2013 Buick Encore

small SUV / 4-door SUV

2013 Buick Encore 4-door SUV

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Small overlap front: driver-side
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test
Side: updated test
Roof strength
Head restraints & seats

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Optional system
Basic

Other available safety features

  • Standard daytime running lights
  • Optional lane departure warning

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2013-14 models

Tested vehicle: 2013 Buick Encore 4-door 4wd

The Buick Encore was introduced in the 2013 model year. Two tests of the Encore were conducted because the onboard (car interior) cameras failed during the first test. As a result, the restraints and dummy kinematics rating is based primarily on the second test. Injury and structural ratings are based on both tests.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
In the second test, the dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off the left side as the steering column moved 18 cm to the right, leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward side structure and resulting in little airbag cushioning for the chest. (In the first test, the steering column moved 23 cm to the right.) Additionally, the seat belt allowed excessive forward excursion of the dummy’s head and torso. The side curtain airbag deployed too late during the second crash and does not have sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with forward side structure and outside objects. The side torso airbag deployed in the first test but not in the second test.

Action shot taken during the second of two small overlap frontal crash tests.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space wasn't maintained well (second test shown).

During the second crash, the dummy's head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off to the left as the steering column moved to the right. The seat belt allowed the dummy to move too far forward, as is evident from the gap between the seat back and the dummy's torso.

Door hinge pillar and instrument panel intrusion was extensive and contributed to a high risk of injuries to the left knee and left lower leg and a moderate risk to the left thigh (second test shown).

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CEN1308 CEN1311
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 32 21
Footrest (cm) 11 16
Left toepan (cm) 7 12
Brake pedal (cm) 11 9
Parking brake (cm)
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 9 6
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column 1 3
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 31 23
Upper dash (cm) 26 19
Lower instrument panel (cm) 22 17

Driver injury measures

Test ID CEN1308 CEN1311
Head
HIC-15 76 101
Peak gs at hard contact no contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.1 1.5
Extension bending moment (Nm) 30 29
Maximum Nij 0.34 0.44
Chest maximum compression (mm) 20 21
Femur (kN)
Left 7.1 4.7
Right 0.7 1.4
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 21 19
Right 2 2
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 11 3
Right 0 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 1.57 1.05
Right 0.48 0.62
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 1.9 1.7
Right 1.4 1.5
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 89 50
Right 51 58

How the driver-side small overlap front test is conducted

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2013-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2013 Buick Encore 4-door 4wd

The Buick Encore was introduced in the 2013 model year and the Chevrolet Trax was introduced in the 2015 model year.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Action shot taken during the moderate overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained well.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from hitting hard structures during rebound by the side curtain airbag.

Intrusion into the driver's space was minimal, and all leg and foot injury measures were low. The deployed knee airbag is resting on the dummy's lower legs.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CEF1303
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 3
Left (cm) 6
Center (cm) 9
Right (cm) 6
Brake pedal (cm) 11
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) 0
Right (cm) 0
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) -2
Rearward (cm) -7
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 0

Driver injury measures

Test ID CEF1303
Head
HIC-15 194
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.2
Extension bending moment (Nm) 12
Maximum Nij 0.25
Chest maximum compression (mm) 29
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 0.2
Femur force - right (kN) 0.6
Knee displacement - left (mm) 1
Knee displacement - right (mm) 0
Maximum tibia index - left 0.19
Maximum tibia index - right 0.30
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 1.5
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 3.3
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 36
Right 87

How the moderate overlap front test is conducted

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2013-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2013 Buick Encore 4-door 4wd with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front and rear seat-mounted torso airbags

The Buick Encore was introduced in the 2013 model year and the Chevrolet Trax was introduced in the 2015 model year.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Driver head protection
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Rear passenger head protection

View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.

View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side curtain airbag.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbag.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CES1301
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) -15.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Test ID CES1301
Head HIC-15 189
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.2
Compression (kN) 0.5
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 31
Lateral force (kN) 1.5
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 31
Average deflection (mm) 27
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 3.08
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.29
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 1.5
Acetabulum force (kN) 1.8
Combined force (kN) 3.1
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.2
L-M moment (Nm) 155
A-P moment (Nm) -22

Passenger injury measures

Test ID CES1301
Head HIC-15 148
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.3
Compression (kN) 0.3
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 16
Lateral force (kN) 1.0
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 22
Average deflection (mm) 18
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 1.87
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.17
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 0.2
Acetabulum force (kN) 1.2
Combined force (kN) 1.4
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.3
L-M moment (Nm) 53
A-P moment (Nm) 11

How the side crash test is conducted

Side: updated test

Rating applies to 2013-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2021 Buick Encore Preferred 4-door 4wd

The Buick Encore was introduced in the 2013 model year and the Chevrolet Trax was introduced in the 2015 model year.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis
Driver head protection
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis
Rear passenger head protection

View of the vehicle just after the crash test.

View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side airbags.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbags.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CES2005
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) -18.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Test ID CES2005
Head
HIC-15 188
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.0
Compression (kN) 0.3
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 43
Lateral force (kN) 1.6
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 43
Average deflection (mm) 41
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 3.32
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.66
Pelvis
Combined force (kN) 3.8

Passenger injury measures

Test ID CES2005
Head
HIC-15 126
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.3
Compression (kN) 1.1
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 14
Lateral force (kN) 0.9
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 34
Average deflection (mm) 27
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 2.62
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.44
Pelvis
Combined force (kN) 3.7

How the side crash test is conducted

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2013-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2013 Buick Encore 4-door 4wd

Overall evaluation
Curb weight 3,327 lbs
Peak force 15,414 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio 4.63

How the roof strength test is conducted

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Power leather seats

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry
Technical measurements for this test
Seat type Power leather seats
Geometry
Backset (mm) 4
Distance below top of head (mm) 10
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail Pass
Max T1 acceleration (g) 11.3
Head contact time (ms) 56
Force rating 1
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N) 27
Max neck tension (N) 371

How the head restraint & seat test is conducted
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

  • Optional Forward Collision Alert

Package name

  • Optional Premium Trim

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2013-19 models

Basic
Basic
with optional equipment
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • Autobrake not available.

How front crash prevention is evaluated

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