- This is the Buick Envista, a new SUV model for the Chinese market.
- Its size puts it in between the subcompact Encore GX and the compact Envision in Buick's lineup.
- The Envista name is trademarked here, and GM confirmed that it will come to the U.S. eventually.
UPDATE 11/29/22: GM president Mark Reuss confirmed on an investor call that the Buick Envista is coming to the U.S., as first reported by GM Authority. We reached out to a Buick spokesperson, who reiterated Reuss's statement that "the Envista will eventually come to the United States," but did not provide a timeline on when it would arrive here. We have updated this article accordingly.
Buick is big in China, with a far broader lineup than it offers in the States. Over there, Buick sells minivans, hatchbacks, and sedans, while on our shores the range includes just three distinct crossover models. Yet another Buick crossover, called the Envista, has just been revealed for China, and it strikes us as a logical addition to the brand's U.S. lineup—especially considering that Buick has already trademarked the Envista name here.
Measuring 182.6 inches long and with a 106.3-inch wheelbase, the Envista fits neatly in between the subcompact Encore GX and the compact Envision in terms of size. It features a sloping rear roofline reminiscent of the many SUV "coupes" that exist within the luxury-crossover space. The front end, with sharply angled, slim headlights and a low-mounted grille, is the first production model to wear Buick's new design language that was first introduced on the Wildcat concept earlier this year. It also features Buick's new badge.
The Envista is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four with 181 horsepower and a continuously variable automatic transmission. That doesn't sound like the most exciting combination, but it's par for the course in the compact SUV segment.
Inside, the Envista has a dashboard featuring two 10.3-inch screens, one for the digital gauge cluster and one that serves as the central infotainment touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay is available, as are over-the-air updates and a surround-sound audio system.
Buick says that the Envista will start at the equivalent of around $22,000 at current exchange rates, and orders are already open in China. We're not sure when we'll see this exact model in U.S. showrooms, but stay tuned for more news on GM's North American plans for the Envista in the near future.
This story was originally published on August 30, 2022.
Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.
