Buick, a brand of General Motors Co. in Detroit, today revealed the 2024 Envista, a new premium small SUV that offers plenty of cargo space for its size along with sporty and sleek proportions typically found in a sedan.
The Envista, Buick officials state, will be one of the most affordable SUVs in the segment, while offering high-quality materials, a unique design, and new technologies. Starting at $23,495, it is a premium crossover designed to attract sedan owners, young professionals, and small families to the Buick portfolio.
The vehicle will come in three distinct trims, each with their own unique personality: Preferred, Sport Touring (ST), and Avenir. The offering expands the popular, luxurious Avenir sub-brand across Buick’s entire portfolio.
In addition, the Envista will be the first vehicle to fully incorporate Buick’s new, modern design language, which was first shown on the Wildcat EV concept last year. This includes the new face of Buick, featuring a low-profile silhouette and forward leaning nose.
The new Buick emblem is now mounted on the body, directly above a sleek, intricate grille design. This design cue is taken from heritage vehicles of Buick’s past.
“Buick helped define the small SUV segment in 2012, and we’ve continued to make our offerings even more competitive since. The all-new Envista is going to shake up that segment once again,” says Duncan Aldred, global vice president of Buick-GMC.
The body side of the vehicle encompasses fender forms and a sculpted waistline that create the perception of fluid motion. Bright trim work incorporated around the glass adds to the vehicle’s expressiveness by catching and reflecting light at different angles.
The headlamps and taillamps evolve Buick’s signature wing lighting with a thinner and more crisp form. LED checkmark lamps are mounted high on the fascia, while other functional lighting is lower on the body, creating a refined, layered look.
“The Envista represents a pure expression of Buick design,” says Sharon Gauci, executive director of Global Buick-GMC Design. “This is not your average small SUV. With its unique proportions, modern stance, and sleek form, the Envista takes Buick’s sculptural beauty to the next level.”
In keeping with its sporty nature, all-black 18-inch wheels are standard on the ST trim, with 19-inch wheels available. Bespoke Pearl Nickel 19-inch wheels are standard on the Avenir, elevating its premium persona.
Inside the Envista, long windows flood the cabin with light, as material and technology advancements allowed designers to maximize interior cabin space. Enabled by the long wheelbase and efficient layout, the Envista offers the spaciousness and legroom often seen in much larger vehicles. It offers more legroom than any prior Buick small SUV.
The Envista’s Ultrawide Infotainment Display encompass 19 diagonal inches of combined LCD screens that work in harmony. The system is designed to inspire driver confidence with easy access to vehicle controls at their fingertips. Like the 2024 Encore GX, the Envista has an 11-inch-diagonal infotainment screen — the largest in the segment.
The latest Buick infotainment system has been optimized to provide an enhanced user interface design, voice recognition, and multimedia applications, making driver interaction easier and more intuitive.
Attention to detail is found throughout the interior, whether that be through crafted colorful stitching on the seats, or Avenir and ST logos embroidered on the head restraints of their respective trims. Even a flat-bottom steering wheel is standard across all trims, providing customers with a sporty and premium option not seen in this segment.
The cabin experience is enhanced with Buick’s signature QuietTuning system, which helps prevent unwanted road noise from entering the cabin.
The 2024 Envista will come standard with the Buick Driver Confidence package, which includes six active safety and driver assistance technologies such as Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, IntelliBeam auto high-beams, and more. A high-definition Rear Vision Camera is also standard.
The Envista also will offer available safety and driver assistance technologies such as Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
A 40/60-split folding second row allows for storage of items up to 7.5 feet long (diagonally). The Envista provides 20.7 cubic feet of room behind the rear seat and 42 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. An available Power Liftgate allows customers to access their cargo area with ease.
The Envista will offer a propulsion system that combines a high-performance 1.2L Turbo engine with a six-speed automatic transmission. This is expected to achieve 136 horsepower with 162 lb.-ft. of torque.
The engine’s turbocharger allows it to reach peak torque much faster and maintain that for a longer RPM band, providing great responsiveness and a fun and engaging driving experience for customers.
“Compared to previous generations of our 1.2L Turbo engine, this version is lighter and uses fewer parts, which reduces the overall vehicle weight, increases efficiency, and creates nimble ride and handling,” says Scott McLane, lead development engineer of the Envista.
A Watts Link suspension system is standard on the Avenir trim and available on ST, providing drivers with a level of sure-footedness and a more quiet and isolated ride experience.
“An array of advanced chassis and suspension technologies contributes to the nimble and precise handling of the model,” adds McLane.
The Envista is expected to offer a GM-estimated 30 mpg (combined).
The 2024 Envista is expected to enter production next month, and be available for customers this summer. The Envista Preferred trim starts at just $23,495, with Sport Touring starting at $25,195, and Avenir starting at $29,695.
Customers can preview a new Envista right now, and later this summer Buick will offer the ability to build and order the vehicle online. For more information, visit buick.com.
