You might not have heard of the Buick Envision , but that’s okay. It is still relatively new to a crowded compact crossover market. It was first released in 2016 and is sandwiched in between two other Buick SUVs, the Encore and the Enclave. However, it has quietly carved out a nice little place for itself among other, more well known compact crossovers. It nearly tripled its sales from 2016 to 2017, going from 14,000 to over 41,000. It has a lot of the luxury appointments one might expect out of Buick, but still has a very reasonable MSRP of $31,995. It features agile handling and moderate acceleration and is probably best suited for inner city or suburban drivers, rather than those that spend a lot of time commuting on a highway. As far as its safety, infotainment and creature comforts go, it comes standard with a lot of modern features and each of its trim levels add even more. It is not the best luxury crossover vehicle on the market, probably isn’t even Buick’s best offering, but it certainly is not the worst. Take a look at some of the key features and decide just how close to the middle of the pack the 2019 Buick Envision should sit.
Engines
The 2019 Buick Envision offers two different engine options. Both are optimal for handling and fuel economy, not necessarily for performance and acceleration.
The first is a 2.5 liter inline 4-cylinder. It gets a moderate 197 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque. While that may not blow anyone away, it gets a better than average 29 miles to the gallon on the highway. If you are interested in a capable engine with good gas mileage, this engine will deliver.
The second engine is a turbocharged 2.0 liter inline 4-cylinder. This one has substantially more power, as it gets 252 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. This engine also gets 29 miles per gallon on the highway. If what you are looking for is a good engine for a small SUV, with better than average power and good fuel economy, this is the choice for you.
However, Buick is not really known or valued for engine performance, especially in a luxury compact crossover like the 2019 Buick Envision. Their strengths lie on the interior.
Interior
For a compact crossover, the 2019 Buick Envision is surprisingly roomy. Both the front and back seats can comfortably carry passengers of most sizes. The total interior volume is 57.3 cubic feet, which is spacious enough for a vehicle that size. The cargo area behind the second row is 26.9 cubic feet, which is a little on the smaller end but still plenty for most cases. Cargo space might be a little snug, but unless you have a stowaway back there, the rest of your passengers should feel just fine.
The 2019 Buick Envision features both Traction Control and Stability Control as standard features. These safety measures will help the driver keep control of the Envision, even on unusual surfaces or in the event of the Envision beginning to get out of the driver’s control. The front seat passengers can enjoy heated seats with 8-way power adjustable ability. The steering wheel is also heated as a standard feature.
The modernized dashboard features a Rear View Camera and an interactive 8-inch touchscreen infotainment center, which is very easy to learn and navigate. These features help keep the driver and passengers connected to both what is going on outside the 2019 Buick Envision, as well as to the entertainment options available. These include Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. These systems work to seamlessly integrate your smartphone into the infotainment center. You can even use the built-in WiFi hotspot to connect your smartphone and have easy and instant access to your own music playlists or favorite podcasts.
The 2019 Buick Envision also features Buick’s patented QuietTuning. This feature uses several different noise cancellation techniques to keep outside noise on the outside. Some of these methods include an isolated engine, multiple sound-dulling layers beneath the floor panels, insulated windows and more. This guarantees a quiet, peaceful ride that Buick is known for.
Teen Driver is another desirable safety feature, which is also included as standard. When this feature is activated, it will take measures to help a younger or inexperienced driver maintain safety. These measures include limiting maximum speed, turning on all possible safety features, muting the radio until front seat occupants are wearing a seatbelt, and sending a report card to the parents. The report card distance, maximum speed, and whether or not some of the safety features, which were automatically turned on, had to engage. Knowing how your kid is driving without you can offer peace of mind and be a great teaching tool.
All of the above-mentioned features come as standard on the 2019 Buick Envision. However, as the trim levels increase, so do the available features.
Trim Levels
There are four trim levels on the 2019 Buick Envision – Convenience, Leather, Premium and Premium II. The Convenience has all of the above-listed features as well as a few more, such as a power liftgate for the cargo area. Next up is Leather, which adds leather upholstery to the interior. It doesn’t look like Buick did any real stretching on coming up with that name. The base 2.5 liter inline 4-cylinder engine comes on these two trim levels.
Next up is the Premium, which adds on front parking sensors to the standard rear parking sensors. These sensors will keep you from accidentally striking another car or object when attempting to park, but only at low speeds. It also includes a Head Up Display. This feature shows what a typical dashboard display might look like as a display on the windshield. It shows things like speed, RPMs, cardinal direction and other things. It can be moved to fit the height of the driver. It can be brightened or dimmed or turned off completely if the driver considers it a distraction. However, it can be quite convenient to be able to see that information out of your periphery instead of having to take your eyes off the road, if only for a split second.
The Premium II is the highest trim level on the 2019 Buick Envision. It adds the final few touches of class and luxury, and even has a few optional features, such as adaptive cruise control. This takes traditional cruise control to the next level by adapting it to the surrounding traffic. If a car ahead of you decreases speed, adaptive cruise control will do the same for your 2019 Buick Envision.
So What Do You Think?
The 2019 Buick Envision is a good luxury compact crossover. It may not be great, but it is far from terrible. It has just about all the luxury goodies you could want and some you didn’t even realize you needed. It is spacious, although not the most versatile when it comes to cargo space. But, who really buys a compact crossover for cargo space?
If for the features alone, the $31,995 price tag is well worth it. On top of that, you get a competent engine, reactive handling, plenty of space and a customizable compact crossover in the luxury market.
