The 2025 Buick Envista Sport Touring ($30,495, as tested) is built in South Korea on a global GM small-car platform shared with the Chevy Trax.Lately I have been accused of dragging politics into the supposedly safe space of car reviews. With all respect, it is I who am being dragged, by events too stupendous to ignore.Consider our test car, the 2025 Buick Envista Sport Touring ($30,465, as tested), a compact crossover powered by a three-cylinder engine and uncommonly good looks. Should I elide the fact that this vehicle is built in South Korea in order to take advantage of lower labor costs? Is it germane that the price may blow up, or not, in a few weeks, depending on which way the wind is blowing from the White House? You tell me.For the moment, and to a rough approximation, this is what affordable looks like. And you have to admit, it looks good. A creature of whelming adequacy in most respects, the five-seat, four-door Envista rocks a beautiful exterior, with a nice stance and proportions at the wheel wells; a long hood and a strong chin; and a sleek silhouette, courtesy of the fastback roofline and adorable bum. The high-gloss black wheels of the Sport Touring trim shine like prom-night footwear.Built on the same vehicle platform as its GM sibling Chevy Trax, the Envista is effectively the same machine with less rustic tailoring.One might assume styling is a secondary concern at this price point. In fact, history is littered with sketchy cars that people bought in spite of themselves only because they looked amazing. I’ve owned several myself.Small and bright, fetching and fancy, the Envista delivers teacup-poodle energy at pound-puppy prices. Who’s an affordably priced dog? You are! Yes you are! Mwah!Talk about adorable: Mounted sideways under the hood is an elfish 1,200-cc turbocharged, three-cylinder engine (137 hp/162 lb-ft), buttoned to a six-speed automatic transmission and open front differential driving the front wheels (no AWD option is available).Right about here many American buyers will hang up the phone. One-thousand two-hundred cc’s? Really? I’ve had bongs with more displacement. To the good, the I3 is lightweight and power dense, with an EPA-rated fuel economy of at 28/32/30 mpg, city/highway/combined. (There is still an EPA, right?)And it ain’t like the kid got no heart. Once the little three-banger is riled up it punches hard and stays busy in the clinches. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 mph acceleration of 9.3 seconds out of their example. But if he ever sits down on his stool it’s hard to get him up again.One of the compromises of small turbo engines and efficiency-seeking transmissions is low-speed throttle latency. Imagine you’re at a stop or at slow speeds and you suddenly need a burst of acceleration. You stand on the gas and, briefly—nothing. Helloooo?Gas engines and turbos need time to spool up; digitally controlled transmissions require precious milliseconds to rack to a lower gear ratio. The Buick’s three-pot doesn’t come to a boil until 2,500 rpm. As the driver with your foot on the gas and traffic bearing down, these dilations can be most unwelcome.In the Envista, one learns to push through this initial latency by being more assertive with the accelerator pedal—imagine stamping out a lit firecracker. In any event, throttle latency is less a feature of the Buick than small, highly taxed internal-combustion engines per se.Question: What high-torque, low-rpm technology could best improve throttle response, low-speed drivability and efficiency? Don’t make me say it.While the Buick is a sign of the times, it also turns back the clock in interesting ways. I can’t remember the last time an automaker offered a Watts link—a suspension linkage that helps constrain heaving and swaying body motions—as an upsell for a compound-crank suspension.Those who heap scorn upon newfangled modern cars may find the Envista refreshingly un-fangled (de-fangled?) Buick’s product planners have sequestered advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) such as adaptive cruise control, lane-change alert with blind spot alert, and rear cross-traffic alert in the optional Advanced Safety Package. The wireless charging feature is likewise optional for Sport Touring.Powered by a turbocharged 1.2-liter, three-cylinder gas engine, six-speed transmission and front-wheel drive, the Envista boasts an EPA-rated fuel economy of 28/32/30 mpg, city/highway/combined.Lately I’ve grown concerned about the spiraling costs of fender benders, due to the vulnerability of ADAS systems, intercoolers and other components. The Envista offers an optional active shutter system mounted behind the lower front grille, designed to help regulate thermal effects and reduce high-speed drag. Sure is nice. It would be a shame if something happened to it.As you might expect, the fastback roofline limits utility somewhat. The space behind the 60/40-split folddown seatback sums to about 20 cubic feet, roughly equivalent to 2½ Costco shopping carts. With the seatback folded the space expands to 5 carts’ worth. The hatch also limits rear visibility. I note that the rear parking assist feature is standard for all trims.Rear legroom is pretty limited, requiring adult passengers to sit as if closely contemplating their kneecaps. The forward cabin feels more cozy than small. The seats were smartly dressed in black with contrasting blue stitching and piping. The star of the show is the 11-inch high-definition digital touch screen, mounted mid-dash. Its features include wireless comms with Apple or Android products; Bluetooth streaming for up to two connected devices; and pass-through voice command that allows you to boss your phone around while you’re driving.The comely Envista ST presents as a shrewdly calculated value, if not too clever by half. I note that the only no-cost color is refrigerator white. Any of the colored metallics costs $495. What kind of maniac doesn’t tick that box?I can’t say the Envista ST is a lot of car for the money. It is probably just enough for now.2025 Buick Envista Sport TouringAn 11-inch high-definition digital touch screen, mounted mid-dash, supplies the Buick Envista with wireless comms to Apple or Android products as well as Bluetooth audio streaming.Base price: $25,300Price, as tested: $30,465Powertrain: 1.2 liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine; 6 speed automatic; FWDLength/wheelbase/width/height: 182.6/106.3/71.5 (w/out mirrors)/61.3 inchesPower/torque: 137 hp at 5,000 rpm/162 lb-ft at 2,500-4,000 rpmCurb weight: 3,060 pounds0-60 mph: 9.3 secs (Car and Driver)EPA fuel economy: 28/32/30 mpg, city/highway/combinedCargo capacity: 20.7/42 cubic feet (behind 2nd/1st row seatbacks)
