A Reliable American SUV That Deserves More Attention

For years, American SUVs have lived in the shadow of Japanese reliability giants like Toyota and Honda. Those of us looking for dependable vehicles rarely have to think twice before heading for a RAV4 or CR-V. They tend to get the job done with minimal fuss, so why wouldn’t you?

However, beneath the mass of reliable Japanese SUVs, there is an American subcompact SUV that has quietly built a reputation for low ownership costs, rock-solid dependability, minimal repairs, and surprisingly premium additions. This American SUV may not get talked about a lot, but its reliability rankings mean it deserves a lot more attention.

The American SUV Market In 2026

The American SUV market in 2026 feels more crowded than ever. Every brand now builds at least two or three compact crossovers aimed at the same group of buyers, and the difference between them seems to be getting smaller every year. SUVs like the RAV4, CR-V, Tucson, and Trax are talked about a lot because they balance practicality, decent tech, and affordability so well.

For most buyers, compact SUVs have replaced sedans, and are all that is needed. At the same time, American SUVs higher up in the market, like the Chevy Tahoe, Ford Expedition, and Jeep Wagoneer, now come loaded with huge infotainment screens, hands-free driving tech, premium interiors, and power outputs that rival performance sedans from not that long ago.

Even mainstream SUVs are getting more complicated as automakers add more hybrid systems, digital features, and advanced electronics. We now have a market that is obsessed (for the most part) with what is the newest and most advanced, while simpler SUVs that get the basics right are overlooked.

American SUVs’ Reliability Reputation

American-made SUVs have a mixed-bag reputation. Some have become known for durability and old-school dependability, while others have bombed a little with recurring problems, glitches, and increasingly difficult electronics. The 2023 Chevy Blazer is one of GM’s strongest efforts recently, earning an impressive 88 out of 100 reliability rating on J.D. Power, and getting a lot of good owner feedback for ride quality, refinement, and overall reliability.

Larger GM SUVs like the Tahoe and Yukon continue to crunch high miles, despite occasional recalls tied to newer powertrains, and the Ford Expedition’s body-on-frame construction has helped it build a strong reputation for pushing past 200,000 miles regularly.

On the other hand, though, models like the Jeep Cherokee and Ford Explorer have garnered more mixed reliability records over certain generations. The nine-speed auto in the Cherokee has drawn frequent owner feedback about hesitant shifting and low-speed smoothness, while electrical issues and infotainment glitches are also reported by owners with high-mileage models.

The Explorer has also seen similar ups and downs depending on model year, with some generations reportedly suffering from faulty suspensions, water pumps, and infotainment systems (namely, the early versions of Ford SYNC). Owners of newer models have also complained about software bugs and transmission calibration as Ford introduced more advanced tech to make things easier. Despite this, though, both models remain popular thanks to their comfort, available off-road capability, and overall practicality.

The Most Reliable SUVs That Always Get The Limelight

If you are looking for the most reliable SUVs, a couple of models immediately come to mind. Obviously, the Toyota RAV4 has become the benchmark for dependable daily driving thanks to consistently strong resale value, efficient hybrid options, and a reputation for fuss-free ownership across multiple generations. The Honda CR-V earns similar praise, particularly when you think about its durable powertrains, impressive interior space, long-term running costs, and low starting prices.

On the opposite end of the market, the Lexus GX combines luxury and dependability, with a body-on-frame platform, overbuilt features, and strong engine options. It has become the go-to choice for luxury off-roading. Japanese SUVs may have gained a lot of market trust, and rightly so, but they are not the only ones that can handle the high miles and repeated everyday abuse.

The 2021 Buick Encore Should Be Getting Toyota-Level Attention

As American SUVs go, there aren’t many that can top the levels of reliability that the 2021 Buick Encore offers. It is even rated higher than comparable Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai compact SUVs. The Buick Encore only ran for one generation, from 2013, and the 2021 MY is the penultimate one, but it is the highest rated in terms of dependability.

