
2
0
0
0
Wheels
2
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
0
0
0
Structure
1
1
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 2019 Encore 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 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Buick Encore, Chevrolet Spark, Traverse, and Trax vehicles. The Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM) on these vehicle may not have been turned off of "manufacturing mode," preventing the air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the air bags do not deploy in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the SDM module to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18365.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 669 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2019 Encore, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (224), engine and engine cooling (128), electrical system (110), unknown or other (82), engine (73).
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 2019 Encore.
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Encore Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
26 / 31 / 28
Encore All-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
25 / 30 / 27
Encore Front-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
25 / 30 / 27
Encore All-Wheel Drive
1.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
24 / 29 / 26
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