Used 2021 Buick Envision

Apart from its turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, everything about the 2021 Buick Envision is new. Based on a chassis related to that of the Cadillac XT4, this compact premium SUV is about the same length as before, but it’s wider and has a wheelbase that has grown by slightly more than an inch.

This compact Buick SUV remains a 2-row 5-seat vehicle, and three trim levels are available: Preferred, Essence, and luxurious Avenir. All are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 230 horsepower and a healthy 258 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard, but all-wheel drive (AWD) adds only $1,800 to each model’s price. The one transmission available in the 2021 Buick Envision is a 9-speed automatic.

Buick continues to place a big emphasis on luxury, so the Envision will compete with American SUVs such as the Lincoln Corsair and Cadillac XT4, plus others as varied as the Audi Q5, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Mazda CX-5.

KBB spent a week in a 2021 Buick Envision, a front-drive Avenir (the top model) with an as-tested price of $45,305. While that’s creeping into Enclave territory, the new Envision feels every bit as refined as its larger sibling. Indeed, it impresses us in multiple ways, primarily in the solidity of its chassis, its abundant luxury features, and in the overall refinement of its turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder powertrain.

There’s no wait for turbocharger boost to arrive, there’s excellent torque at low rpm, and the 9-speed automatic shifts with a satisfying feel that a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) simply can’t match.

Folks looking for traditional Buick plushness might think the new Envision is a bit on the firm side, but we find the ride quality to be very comfortable. The rear suspension is a new 5-link design, and the continuously variable damping (standard on the Avenir) delivers smooth and well-controlled body movements. Nor do we have any complaints with the Envision’s steering or brakes.

Thanks in part to Active Noise Cancellation and other efforts, the 2021 Envision is as quiet inside as, well, a Buick, and the 9-speaker Bose audio system sounds great. What’s more, the heated and leather-covered seats are supportive and all-day comfortable, while the large instrument panel — with analog gauges flanking a digital information screen — is a model of clarity. There’s also plenty of storage space in the Envision’s center console.

Although the large 10.2-inch touchscreen on top of the Envision’s center stack slants away from the driver, it’s easy to see and use in varying light conditions. Further helping to reduce driver distraction are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as the large head-up display.

By pushing a button on the Envision’s center console, the driver can toggle between Tour and Sport modes, the latter offering snappier shifts and throttle response. But it’s not really needed, as the Envision’s flat torque curve is well complemented by the responsive 9-speed automatic, which adjusts its shifting to how this handsome 5-seat crossover SUV is being driven.

Two Envision traits will take a bit of getting used to — the haptic driver’s seat, which vibrates as a warning if, for example, you’ve drifted out of your lane, and the electronic pushbutton shifter on the center console, which has push/pull buttons and commands more attention than a traditional PRNDL lever.

Premium fuel, for the record, is recommended but not required.

Because it’s 1.6 inches wider than the previous Envision and has a 1.1-inch-longer wheelbase, the 2021 Buick Envision is roomier inside, so it fits four adults comfortably with possibly a small child in the middle back seat. The quality of the materials is excellent, as is the overall fit and finish.

When the Envision is equipped with the 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, it includes in-vehicle apps like Amazon Alexa and Spotify. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.

Behind its folding rear seat, the 2021 Buick Envision has 25.2 cubic feet of storage space. The 2020 Envision had slightly more room back there, 26.9 cubic feet.

The 2021 Buick Envision has a lower and wider look than the 2021 Envision, because it is. There’s generous use of chrome heightens the sense of luxury, while the wider track gives the new Envision a settled stance. It’s a bit more carlike than the previous Envision, and this appears to be intentional.

In luxurious Avenir form, the Envision is distinguished by a mesh grille, tinted chrome trim, clear taillight lenses, and unique 20-inch wheels with a Pearl Nickel finish

Says Helen Emsley, the executive director of Global Buick and GMC Design: “The design of and technology in the all-new Buick Envision are sure to be a hit in today’s growing premium SUV market. The 2021 Envision will be lower and wider, with premium proportions and striking styling designed to combine the expressiveness of a car with the practicality of an SUV.”

AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
This standard safety feature is like having an extra set of eyes looking forward. If the Envision senses a potential collision with a stopped car or a pedestrian, it will warn the driver and then apply full stopping force to prevent the accident from happening (or lessen its severity).

ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Available on the Essence and the Avenir (as part of the Technology Package II), adaptive cruise control automatically maintains a driver-set gap to the vehicle ahead on the highway.

When you order a 2021 Buick Envision Preferred, it’s equipped with cloth-covered seats, LED headlights, and an infotainment system that has an 8-inch touchscreen, Sirius XM radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. The Preferred also has pushbutton ignition, active noise cancellation, and a safety suite that includes lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and automatic high-beam headlights.

At the Essence level, the Envision comes with leather upholstery and heated, power-adjustable front seats, plus a heated steering wheel. What’s more, the Essence has a 10-inch touchscreen, an 8-inch color driver information center, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a power liftgate.

The Envision Avenir exudes luxury. Standard content on this top Envision model includes leather seating surfaces perforated in a diamond pattern, a head-up display, a massaging driver’s seat, a 9-speaker Bose audio system, a 360-degree camera, heated rear seats, and an infotainment system with greater memory. It also has front and rear park assist, plus 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.

A $1,750 Comfort & Convenience Package is available only on the base Buick Envision, the Preferred. It comes with the heated seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone air conditioning, an interior air ionizer, a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 7-speaker audio system.

The 2021 Buick Envision Essence can be ordered with a $2,500 Technology Package I. It includes front and rear park assist, a 360-degree overhead-view camera, a head-up display, and the 9-speaker Bose audio system.

Essence and Avenir versions of the Envision also are available with a $1,965 Technology Package II. In addition to enhanced versions of the automatic emergency braking and parking assist programs, this package has active suspension damping, adaptive cruise control, articulating headlamps, and a video rearview mirror.

Also notable: the Preferred and Essence Envision models are available with a $1,450 Sport Touring Package. Besides dark 20-inch alloy wheels, a mesh grille, and black roof rails, the package includes bodycolor door handles, ST badging, and new wheel-arch trim.

Of the stand-alone options available on the 2021 Buick Envision, a $1,450 moonroof, and a $1,800 AWD system likely will be popular.

All 2021 Buick Envision models are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 230 horsepower and a healthy 258 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel-drive (FWD) is standard, and all-wheel-drive (AWD) is optional. The only transmission available is a 9-speed automatic. Last year’s base engine, a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter 4-cylinder, has been discontinued.

Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4
230 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500- 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 24 mpg/31 mpg (FWD), 22 mpg/29 mpg (AWD)