Encore, Envision, Enclave, and now Envista. Will Buick’s obsession with phrases that begin with “en” ever stop? Severely, we mistyped ‘Envision’ about 30 instances penning this assessment as a result of even we get confused by Buick’s names, and with a uncommon bucking of the alpha-numeric naming conference, it may be troublesome to determine the place new fashions slot right into a lineup. The Buick Envista, to not be confused with the Avista Idea from again in 2016, is a brand new subcompact crossover that can act because the entry level into Buick’s all-SUV lineup. Buick does promote the LaCrosse sedan in China however not within the US market; right here, the model is feeding into the crossover/SUV craze.
The Envista first debuted in China, however Buick thought the product can be ok for a US viewers. It rides on the Basic Motors VSS-F platform, which is shared with a budget and cheerful Chevrolet Trax. The Envista shares an engine with the Trax, too, a modest 1.2-liter three-cylinder producing simply 136 horsepower. That engine does not sound inspiring, however a minimum of the Envista is reasonably priced, beginning at simply $23,495 (solely $3,095 greater than its Chevy counterpart). Can a beautiful beginning value assist Buick carry new clients to the model? We traveled to the corporate’s residence turf in Detroit, Michigan, to search out out.
Exterior: Svelte Strains
The Envista will be seen as a litmus check for Buick for the reason that little crossover debuts an all-new styling language – it ought to assist Buick decide the longer term design language of the model. The brand new look was ostensibly impressed by the beautiful Wildcat Idea; sadly, that automotive’s epic coupe physique model did not make it to manufacturing. Nonetheless, the Envista is a beautiful crossover with a pointy, forward-leaning entrance finish that is accented by the newly restyled Buick emblem. We should say, the brand new badge appears to be like much less frumpy than the outdated one and pairs nicely with the Envista’s trendy styling. The Wildcat-inspired LED checkmark lights additionally look fairly hanging.
Although Buick does not point out the phrase in any of its press materials, we would describe the Envista as a coupe crossover. The silhouette tapers off on the again with rear glass that’s sloped, very like these vehicles that fall into the favored ‘coupe SUV’ section. Buick will provide wheel sizes starting from 17 inches as much as 19 inches, with the latter coming normal on the luxurious Avenir trim. 18-inch wheels can be found on the bottom Most well-liked trim (17-inch wheels are normal), and the Sport Touring comes with 18-inch black wheels.
Inside: Finances Luxurious
Regardless of its reasonably priced price ticket, the Envista doesn’t really feel spartan inside. Even the bottom mannequin spoils occupants with an Ultrawide Infotainment Show with 19 inches of LCD display screen actual property. The 11-inch infotainment system is the most important in its class and options wi-fi CarPlay and Android Auto. This pairs with a large eight-inch gauge cluster show that additional improves the trendy ambiance within the cabin. Each screens are a bit dim, although, and the distinction is not very excessive, which means it may be troublesome to see what’s displayed when uncovered to brilliant daylight. Utilizing CarPlay does largely repair the difficulty on the principle show.
As for the cabin supplies, even the fundamental Most well-liked trim feels well-appointed. Material seats with leatherette edges do not seem low-cost, and the black leatherette with blue accenting within the ST trim is correctly sporty. The Avenir is out there with a leather-based inside that evokes a extra premium vibe.
Powertrain: Sufficient To Transfer It
Worth, efficiency, practicality: patrons are sometimes pressured to decide on two out of three, particularly at this value. With the Envista, efficiency is the world that will get thrown into the sacrifice pit. The one engine choice is a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-pot that squeaks its strategy to 136 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. That energy is distributed to the entrance wheels solely (no all-wheel-drive choice is out there) by means of a basic-for-2023 six-speed automated transmission. Buick says a brand new turbocharger permits the tiny three-cylinder engine to succeed in torque decrease within the rev vary and preserve it longer, resulting in “responsiveness and a enjoyable and interesting driving expertise for patrons.” It feels like advertising and marketing mumbo jumbo, however there’s some reality to it.
If you need a quick automotive, look elsewhere, however drivers who do not rush from mild to mild will not discover a lot fault with the Envista. And gasoline economic system is rated at 28/32/30 metropolis/freeway/mixed, which is in the direction of the higher half of the section, though Mazda’s CX-30 crossover with its extra highly effective engine manages to beat this. Naturally, this additionally lags behind hybrid rivals just like the Kia Niro and Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.
Driving Impressions: Primary Transportation
Regardless of its good-looking look, the Envista was not designed to be sporty. The three-cylinder engine is sufficient, by no means feeling notably strained to select up pace. From a standstill, it could handle to squeak the tires on its strategy to 60 mph in round 9 seconds, a feat made attainable by a sub-3,100-pound curb weight. The transmission’s lack of gears means it solely takes one or two shifts at most to get the engine in its comfortable place with sufficient torque to keep away from a downshift in lots of leisurely passing conditions. Even in case you do have to mash the throttle, the three-pot is quiet sufficient to not sound prefer it’s on its deathbed when requested for max acceleration. Freeway noise can be comparatively low, because of Buick’s QuietTuning system.
The steering really feel is on the sunshine facet, and it isn’t what we would describe as sharp. Inputs are pretty uninteresting however not utterly disconnected. Most well-liked and ST trims come normal with a torsion beam rear suspension, however ST trims with the 19-inch wheels and all Avenir grades get a extra subtle Watts Hyperlink setup. Will patrons of the Envista discover a distinction? Seemingly not, however the rear suspension does yield barely extra spirited dealing with.
Practicality: Restricted Compromise
Regardless of being positioned beneath the Encore GX in Buick’s lineup, the Envista is 11 inches longer, and its wheelbase is stretched by round 4 inches, too. These dimensions pay dividends when it comes to cabin area, the place the Envista bests its sibling with 41.9 inches of legroom up entrance and 38.7 inches within the rear. These are large numbers for this class of auto.
The Envista’s decrease, coupe-like roofline does yield a sacrifice behind the seats, the place the trunk homes 20.7 cubic ft of area to the GX’s 23.5. These figures are related with the seats folded; the Envista opens as much as 42 cubes whereas the GX has 50.2 cibes. However do not let the numbers idiot you. The “smaller” Envista really has extra size, so until you propose to stack bins as much as the roof, the Encore GX is not a extra sensible cargo hauler in the true world.
Pricing: Entry Stage Premium
Past its enticing styling, well-appointed inside, and beneficiant normal expertise, the 2024 Envista’s greatest attribute is its low beginning value. $23,495 (excluding vacation spot) will get you a base Most well-liked trim, the ST begins at $25,195, and the Avenir is $29,695. The Most well-liked seems to be the very best cut price of the bunch, particularly since most of the high-end options discovered within the ST and Avenir (together with heated seats, an influence tailgate, energy driver’s seats, and extra) can all be added to the bottom trim, all for round $26,000.
The Buick Envista might share loads with the Chevrolet Trax, together with its engine, nevertheless it does so with out drastically rising the worth. For easy transportation with a premium flare, the Envista makes many costlier crossovers really feel overpriced.