BUICK AIMS HIGH WITH ENVISION
At the heart of it, the new Buick Envision is plugging a hole in the brand’s crossover model lineup, a compact-sized, premium-priced product to slot in between the subcompact Encore and the full-size Enclave.
But while it might be on the minds of interested customers that the Envision will be fighting for market share with the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and more than a half-dozen other models from the mainstream automakers, Buick’s marketing department is looking at bigger fish to fry. It wants the new builtin-China crossover to duke it out in the small luxury segment and that means going up against the likes of the Audi Q5, Acura RDX, Lexus NX and other models from high-end nameplates. No easy task!
To give credit where it’s due, Buick hasn’t exactly brought a peashooter to a gunfight. There’s no thinly contented model. The Envision, which has been on sale in limited trim versions for a few months as a 2016 model, comes fully featured and with a 252-horsepower 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, offered exclusively in Canada with all-wheel drive (the U.S. has a front-drive model) and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
A full lineup of 2017 models is making its way to dealerships and for 2017, a normally aspirated, 197-hp, 2.5-L four-cylinder will be added to the entry trim level.
Two-litre turbo fours are the de facto entry-level engine of choice among more than a few premium brands and the topline motor among several mainstream crossovers (Escape, Kia Sportage and Subaru Forester).
The twin-scroll unit in the Buick has plenty of oomph; there’s 260 pound-feet of torque, of which 90 per cent is available starting at 1,800 rpm, with the full load coming on board from 3,000 to 4,000 rpm.
The bonus is that the boosted four is also impressively quiet, even when the gas pedal is mashed. Since “refinement” is a key word in Buick’s vocabulary, the engine is designed with balance shafts and sound-attenuating components, and is isolated on a hydraulically damped substructure that helps quell noise and vibration. Four powertrain mounts are used, says Buick, rather than the conventional three.
Official fuel economy figures have not been determined, but the Envision is equipped with stop/start technology, Buick’s first application on the 2.0-L turbo engine.
As much as the engine delivers a decent turn of speed when required, equally impressive is the Envision’s ride and handling bona fides. The crossover, and what Buick calls its HiPer strut front suspension, dealt with tarmac irregularities with aplomb, soaking up the worst without disturbing the serenity of its passengers.
There are plenty of twists and turns to the roads wending their way through the Sonoma and Napa valleys, and it was while tackling these that the Envision truly surprised. For a crossover that touts refinement and luxury, not sporting performance, it offers impressive grip, good road feel and little body roll, even in sharper S-turns. True, the steering is a little light to the touch; the crossover would benefit from having variable driver-selectable modes but overall, it’s a well thought-out setup. The Buick is also kitted with a full menu of standard safety systems — StabiliTrak electronic stability control, four-wheel ABS with electronic brake-force distribution and cornering brake control and brake assist, to name a few.
Buick engineers were quick to point out the brand’s first active Twin Clutch AWD system, a fully automatic, on-demand system engineered for sure-footed handling in low-grip conditions, while also contributing to a smoother ride with minimal torque transferred to the rear wheels when all-wheel-drive traction isn’t needed. Said to be more anticipatory and less reactive than most on-demand systems, proof of that will have to wait for a later date and a venue not basking in sunny 30 C weather.
The cabin layout of the U.S.-spec model driven was suitably upscale and equipped with the usual modern conveniences as befitting a $40K crossover. Pricing for 2017 models in Canada starts at $39,995 for the Envision Convenience and tops out at $49,565 for the Envision Premium 2, with everything keyed to a wraparound instrument panel that sweeps into the door panels.
Stitched, soft-to-the-touch surfaces abound, accented by shiny wood-like trim. Instrumentation is clean and clear; ditto for the graphics used in the centre-stack touch screen, and all the major control buttons are large, clearly marked and easy to find.
More importantly, at least for those looking for a family vehicle, the Buick is roomy. Front-seat accommodations are quite acceptable and so are the back seats, which are 60/40-split and sliding, offering the flexibility of more legroom for taller secondrow passengers. The Envision is also designed to carry more than its main competition.
Buick claims more rear cargo space than the Acura RDX and the Lincoln MKC.
Buick is certainly ambitious in its goals for the Envision, possibly a little too much.
On the plus side, the crossover admirably delivers the brand’s core tenets: it’s quiet, it’s smooth and it’s comfortable.
And the choice of engine is no detriment, either. On the other hand, the Envision, while handsomely styled, blends in with the crossover crowd, not standing out to any great degree.
The big thing, though, is that younger buyers, especially those familiar with import nameplates, still have a problem connecting with the Buick name. The Envision will, no doubt, sell well; the compact-crossover segment is ridiculously red hot. But I see a bigger draw for a more mature audience, one likely downsizing from larger domestic-branded vehicles, yet still wanting all the comfort and luxury features, just in a smaller package.
Whether I’m right or wrong on that score, the bottom line is that Buick didn’t hold back in throwing the Envision into an uber-competitive segment.
It’s right in the thick of it.