The Encore was always designed as a budget option in the semi-plush subcompact SUV market, and starting prices for the 2021 model were just $24,395. There were originally just two models available: the Encore and the Encore Preferred. There was also a slightly larger and better-equipped option in 2021: the Encore GX. This model line had a starting price of $25,195 and was originally available as the Preferred, Select, and Essence.

J.D. Power Reliability Ratings Top Every Small SUV In 2021

According to J.D. Power ratings, the 2021 Encore GX lineup is rated 83 out of 100. Still a very commendable rating, but the 2021 Encore lineup is much higher, at 91 out of 100 for quality and reliability.

To put that into perspective, some of the most renownedly reliable subcompact SUVs and crossovers from 2021, such as the Toyota CH-R, the Chevrolet Trax, the Kia Soul, the Subaru Crosstrek, the Chevy Trailblazer, and the Hyundai Venue, are all rated below it. Even the 2021 Honda CR-V is “only” rated as 82 out of 100 for reliability. The Encore is some way ahead.

Owner Feedback Is Very Good

According to owner reviews on Kelley Blue Book, 75 percent of owners who left a review would recommend buying a 2021 Encore subcompact SUV. While an overall rating of 4 out of 5 is not the highest we have ever seen, the pool of owners who left a review is relatively high, at 229.

Owner reviews have rated the Encore 4 out of 5 for performance, 4.1 out of 5 for value, quality, and reliability, 4.2 out of 5 for comfort, and 4.3 out of 5 for styling. On top of that, numerous owners have claimed to have already put over 100,000 miles on them with just simple maintenance and without anything huge happening.

Why The 2021 Buick Encore Outperforms Expectations

Sometimes the simplest option is the best option, and the Encore is living proof of that. There is just one engine option for the Encore (the engine in the Encore GX is different). It is a low-stress turbo-four that trickles out a somewhat meager helping, but it gets the job done. The 2021 Encore has the following engine specs.

Base Trim Engine

1.4L Turbo Inline-4 Gas

Base Trim Transmission

6-Speed Automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Front-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

155 hp

Base Trim Torque

177 lb-ft @ 2000-4000 rpm

Fuel Economy

24/32 MPG

Make

Buick

Model

Encore

Segment

Subcompact Luxury SUV

Infotainment & Features

8 /10

Front-wheel drive was standard fare when it was released, but you can find used Preferred examples with the optional AWD system included. Speed is certainly not the aim of the game here, with rest-to-60 times clocked at around 9.7 seconds, but everyday dependability is.

Simple Engineering Means Fewer Long-Term Problems

A huge part of why the ’21 Encore’s reliability comes down to how mechanically conservative it is. By the time the 2021 MY was released, nearly every major component underneath it had already spent years being refined and tested across multiple GM models.

The 1.4-liter turbocharged Ecotec inline-four under the hood belongs to GM’s long-running LUV engine family, which has been used a lot in models like the Chevy Cruze, Sonic, Trax, and earlier Encore models. This matters here because GM had already addressed many of the early durability problems, like high oil consumption, turbo failures, and PCV system failures, before it made it into the 2021 model.

Maybe more importantly, GM realized the limitations of a small turbo-four before trying to extract huge amounts of power from it. With only 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet on tap, boost pressure remains relatively conservative compared to even smaller turbo engines that can crank out over 200 ponies today.

The turbo is a Garrett MGT, so it is a good start, and is tuned more for low-end usability rather than trying to outsprint anything, which means that the engine spends most of its time working under fairly low stress conditions. Again, this helps keep the possibility of high mileage higher.

Then you have the transmission that the engine is mated to. Instead of opting for a CVT or newer nine-speed auto (as is found in the Encore GX), the 2021 Encore is equipped with GM’s Hydra-Matic 6T40 six-speed box. By 2021, the 6T40 was one of GM’s most familiar transverse automatic transmissions, with years of improvements and a huge amount of spare parts available for it.

It is not especially quick or sophisticated, but it does deliver smooth low-speed changes and avoids constant gear hunting, which is the plague of some modern multi-ratio transmissions. For long-term reliability in an everyday vehicle, this simplicity matters.

