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Buick introduced a new nameplate to its lineup on Monday. The 2024 Buick Envista compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) will now be the entry point into the premium brand, a division of General Motors.
The name follows the company's bigger E-named SUVs like the Encore, Envision and Enclave. Ford follows a similar naming pattern with its EcoSport, Escape, Edge, Explorer and Expedition.
The 2024 Buick Envista comes in three trims including Preferred, ST and Avenir. Buick notes that the luxury Avenir trim is now available across its entire lineup. The base price of just $23,495 will undercut all luxury crossovers offered today, and some of the non-luxury ones.
"Lower-priced models play an essential role in the car market yet it's becoming an increasingly overlooked segment as brands turn their focus to electrification and more profitable nameplates," David Undercoffler, editor-in-chief, Autolist.com told Newsweek.
The crossover incorporates design cues from the last year's Wildcat EV concept with a low silhouette and a pointy, forward leaning nose. The new Buick emblem is mounted above the new grille. Buick says this too is a cue taken from heritage vehicles of Buick's past.
On the sides, the new window surrounds stretch to the trunk, elongating the view. New head and taillights have Buick's signature wing lighting while LED checkmark-shaped are mounted high on the fascia for a layered look. The ST trim comes with black 18-inch wheels with 19s available. The Avenir comes with 19-inch tires and Pearl Nickel wheels.
Like many of the new SUVs and crossovers, the Envista has a swooping, coupe-like roofline instead of a squared-off rear end.
The Envista is 11 inches longer than the Encore GX, with a wheelbase 4 inches longer. However, it is nearly 3 inches shorter in height.
Inside, large windows and a sunroof provide natural light. The relatively large Envista cabin offers more legroom than any previous small Buick SUV. A new infotainment touchscreen has 19 diagonal inches of combined LCD screens that work together. That's 8 inches in the digital driver cluster and 11 inches on the main central screen, which is also the largest in the segment.
A flat-bottom steering wheel is standard across all trims, as is colorful stitching on the seats, and headrest logos on Avenir and ST. The Envista comes with Buick's QuietTuning system, which helps prevent unwanted road noise from entering the cabin.
The second row of seats splits and folds, allowing for storage of items up to 7.5 feet long (diagonally). It has 20.7 cubic feet of room behind the rear seat and 42 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. A power liftgate is optional.
The Envista will only be offered with a 1.2-liter, three-cylinder engine making 136 horsepower and 162 pound-feet (lb-ft) of torque, same engine as in the bigger Encore SUV. It and an automatic transmission will return an estimated 30 miles per gallon combined.
The 2024 Buick Envista will enter production next month. It goes on sale this summer. The upgraded Sport Touring model starts at $25,195 and the Avenir is $29,695. Potential buyers can check out the Envista now on Buick's website.
"This Envista could be well-positioned to capture those overlooked buyers, particularly younger shoppers that any brand is keen to attract. Its meager powertrain won't grab headlines; instead it focuses on style, safety, and tech, which are much bigger priorities with consumers these days," said Undercoffler.
About the writer
Jake Lingeman is a Newsweek Autos managing editor based in Detroit. His focus is reporting on the auto industry. He has covered ... Read more