Encore, Envision, Enclave, and now Envista. Will Buick’s obsession with words that start with “en” ever cease? Seriously, we mistyped ‘Envision’ about 30 times writing this review because even we get confused by Buick’s names, and with a rare bucking of the alpha-numeric naming convention, it can be difficult to figure out where new models slot into a lineup. The Buick Envista, not to be confused with the Avista Concept from back in 2016, is a new subcompact crossover that will act as the entry point into Buick’s all-SUV lineup. Buick does sell the LaCrosse sedan in China but not in the US market; here, the brand is feeding into the crossover/SUV craze.
The Envista first debuted in China, but Buick thought the product would be good enough for a US audience. It rides on the General Motors VSS-F platform, which is shared with the cheap and cheerful Chevrolet Trax. The Envista shares an engine with the Trax, too, a modest 1.2-liter three-cylinder producing just 136 horsepower. That engine doesn’t sound inspiring, but at least the Envista is affordable, starting at just $23,495 (only $3,095 more than its Chevy counterpart). Can an attractive starting price help Buick bring new customers to the brand? We traveled to the company’s home turf in Detroit, Michigan, to find out.