Compare the2026 Buick Encore GXVS 2025 Subaru Forester

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability

Safety

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The Buick Encore GX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Forester doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Encore GX has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Forester’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Encore GX has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Forester and its not available on the Base.

Compared to metal, the Encore GX’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Forester has a metal gas tank.

Both the Encore GX and the Forester have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Buick Encore GX is safer than the Subaru Forester:

	Encore GX	Forester
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	185	198
Neck Injury Risk	24%	24.4%
Neck Stress	190 lbs.	263 lbs.
Neck Compression	15 lbs.	39 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	83/261 lbs.	276/274 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Buick Encore GX is safer than the Subaru Forester:

	Encore GX	Forester
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	185	208
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	58 G’s
Hip Force	517 lbs.	640 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The Encore GX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Forester’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 44 percent more Buick dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Encore GX’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Encore GX has a standard 760-amp battery. The Forester’s 620-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Encore GX first among small suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Forester isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick above average in initial quality. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick second in reliability, above the industry average. With 69 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 21st.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Encore GX gets better mileage than the Forester:

			MPG
Encore GX
	FWD	1.2 turbo 3-cyl.	30 city/31 hwy
		1.3 turbo 3-cyl.	29 city/31 hwy
	AWD	1.3 turbo 3-cyl.	26 city/28 hwy
Forester
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	25 city/28 hwy

Regardless of its engine, regenerative brakes improve the Encore GX’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. Subaru only offers a regenerative brake system on the Forester Hybrid.

The Encore GX has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Forester doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

The Encore GX stops much shorter than the Forester:

	Encore GX	Forester
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Encore GX’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Forester (245/45R19 vs. 235/50R19).

The Encore GX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Forester’s standard 60 series tires. The Encore GX’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Forester Sport/Touring’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Encore GX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Forester.

The Encore GX has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Forester doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Encore GX has variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Forester doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Encore GX AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the Forester Sport pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The Buick Encore GX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 700 pounds less than the Subaru Forester.

The Encore GX is 11.5 inches shorter than the Forester, making the Encore GX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Encore GX uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Forester doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Towing

The Encore GX AWD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Encore GX can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Forester can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

The Encore GX’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Forester does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the Encore GX and the Forester have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Encore GX is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Forester prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Encore GX’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Forester’s standard power windows’ passenger windows don’t open automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Encore GX’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Forester doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its STARLINK Connected Services can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Encore GX’s standard Keyless Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Access and Start is only offered on the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring, and doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The Encore GX Avenir’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Forester’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Encore GX’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring.

The Encore GX Avenir has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Forester doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Model Availability

The Encore GX is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Forester doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

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