Compact SUVs meet a variety of needs for drivers, ranging from luxury to economy to off-roading. The 2024 Buick Envision and 2024 Subaru Forester offer different blends of all three.
The Envision offers a near-luxury experience at a price comparable to many well-equipped mainstream brands. Meanwhile, the Forester can take you off-road without spending big cash to do so. Let’s take a closer look at these different offerings to see what works best for you.
2024 Buick Envision
With room for five passengers, the Envision is an attractive compact SUV filled with technology while featuring contemporary styling. It’s built to be a comfortable, competent vehicle with good road manners, which aligns it with the rest of the Buick portfolio.
Powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, the Envision’s engine puts out 228 horsepower, and AWD is standard. It comes with plenty of nice touches, such as wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a hands-free tailgate. A slew of advanced driver safety technology is available in the upper trim levels. Available in three trim levels — Preferred, Sport Touring, and Avenir — pricing starts at $37,295, including the destination fee.
Buick Envision Highlights
Some luxury: Available as an option in the Avenir trim, a massaging driver’s seat kneads its occupant into full-on luxury vehicle territory. These front seats, covered in perforated leather, have heating and ventilation.
Tech help: The standard Technology Package 1 includes a head-up display and a 9-speaker Bose premium audio system. We love to see these tech features come standard on every trim.
Elegant interior: The first thing you’ll notice in the new Envision’s interior is a digital instrument cluster mounted flush with an expansive infotainment touchscreen. It stretches 30 inches diagonally and wouldn’t look out of place in a BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or Genesis product. Upper trims have niceties like perforated leather upholstery.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Envision models near you.
2024 Subaru Forester
The name Subaru evokes many images, most involving some form of off-road adventure. Fortunately, the 2024 Forester does that while appealing to the value-conscious buyer. The Forester fits the bill if you’re looking for something that symbolizes capability and value.
The Forester’s simple exterior styling belies an appealing, tech-oriented interior and the technical capability that allows it to be a do-everything vehicle, including standard Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, Active Torque Vectoring, and Vehicle Dynamics Control.
It’s budget-friendly because of its affordable sticker price, which is considerably lower than the Buick Envision. Additionally, it’s the recipient of our Lowest 5-Year Cost to Own Award and our Best Resale Value Award. However, if you want something with more, there are six trim levels from which to choose. Prices start at $28,440, including destination charge. Notably, the Forester is in the final model year of this generation, and an all-new model is on the way for 2025.
Subaru Forester Highlights
X-Mode: All models, except the base Forester, are outfitted with X-Mode, which optimizes the transmission and AWD system for better traction off-road or in slippery road conditions. The upper trims use a more advanced dual-mode X-Mode system with a Deep Snow/Mud setting.
Safety tech: EyeSight safety tech suite bundles driver-assistance features like automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, and lane-departure alert — and it’s standard on all Forester SUVs.
Value: Everyone likes good bang for their buck, and with a lower price tag than the Buick Envision and being among the lowest-cost vehicles to own, the Subaru Forester definitely offers that.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Forester models near you.
Similarities
The Buick Envision and Subaru Forester are very appealing, with their clean and appealing exterior style, well-appointed and comfortable interiors, and loads of technology.
Conclusion
This is a tale of two different vehicles. The Buick Envision offers a comfortable ride while enjoying a spacious, tech-heavy interior that gives buyers an experience approaching entry-level compact luxury utes. The Subaru Forester is designed to handle rough roads, making an uncomfortable ride easier and more enjoyable. It’s also loaded with technology that helps it conquer the off-road world while ensuring you can listen to your favorite media and remain cool doing it. Buy the one that fits your budget and lifestyle.
| 2024 Buick Envision | 2024 Subaru Forester | |
| Starting Price | $37,295 | $28,440 |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder | 2.5-liter boxer 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 228 hp @ 5,000 rpm | 182 hp @ 5,800 rpm |
| Torque | 258 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm | 176 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm |
| Transmission | 9-speed automatic/AWD | CVT/AWD |
| Fuel Economy | 22 city/29 highway/25 combined mpg | 26 city/33 highway/29 combined mpg |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | N/R | 5 stars |
| Max Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Wheelbase | 109.0 inches | 105.1 inches |
| Overall Length | 182.7 inches | 182.7 inches |
| Width | 74.1 inches | 71.5 inches |
| Height | 64.6 inches | 67.5 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 38.0 feet | 35.4 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 39.6 inches | 41.2 inches |
| Headroom, Rear | 38.9 inches | 39.6 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 40.4 inches | 43.3 inches |
| Legroom, Rear | 39.3 inches | 39.4 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 56.7 inches | 58.1 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Rear | 55.9 inches | 57.2 inches |
| Cargo Volume | 25.2 cubic feet | 28.9 cubic feet |
