Buick expands its crossover-only lineup with an extra dose of style.
- Powering the 2024 Buick Envista is a 1.2-liter turbocharged I3 that makes 136 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque.
- Buick says the ’24 Envista will start at $24,790 when it goes on sale this summer.
- Buick will spread the Envista across three trims, starting with the base Preferred, then moving up to the Sport Touring trim and topping out at Avenir.
Buick’s diving deeper into the pool of small crossovers with its new Envista. Originally launched in China, this cute ute is finally making its way to North American shores. The Envista features specs similar to what we’ve seen in the new Chevrolet Trax, with a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder feeding a six-speed automatic. While it shares some hardware with the Trax, this Buick features sleeker styling that leans on the Buick Wildcat concept.
A new model in the Buick portfolio is kind of a big deal for a brand that has been withering on the General Motors vine. Today, Buick has only three models—all of them crossovers—for shoppers: the compact Encore GX, midsize Envision, and three-row Enclave. As recently as the 2019 model year, Buick also offered the Cascada convertible, LaCrosse sedan, and Regal TourX wagon. With a 106-inch wheelbase, the Envista is roughly 4 inches longer than the new Trax and nearly a foot longer than the Encore GX.
Buick expects the Envista’s 1.2-liter turbocharged I3 will send 136 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque exclusively to the front wheels. The team at Buick also expects this powertrain to be good for 30 mpg combined, which would put it right in line with its Trax sibling.
While the hardware might be similar to other GM small crossovers, Envista’s styling is unique, shaped by the design team at Buick to look more like a high-riding sedan. The Envista could be an interesting alternative to a more traditional CUV like the Trax, but there is a downside: cramped cargo space compared to the Trax. This Envista advertises 20.7 cu. ft. of cargo room with the second-row seats up, and 42 cu. ft. with the seats down. That’s respectively 5 cu. ft. and 12 cu. ft. smaller than the similarly sized Trax.
Cargo space aside, the rest of the Envista’s interior looks to have the creature comforts consumers want. Sitting atop the dash is a pair of screens that handle infotainment and instrumentation. Combined, they deliver 19 inches of screen space, with 11 inches slated just for infotainment. A traditional, sliding automatic gear select sits in the center console.
Controlling the 18- or 19-inch wheels is a pair of MacPherson struts in the front. At the rear, the larger, 19-inch wheels net you a watts link, whereas the standard 18-inch wheels are controlled by a compound crank suspension. To get the larger wheels, you’ll need to step up to the Sport Touring trim or the Avenir, whereas Preferred models ride on 18-inch rims.
The Envista is slated to hit production next month in GM’s Bupyeong Plant in South Korea, with these crossovers heading to customers in the summer. The base model Envista will set you back $24,790 with the destination charge, and the Sport Touring model starts at $26,490. The range-topping Avenir will set customers back $30,990.
Wesley Wren Wesley Wren has spent his entire life around cars, whether it’s dressing up as his father’s 1954 Ford for Halloween as a child, repairing cars in college or collecting frustrating pieces of history—and most things in between.
Keyword: The 2024 Buick Envista Adds Sedan Styling to a Compact Crossover