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Proven GM Reliability Without Overcomplicated Features

If you are looking for an SUV with a huge touchscreen, the Encore is not it. It was designed before compact SUVs truly started getting more massive digital displays, touch-controls, lane-centering systems, adaptive suspension systems, and increasingly complicated drivetrains. The Encore is a much more straightforward subcompact SUV.

Even in the higher Preferred model, you still get analog gauges, physical climate control knobs, and a simple eight-inch Buick IntelliLink infotainment system (the base trim gets a seven-inch one) with hard shortcut buttons instead of layers of touchscreen menus. It is still a touchscreen system, but not a complicated one.

Mechanically, the Encore follows the same thought. It rides on the GM Gamma II platform, which features a MacPherson front strut and torsion beam rear axle rig on front-wheel drive models, which prioritizes durability over outright handling, while even all-wheel drive Encore models remain fairly uncomplicated.

AWD models get an electronically controlled coupling to engage the rear axle when needed rather than constantly relying on torque vectoring through multiple clutch packs. This simplicity is ultimately what makes the Encore feel like a convincing little SUV today, even up against the very well-catered-for compact SUV market.

Owning A 2021 Buick Encore Today

Alongside the high reliability ratings and the simple build, the 2021 Encore is also a relatively affordable small SUV to buy today; for everyday driving, it does tick a lot of boxes. According to the latest average used prices on Kelley Blue Book, the base Encore trim will cost you $14,400, and the slightly plusher Preferred trim will cost you $15,000.

What helps the Encore stand out even more is that it feels slightly premium up against other affordable compact SUVs from the same era. You get thick acoustic glass, decent sound deadening in the doors and floors, and the suspension tuning is made for comfort over sharpness. Then there is the Preferred trim, which, for the extra $600 compared to the base trim, sounds a lot more appealing.

It comes equipped with push-button start, keyless entry, remote start, dual-zone climate control, the larger screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leatherette/cloth mixed upholstery, soft-touch surfaces, and a cabin without the hard, scratchy plastics found in a lot of similarly-aged entry-level SUVs.

Small Dimensions But A Versatile Build

The ’21 Encore is a small SUV in every way. It only measures in at 168.4 inches in length by 70.1 inches in width by 65.3 inches in height, and rides on a 100.6-inch wheelbase, so it is more than small enough to be the ideal city SUV. Despite its small stature, you and your passengers won’t be left wanting for room inside. The 2021 Encore has the following interior dimensions.

You also get 60:40 split-folding rear bench seats. With all the seats in place, the Encore has 18.8 cubic feet of space, and with all the seats folded away, it has 48.4 cubic feet. You also get a flat-folding front passenger seat, so you can get longer items in as well.

The 2021 Buick Encore’s Affordable Running Costs

RepairPal says that the Encore will only cost you $466 a year for maintenance, and has given it a 4 out of 5 reliability rating. They also say that the average number of times you will have to make an unscheduled garage visit is 0.1 times a year, which is much lower than the average of 0.4 times a year for all other vehicles.

The Encore may not be the most fuel-efficient small SUV on the market at the moment, but with a FuelEconomy.gov estimate that the front-wheel drive models can achieve 27 combined mpg (25 mpg city/30 mpg highway), and the all-wheel drive models can achieve 26 combined mpg (24 mpg city/29 mpg highway), it doesn’t do too badly. FuelEconomy.gov also says both models give you a tank range of around 370 miles, and will cost you between $2,200 and $2,300 a year for gas.

The 2021 Encore works so well because it doesn’t try to be clever or over-engineered. It sticks with tried-and-tested GM hardware, keeps power outputs modest, and avoids most kinds of complications that often age poorly as newer models turn up. Everything is deliberately simple, and though it is not an exciting small SUV, it is one that gets the job done without any dramatics. An owner review on Kelley Blue Book sums up the Buick Encore experience nicely.

Sources: J.D. Power, Buick, FuelEconomy.gov, RepairPal, and Kelley Blue Book