Test bench | Buick Envista: originality at an affordable price

(Detroit) With the Envista, Buick is trying to capture SUV-weary, cost-conscious buyers.

Eric LeFrancois

special cooperation

Circumvention maneuver

There are customers looking for a vehicle capable of combining – not without compromise – the attributes of a car and a truck. Experimented more than once, this interbreeding has so far had mixed success. Buick, however, believes it has figured out how to make the Envista a success: by offering it for less than $30,000.

The Envista therefore presents itself as a crossbreeding of genres. From this effort of synthesis was born a car that is both slender and massive, multiplying the references to the brand’s new aesthetic vocabulary. The consistency of the lines is not always obvious, but the object catches the eye, and this is obviously the desired effect. In addition, this model tries to embody the renewal of the firm on the North American territory. For Buick, it has become more than a goal: a necessity. The manufacturer who has long relied on the Chinese market to cover his costs must now broaden his horizons. And, in doing so, redefining its range, rejuvenating its image and attracting new customers. A whole order.

Like the Encore GX, Buick’s most popular model, the Envista represents a very big stake. This new model seeks today to embody the revival of a brand that has not been at the party in recent years. In North America at the very least.

Atypical and yearnonconformist

Rather than go hunting on land that is too crowded, the Envista produced in South Korea does not want to pass for the honest little car that one chooses without particular interest. It wants to establish itself as a functional sedan, favoring comfort and having equipment in tune with the times. This compact vehicle with atypical shapes claims – which is rare enough to be noted – the status of a “popular” model with a starting price set at $28,999. This now makes it the brand’s entry-level ticket.

This car is distinguished by its curved roof which gives it a false air of a coupe SUV; the Envista incorporates Buick’s new aesthetic vocabulary (see the “Specifications” tab). Three versions are part of its catalog (base, ST and Avenir).

Far from placing the driver at the heart of the interior architecture, the passenger compartment, with its tattooed dashboard with a large digital slab, seeks to maximize the feeling of space. The slightly raised driving position will remind many of that of an SUV, but whoever is at the controls will immediately regret the vertiginous height of the central armrest. The latter is much higher than those of the storm doors. Add to this discomfort the weak support of the seats (at the front) and their insufficient padding. In the back, the Envista installs its occupants rather well. The floor is flat, the legroom surprising to say the least. You only have to be careful when entering and exiting because of the arc described by the roof. It’s a pity that the materials used in the lower part of the cabin are composed mainly of plastics and that the atmosphere lacks a bit of cheerfulness.

To tie in with the digital age, the dashboard includes an instrumentation block and another intended for entertainment, both easy to consult and user-friendly. In addition, the C-pillar (the one that is completely at the rear) somewhat hinders visibility, while the absence of a wiper for the rear window leaves us rather perplexed. Officials of the brand ensure that its presence would have been useless, but doubt is allowed.

An essential option

In keeping with Buick tradition, the Envista is surprisingly quiet and comfortable considering its engine capacity and size. That’s only true when the Envista adopts Watt’s trailing-arm parallelogram bending-beam rear suspension. This is standard on the Avenir version and optional on the ST. The basic model is not entitled to it. The presence of this rear suspension is, in our opinion, a must. It contributes to making the Envista more stable when changing trajectory.

Never mind, the Envista provides very average driving pleasure and rather seeks to be appreciated for the silence of its ride and its calm behavior.

However, regardless of the livery chosen, all Envistas are powered by a 1.2L three-cylinder engine. It is mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission. This tandem doesn’t claim to make the Envista a rocket ship, but performance is perfectly adequate under normal use.

As appearances can sometimes be deceiving, it should be emphasized that only the front wheels are driven (traction). Even though the vehicle technically derives fairly closely from the Encore GX, a four-wheel drive mode isn’t – at least for now – in the Envista’s career plan.

With the Envista, Buick dreams of being a kind of affordable luxury manufacturer. A brand without fuss, truly transgenerational, cultivating a casual and reassuring double dimension, capable of addressing a young and predominantly female clientele.

Technical sheet

Engine

• L3 DOHC 1.2L turbo
• 137 hp at 5000 rpm
• 162 lb-ft between 2500 and 4000 rpm

Performance

• Curb weight: 1374 kg (base), 1388 kg (ST), 1412 kg (Avenir)
• Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 8.7 sec
• Towing capacity: not recommended

Gearbox

• Standard: 6-speed automatic
• Optional: none
• Drive mode: traction

Tires

• 225/60R17 (basic)
• 225/55R18 (ST)
• 245/45R19 (Future)

Tank capacity and recommended gasoline

Dimensions

• Wheelbase: 2700mm
• Length: 4638 mm / Height: 1556 mm
• Width: 1816mm (side mirrors folded)

suffer from comparison

The Encore GX (our photo) and the Envista have a lot in common. These two models share the same architecture, the same nomenclature and the same assembly plant. However, the Encore GX has the advantage of offering four-wheel drive. This is standard on the entire range, with the exception of the base model. In addition, the Encore GX raises its hood to an engine (1.3 L) that is both more powerful and more frugal than that of the Envista.

lines and wind

The Wildcat concept study serves as the canvas for all Buick products today. The Encore GX was the first to adopt some styling cues from that prototype, but the Envista incorporates many more. That said, despite its sleeker profile, the Envista is surprisingly no more aerodynamic than the Encore GX. The latter claims a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.355 compared to 0.353 for the Envista.