Used 2022 Buick Envision

If your budget allows something a little nicer than a mainstream compact crossover, but you still get sticker shock from SUVs from luxury brands, then the 2022 Buick Envision is just right. Straddling the line between mainstream and luxury, the Envision is an upscale crossover that’s priced in a way that makes it attainable for a wide range of drivers. This unique positioning makes the Envision an SUV with few direct competitors.

With three available Envision trim levels, there’s a model for most anybody. You can go with the base Preferred, mid-range Essence, or luxurious Avenir depending on which one best fits your tastes and your budget. All three are available with AWD and have a few option packages so you can further personalize your SUV to be just right for you.

The sole engine, a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 230 horsepower, moves this SUV just fine while returning decent fuel economy. The 9-speed automatic transmission is smooth, responsive, and more satisfying than a CVT.

While most compact SUVs from luxury brands are more exciting to drive than the Envision, they cost quite a bit more. If rip-roaring performance isn’t a big priority for you and you just want a nice, quiet (thanks to active noise cancellation), comfortable crossover, then you will have no gripes about how the Envision drives.

The Envision is most pleasant to drive as an Avenir, thanks to its higher-quality materials and additional high-tech features. Features like a head-up display cut down on distractions, while the adaptive cruise control reduces driver fatigue and makes your drive safer.

While it’s not the most opulent or refined interior in a premium SUV, it’s hard to find anything to complain about inside the Buick Envision. The material quality and overall fit and finish of this interior are quite good for the price, even in the base model with cloth seats.

It gets more premium with the Essence model and added features like leather seats, a bigger touchscreen, and a heated steering wheel. Upgrading to the Avenir model introduces diamond-perforated leather seats, head-up display, heated rear seats, and a Bose 9-speaker premium audio system.

We like the size of the Buick Envision. It occupies a perfect middle-ground between the smaller Encore and Encore GX and the bigger Enclave. It comfortably seats up to four adults plus there’s pretty good cargo space to boot. Like every SUV in this class, it gets a little cramped if you use all three back seats, but that middle seat can be nice to have in a pinch.

The Envision is big enough to be versatile but small enough to be maneuverable and efficient.

The 2021 redesign of the Buick Envision brought a much-welcome new aesthetic. The previous Envision was a bit bland, which contributed to it being overlooked as a premium small SUV. In 2021, the Envision started to look like the upscale crossover that it is.

We like how the look of the Buick Envision can change depending on how it’s optioned. The two lower trims look pretty much the same, but they’re both available with the Sport Touring package. Sport Touring adds dark 20-inch wheels, a special grille, “ST” badging, dark roof rails, and a few other touches here and there that add a nice, sporty look to the Envision.

Meanwhile, the range-topping Avenir model gets a more premium appearance with special wheels, a distinct grille, and tinted chrome exterior trim.

AVENIR TRIM
The luxurious Envision Avenir does a good impression of the bigger, more expensive Enclave Avenir at a more attainable price point. It has a well-appointed interior to match its sophisticated exterior and it’s a good alternative to a pricier luxury SUV.

SPORT TOURING PACKAGE
It would be nice if the available Sport Touring package added improved performance to the Envision, but it does give this SUV a sporty edge. With dark 20-inch wheels, a mesh grille, and a few other exterior touches, it adds some welcome attitude to this Buick.

The base 2022 Buick Envision Preferred is pretty well-equipped, but there are a few features that surprisingly are omitted from the standard features list, such as dual-zone automatic climate control. Standard features include an 8-inch infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM, cloth seats, LED headlights, push-button start, and active noise cancellation.

Standard on every Envision is the Buick Driver Confidence Plus safety tech suite. This includes front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, following distance indicator, automatic high-beams, lane-change alert with blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.

The mid-range Envision Essence adds some welcome premium features. These include 18-inch machined aluminum wheels, air ionizer, hands-free power liftgate, leather seats (which are heated in front), and a 10.2-inch infotainment system.

The Avenir model has an appearance package with 20-inch wheels, tinted chrome exterior trim, and a mesh grille. Inside, you’ll find diamond-stitch leather seats, ventilated front seats, massaging driver’s seat, heated rear outboard seats, 360-degree camera, wireless device charging, and a Bose premium audio system.

One of the more appealing available option packages for the Envision is the Sport Touring package available on the Preferred ($1,445) and Essence ($1,495) trims. This is an appearance package with special wheels and grille, “ST” badging, and dark roof rails. It gives the Envision a sportier personality but unfortunately does not bring with it any performance improvements.

Other option packages include a Comfort and Convenience package ($1,850) which adds some luxuries to the Preferred trim like a power liftgate, heated steering wheel, heated front seats, remote start, dual-zone climate control, and the upgraded 10.2-inch infotainment system.

The Technology Package I ($2,500) adds a Bose premium audio, head-up display, 360-degree camera, and front/rear parking sensors to the Essence model.

The Technology Package II for Essence ($4,465) and Avenir ($1,965) gives you the contents of Technology Package I (which are standard on Avenir) and adds a rear camera mirror, continuous damping control, enhanced automatic emergency braking, enhanced parking assist, adaptive cruise control, and LED headlights with enhanced functionality.

One engine powers the 2022 Buick Envision — a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 linked to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional across the model range. This engine, responsive and efficient, is a good fit for the Envision.

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)