The 2021 Buick Envision Is Very Assertive and Offers More Standard Safety Equipment

Although the Buick Envision has been available for several years, sales of this luxury compact SUV have been struggling to take off in the United States and Canada, even if the success in China is more convincing. But Buick has now presented a new version of its compact SUV, the Buick Envision 2021, which offers more standard safety equipment and above all a much more assertive appearance.

2021 Buick Envision's Trims

The 2021 Buick Envision has three trim levels: Preferred, Essence and Avenir. All of these three trims levels of the 2021 Buick envision have both the Front-Wheel Drive and the All-Wheel Drive. All of them have six exterior colors and five seats.

All of the trims of the 2021 Buick Envision have the same 228-hp, 2.0-liter I-4 (premium) engine and come with 9-speed automatic w/OD and auto-manual transmission. The Front-Wheel Drive versions of the three trims of the 2021 Envision have a combined 26 MPG, but the the All-Wheel Drive versions of the trims come with 25 MPG combined.

When it comes to the price of the 2021 Buick Envision, the least expensive trim starts with $31,800. The most expensive trim, the Avenir AWD, starts with $42,200.

The 2021 Envision Avenir FWD

The 2021 Envision Avenir FWD, which Torque News is testing and reviewing this week, starts with $40,200, but has a Total Vehicle Price of $45,305, with all the options added.

The 2021 Envision Avenir FWD has a combined fuel economy of 26 MPG, with 24/31 city/highway. This means that this compact SUV spends 3.8 gallons of gas per 100 miles.

The Design

The 2021 Buick Envision offers a more dynamic silhouette with styling elements that is not necessarily fluid, but it's perfect as it allows us to focus on certain details. Its sportier design reminds me a lot of that of the Mazda CX-30or the Mercedes-Benz GLA. In short, let's just say that Buick seems to have found a new niche in the style of its vehicles and let's hope that the other models of the brand benefit from it quite quickly as well.

The front of the 2021 Envision is stretched well beyond the axle and the rear overhang is short. The horizontal grille and headlights are placed under the hood line. This concentrates the visual attributes low, giving it a more dynamic posture. Slightly wider and less tall than the one it replaces, it benefits from a longer wheelbase while keeping its overall length shorter. In short, a good job arousing curiosity, which Buick really needs.

Interior

The 2021 Envision's redesigned interior also pulls the model upwards with real tangible qualities. The top Avenir trim exhibits a beautiful refinement with several well-coordinated flexible plastic textures.

The modeling is on the whole elegant by grafting well the ventilation nozzles in the portrait as well as the controls. This Envision also has a sensitivity for practicality with a multitude of storage spaces placed at the front, including one under the gearbox selector. For space, we benefit as much at the front as at the rear of a good clearance. The rear compartment of 713 L of volume is quite acceptable,

The Driving Experience

The Avenir trim, which Torque News tested, benefits from optional continuously adaptive dampers to support the promise of quiet ride and comfort. Unlike many rivals who use them to strengthen behavior, Buick uses them here for a real cushioning purpose. We perceive it quite tangibly on a succession of bumps: they literally isolate the cabin of the SUV. No sporting aim here, while the body tilts sharply when cornering. The all-wheel drive allows safe behavior even when trying to take it to task in a curve by re-accelerating too early.

Technologies

The 2021 Buick The Envision offers a lot in terms of standard equipment. Apart from adaptive cruise control, active safety crutches are offered without increasing the total bill. The standard multimedia system, the same used in many General Motors models, is protected from criticism with simple navigation and a customizable layout and is supported by Alexa voice assistance.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless are also offered free of charge, but the cell phone charging pad is curiously only available in the Avenir trim. The only real downside (for some) in terms of technology is probably in the instrumentation block which is not entirely digital, which is now found in many less expensive models. But this may be a downside for some, while other traditional drivers, like me, may find it as a advantage, as I like buttons and knobs. Finally, note the beautiful definition of the reversing camera as well as the second camera in the central mirror, which facilitates parking maneuvers.

Buick and The 2021 Envision

The competition is very fierce in the segment and despite all its improvements, the Buick Envision has yet to prove itself and above all, it must offer new elements to stand out. The 2021 Buick Envision's new design is undoubtedly a success and the fact that Buick has decided to focus on a single engine shows that the brand is taking it seriously.

The 2021 Buick Envision may represent the future of the brand because a lot depends on its success, but if the latter inspires the new generation of Buick model, the brand could become as prestigious as Cadillac and even more.

I really like what I see so far and I say it in both subjective and objective ways. Buick's Envision SUV could become the next prodigy of the brand and who knows, maybe even one of the best combinations that General Motors offers. I think all this will depend on what Buick does with its compact SUV in the coming years of course.

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Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebok, Linkedin and Youtube.

Reference: Autoabaine, LAPresse.