The All New 2024 Buick Envista is a Charming Gem
The Buick Envista is a brand new crossover from Buick. The starting price point of $23,495 is compelling, but will owners still feel pampered?
It Proves You Actually Can, in Fact, Have Nice Things.
What’s more, you can have them without breaking the bank. The new 2024 Buick Envista made me think of how great it is to have lovely jewelry. The gorgeous, everyday jewelry that has polish and makes you feel special. I think of a pretty charm bracelet from a loved one or a nice necklace you splurged on because you deserve it. The Envista has a gorgeous design and thoughtful details that make it sparkle. I liked looking at it even when I wasn’t driving it.
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Related: First Looks at the Buick Envista
Pretty and Polished, the 2024 Buick Envista Starts at $23,495
The 2024 Buick Envista takes the majority of its design cues from the Buick Wildcat concept car that debuted last year. Every model has a coupe-like roofline. The front end has a hood that has a waterfall effect, meaning the paint color comes down the hood and drops down where the grille begins. It makes the front end of the car look sleek.
The swept-back look of the LED headlights lends to the sleek, futuristic look. The back of the car has had just as much attention paid to it. It’s got a sharp rear trunk lid that extends from the LED taillights, and the badging is spread out below the new Buick logo. The new logo reminds me of little birthstone charms you may have on a necklace or bracelet.
Related: The 10 Best American Luxury SUVs
Worried that the Inside Doesn’t Match the Outside?
Don’t be. Inside, the Envista is just as pretty. There are a variety of textures and colors to evoke an upscale feel. Most notably, the standard 19-inch screen makes the whole interior look premium. This curved piece of glass includes the 8-inch driver information display and the 11-inch multimedia screen. It’s so cool that all models of the Envista come with this display.
The interior has room for five but is probably most comfortable with four. Niceties include two cupholders in the front, a USB and USB-C charge port, and a bottle holder and pocket in each door. Visually, the inside is modern and crisp, with little design details that make the car feel special. The trim around the gearshift is a different material; the accents around the air vents have a swept-back look. It’s clean and distinctive.
There are two lower anchors in the back seat and three top tether anchors (one in each seating position). The rear seat has ample legroom, but because of the cool coupe/fastback roofline, there is less headroom than you might think. You’ll want to check that out if you’ll have taller passengers sitting in the back seat regularly.
Cargo space is about what you’d expect. You can put a few smaller suitcases in the back, and because it’s a hatch and not a trunk, you’ve got some wiggle room. We could fit two carry-on-size bags and two backpacks in the cargo space without issue and probably could have fit one or two more suitcases pretty easily.
I love that there are no shortcuts on standard safety features. All Envistas come with lane keep assist with lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, forward collision alert, following distance indicator, and intelligent high beams. The Envista also has a tire pressure monitoring system that’s standard, in addition to a bunch of airbags, a buckle-to-drive system, and an HD rear camera. You can also adjust your settings to include a buckle-to-drive function that requires the seat belt to be buckled before the Envista will let you shift the car out of Park, and a teen driver feature that manages volume settings and speed.
The Drive is a Good One, but the Ride is Luxurious
The Envista is capable on the road. The 1.2l turbocharged engine may make people pause, but they shouldn’t. I had no problems merging onto the highway or passing other cars. The six-speed transmission delivers the power you need, and though sometimes it felt a little slow, it was predictable. So I adjusted my driving a little and managed that lag just fine. If you’re looking for a drag racer, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere though. And heads-up, this car is front-wheel drive only; there is not an all wheel drive option. The steering was responsive; the braking was too. It’s a satisfying drive.
What I especially loved was the quiet ride of the Envista. It’s got Buick’s Quiet Tuning, so there is extra insulation, higher-quality acoustic glass, and an active noise-cancellation system. This keeps engine, road, and wind noise to a minimum and lends a superior, luxurious feel to the inside of the Envista. Lastly, the estimated fuel economy for the Envista is 28 miles per gallon in the city, and 32 on the highway.
The Envista Models in Detail
Envista Preferred
The base model of the Buick Envista is called the Preferred trim, and it’s a great-looking base model. This model starts at $23,495. On the exterior, there are a lot of chrome accents, including horizontal slats across the grille. It looks upscale because of the chrome, and I liked how dressed up the Envista felt. The Preferred trim has 17-inch wheels, and they’re a black and brushed metal alloy.
The Preferred has a contrasting fabric upholstery that reminded me of suiting, and details on the door trim and command center that added some panache and style. I loved the color combination of the blue exterior and the dark and light interior. The Preferred trim has some more traditional knobs and buttons to control the HVAC. But in a lovely gesture, Buick made the 19” screen standard. This curved panel extends from the driver’s side to the center of the Envista. The curve cuts down on some glare, and makes the interior feel even that much more polished and exclusive. You’ll also get a power liftgate, power driver’s side seat, and power windows in the Preferred trim.
Envista ST
The ST model is a little more sporty, with blacked-out wheels and grille. This model starts at $25,195. The bottom of the door sills also has the piano black trim. So, while the name of the trim is Sport Touring, it does look refined and polished. The wheels are a bit bigger at 18”, which lends a sporty, speedy look to the Envista ST. The rear of the ST has piano black trim along the bumper. The model I drove was pearl white, and it looked so sharp. But the red model was gorgeous, and the black trim really looked so sophisticated with it.
Envista Avenir
The Avenir trim is the fanciest of all and starts at $29,695. It looks upgraded with all body-color trim along the doors and the back bumper. The wheels are 19-inch bushed metal alloys, and they look very sophisticated. Inside, the Avenir trim has a modern stitched pattern on the seats and “Avenir” embroidered on the headrests. Most notably, the buttons and knobs for the climate controls in the other trims are replaced with sleek toggle switches. I love this upscale, clean look and would have difficulty not wanting to splurge on the Avenir.
I would have loved a light-colored interior seating option, but hopefully, that will come with time.
Are the Chevrolet Trax and the Buick Envista the Same Car?
You may have heard that the Envista and the Chevrolet Trax are on the same platform. This is true, and they have the same engine. They both are front-wheel drive only, as well. The Envista has a much more streamlined look and a coupe/fastback rear design. So the headspace is a little different, and the cargo space is a little bit too. Notably, the Buick Envista has the quiet tuning and sophisticated Wildcat styling, inside and out. The Trax is sharp and sporty looking.
It’s hard not to envision the Envista finding success. The great looks that come from the Wildcat concept car are just the beginning. It’s priced well, has thoughtful details that make you feel pampered, and includes many great standard features. It’s a bauble I’d be happy to call my own.
Disclosure: Buick provided travel and accommodations for me to test the Envista, but all opinions are my own.
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Categorized:Car Reviews SUVs