2025 Encore GX vs. 2025 Honda CR-V

2025 Buick Encore GX vs. 2025 Honda CR-V: Which Compact SUV Wins?

When it comes to compact SUVs, both the 2025 Buick Encore GX and the 2025 Honda CR-V are popular choices. This detailed comparison delves into their safety features, reliability, performance, and more to help you decide which one best fits your needs.

Safety Features

Both the Encore GX and CR-V come standard with essential safety features, including driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, and rearview cameras. They also both offer front-wheel drive as standard.

However, the Encore GX offers some advanced safety advantages:

• Surround View: The Encore GX offers an optional Surround View system, providing a comprehensive view of objects around the vehicle on a screen. The CR-V, in contrast, only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that alert with beeps or flashing lights, which may not cover side obstacles.
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert: To enhance safety when backing out of a parking space, the Encore GX has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert to help drivers avoid collisions. The CR-V LX does not offer rear cross-path warning.

Warranty

The Encore GX provides a longer corrosion warranty than the CR-V, lasting 6 years compared to the CR-V’s 5 years.

Reliability

The Encore GX features a standard 760-amp battery, more powerful than the CR-V’s 410-amp battery, ensuring more reliable starts and better handling of electrical loads.

According to J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 studies:

• Initial Quality Study: Buick vehicles demonstrate better initial quality than Honda vehicles, with 17 fewer problems per 100 vehicles. Buick ranks above average in initial quality, while Honda is rated lower.
• Three-Year-Old Vehicle Reliability: Buick ranks third in reliability, above the industry average. Honda, on the other hand, is ranked 18th with 57 more problems per 100 vehicles, indicating that Buick vehicles are more reliable.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Encore GX incorporates regenerative brakes across all its engine options, improving fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy. Honda only offers a regenerative brake system on the CR-V Hybrid.

While both vehicles have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to conserve fuel, all Encore GX models include a standard disable switch for this system, allowing the driver to keep the engine running when desired. The CR-V Hybrid does not offer a way to disable its start/stop system.

For lower fuel costs and ease of refueling, the Buick Encore GX uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CR-V with the 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine, however, requires premium fuel for maximum efficiency, which can cost approximately 84.9 cents more per gallon on average.

Brakes and Stopping

The Encore GX consistently stops shorter than the CR-V:

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Encore GX offers optional tires that are larger than the largest available on the CR-V (245/45R19 vs. 235/60R18).

The Encore GX’s standard tires provide better handling due to their lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio), which offers a stiffer sidewall compared to the CR-V LX’s standard 65 series tires. The Encore GX’s optional tires also have a lower 45 series profile than the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid’s 55 series tires.

For improved ride, handling, and brake cooling, the Encore GX comes standard with 18-inch wheels, whereas the CR-V LX has smaller 17-inch wheels as standard.

The Encore GX includes a standard easy tire fill system. This system monitors tire pressure during inflation and alerts the driver when the correct pressure is reached. The CR-V does not offer this vehicle-monitored tire inflation feature.

Suspension and Handling

The Encore GX features variable-assist power steering, providing low-effort parking, enhanced control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better road feel. The CR-V does not offer variable-assist power steering.

In performance tests:

• The Encore GX AWD achieved better cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test (.84 G’s) compared to the CR-V EX-L AWD (.82 G’s).
• The Encore GX AWD completed Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid (27.8 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 29.3 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

Chassis

The Buick Encore GX is generally more efficient, handles better, and accelerates faster due to its lighter weight, approximately 450 to 650 pounds less than the Honda CR-V.

The Encore GX is also 1 foot, 1.6 inches shorter than the CR-V, making it easier to handle, maneuver, and park in tight spaces.

When tested by Car and Driver under full throttle, the interior of the Encore GX AWD was found to be quieter than the CR-V EX-L AWD (73 dB vs. 74 dB).

Towing

The Encore GX AWD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing owners of recreational vehicles to bring it along for local driving at their destination. The CR-V cannot be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

The Encore GX offers several ergonomic advantages:

• Instrumentation: The Encore GX’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge, providing vital information to help prevent engine damage. The CR-V lacks both an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge.
• Power Window Controls: Both vehicles have power windows with child locks. However, on the Encore GX, the driver can still operate all windows even when the child lock is engaged. The CR-V prevents the driver from operating other windows when the child lock is on. Additionally, the Encore GX’s front and rear power windows offer one-touch operation for both lowering and raising, which is more convenient than the CR-V’s rear power windows, which require continuous holding of the switch to fully open.
• Keyless Entry: The Encore GX offers an available exterior PIN entry system, allowing access to the vehicle even if keys are locked inside or not present. The CR-V does not offer this feature.
• Keyless Access: The Encore GX’s standard Keyless Access allows unlocking doors and the cargo door, and starting the engine, without removing the key from a pocket or purse. The CR-V’s standard Pushbutton Start only offers hands-free access for the ignition and does not unlock the vehicle. Pushbutton Start is also not available on the CR-V EX/Sport trims.
• Heated Mirrors: The Encore GX’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear them for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the CR-V EX/Sport.
• Auto-Tilting Rearview Mirrors: When the Encore GX Avenir is in reverse, both rearview mirrors automatically tilt down for a better view of the curb during parallel parking. The CR-V’s mirrors do not offer this automatic adjustment.
• Universal Remote: The Encore GX Avenir includes a standard integrated Homelink® universal remote in its overhead console, eliminating the need for separate garage door openers.
• Household Power Outlet: The Encore GX Avenir features a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing users to recharge laptops or power small household appliances without special adapters. The CR-V does not offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Buick Encore GX and the Honda CR-V, based on their reliability, safety, and performance.