First Drive: 2021 Buick Envision Is a Competent but Unexciting SUV
Buick’s midsized model has a comfortable ride and user-friendly controls
Buick has morphed from a brand known for big, floaty sedans to one that—currently—offers only SUVs.
Interestingly, most recent Buicks have their roots in other countries. While the big Enclave is from the U.S., the redesigned Envision (as with the previous generation) is built in China; the Encore GX is from Korea; and the discontinued Regal was originally built by Opel (then a General Motors-owned company) in Europe.
If you ran a 23 and Me test on every Buick, they’d come back as mostly unrelated to each other.
Though this luxury-lite brand has tended to have reliable vehicles, they haven’t kept pace with the more-competitive models. Many of them have felt like fancy versions of less-expensive Chevrolets.
The redesigned 2021 Buick Envision might be the first model in a long time to break that mold.
The first-generation Envision was an underwhelming, mostly unimpressive product that didn’t stand up to luxury competitors like the Audi Q5—which GM tried to pit it against—or even top-trim versions of more mainstream SUVs like the Mazda CX-5. It had a floaty yet unsettled ride, clumsy handling, and an ordinary interior.
What we bought: 2021 Buick Envision Essence AWD
Powertrain: 252-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine; nine-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
MSRP: $37,600
Options: $2,500 Technology package (HD surround vision; head-up display; Bose premium audio system; front park assist; infotainment system with navigation, 10-inch touch screen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay; HD radio), $1,450 Panoramic Moonroof, $350 Illuminated Door Sill Plates, $85 Wheel Locks
Destination fee: $1,195
Total cost: $43,180
What we rented: 2021 Buick Envision Avenir
Powertrain: 252-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine; nine-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
