2023 Buick Envision

There’s no particular element that stands out, no garish grille overtaking the front fascia, no corners that’ll poke your eye out if you get too close. The LED headlights extend from the modest grille and sweep back over the fenders in a body line that fades then returns at the tail. The chrome surrounding the greenhouse resolves itself neatly at the rear, with no extra ornamentation over the C-pillars. A Sport Touring package blacks out some of the shiny elements, and the Avenir’s 20-inch wheel designs could be mistaken for Volvo items.

Inside, it’s easy to overlook the Envision’ s shortcomings of a slender steering wheel and a canted touchscreen that’s a bit of a reach for the driver. The lack of ostentation creates a welcome environment padded with soft-touch materials contrasted with metallic bands popping out of black-gloss plastic. The Avenir deviates from this formula with an ashy wood trim with a dimpled texture that gives away its synthetic status.

Front-wheel drive is standard, but all-wheel drive is an expensive $3,650 option on the base model. On Essence and Avenir trims, it’s only an $1,800 upgrade. 

How fast is the Buick Envision?

The 2.0-liter turbo-4 is a European mainstay adopted in the Envision to pleasant effect. It makes 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, and comes on full at 1,500 rpm for bursts of power from a stop and at highway passing speeds. It will reach 60 mph in just above seven seconds, and FWD versions might spit some gravel from a stop, but it feels eager enough to dart out of crowds around town and at speed. When pushed, the active noise cancellation can’t cancel the engine noise, which is understandable for an engine tasked with hustling a crossover that can weigh more than 3,900 lb with AWD. 

The 9-speed automatic provides smooth shifts in most cases, but can judder between the lower gears under inconsistent pedal pressure. The driver can override it with paddle shifters, but in our testing we didn’t use it much. Drive modes range from Touring to Sport to Snow/Ice, but like the paddle shifters, they don’t change the dynamics enough to fiddle with it more than as an exercise. An Off-Road mode should not convince drivers to exercise it, since the Envision only has 6.7 inches of ground clearance and rides on all-season tires. It can only tow 1,500 lb.

The Envision shows off its strength on the highway, with a front-strut, multi-link rear suspension that absorbs ruts and whats! from the cabin. The Avenir edition with 20-inch wheels and available adaptive dampers don’t justify the upcharge alone, since the constantly adjusting shocks can still leave the Envision skittering over big bumps.

Rear leg room stretches out to nearly 40 inches, but even with extra space back there the middle seat is best as a divider. The 60/40-split seat folds down to open up 52.7 cubic feet of space, and good small-items storage space abounds, such as in the armrest storage bin.

The Envision’s cabin is softly padded and quieted with thicker materials and active noise cancellation for the engine. With the lighter hued interior, it pings Volvo’s radar in the right ways.

Standard safety tech includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear parking sensors, active lane control, automatic high beams, and blind-spot monitors, which help alert what’s beyond the thick rear roof pillars. Optional on other grades are adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera system.

An $1,850 comfort package adds a 10.2-inch touchscreen and a hands-free liftgate, but heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are no longer part of the package. Thanks, pandemic. A Sport Touring package factors in 20-inch wheels and dark body trim on Preferred and Essence trims. 

Which Buick Envision should I buy?

For less than $38,000, the Envision Essence with front-wheel drive makes the most sense for most budgets. Tech upgrades include an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster, the larger touchscreen, a better sound system, remote start, and more options. Convenience enhancements include heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, theirs and theirs climate control, and leather upholstery.

How much is a fully loaded Buick Envision?

The $47,005 Envision Avenir tops the lineup with 20-inch wheels, navigation, 9-speaker Bose audio, a head-up display, heated rear seats, and a surround-view camera system. For about $2,000 more, it’s topped off with adaptive dampers, automatic parking, a rear camera mirror with a washer, and adaptive cruise control.