Front- drive Envista adds style, economy to traditional Buick
It’s the best- looking Buick since, well, let’s see, maybe the Riviera?
I’m referring to the new 2024 Envista subcompact crossover, a replacement for the Encore.
The sleekly styled Envista, a foot longer than last year’s Encore, is automotive beauty in profile, highlighted by its coupelike roofline. Built in Changwon, South Korea, the Envista performs with a
137- horsepower, turbocharged 1.2- liter, 3- cylinder engine,
6- speed automatic transmission and front- wheel drive. Its curb weight is barely over 3,000 pounds; its cargo area behind the rear seat is 20.7 cubic feet.
For lack of an all- wheel- drive version, the Envista won’t be a large- volume seller in Colorado. It is reasonably priced andwill make its best showing in those areas of the country which exist without the mountainous climbs andwinter snows of Colorado.
The edge it might possess in the crowded, competitive subcompact crossover field is a reasonable price. It also offers a good ride and relatively high fuel mileage, averaging 29.8 for my drives. It lacks in power and, obviously, in AWD.
The reviewmodel, Envista Sport Touring trim, is base- priced at only $ 25,195. Addition of heated steering wheel, heated front seats, remote start, moonroof, black- painted aluminum wheels, adaptive cruise, lane- change alert and power rear liftgate, brought sticker price to $ 29,215.
Top three sellers in the subcompact crossover category for the first quarter of this year are the Subaru Crosstrek, Honda HR- V and the Chevrolet Trax. The Envista, with 9,662 sales, was farther down the list between the volkswagen Taos and Kia Niro.
Buick’s sales in the first quarter jumped by16 percent, best among General Motors’ four brands. The Envista is largely responsible when its 9,662 sales are compared with those of the base Encore’s 2,979 from the same three months of
2023. Buick continues to produce a model known as the Encore GX, off a separate platform from either the base Encore or the new Envista. Following are sales of subcompact SUV crossovers in U. S. in first quarter of this year:
Subaru Crosstrek 38,405; Honda HR- V 38,062; Chevrolet Trax 37,688; Mazda CX- 30 28,496; Chevrolet Trailblazer 24,208; Hyundai Kona 23,054; Toyota Corolla Cross 19,028; Kia Seltos 14,183; Nissan Kicks 13,724; Buick Encore GX 13,364; Kia Soul 12,452; Volkswagen Taos 11,808; Buick Envista 9,662; Kia Niro 7,475; Hyundai Venue 5,932; Jeep Renegade 5,763; Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 4,563; Mini Countryman 2,175; Fiat 500X 113.
Forney plans car show
The Forney museum of Transportation, 4303 Brighton Blvd., Denver, will host its annual Cinco de Mayo celebration Saturday, May 4, highlighted by a car show from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. The impromptu car show is open to anyone; admission to themuseum is free for the day. “This is a grand opportunity for car enthusiasts and community members to come together and enjoy the festivities,” said Jennifer Holm, education coordinator for Forney. For further information, call 303- 297- 1113.
Contact Bud Wells at Budwellscars@ comcast. net