2019 Buick Envision Road Test and Review

Buick was once an American success story. Today it's a Chinese success story, as Buick sells more than five times as many vehicles in China as it does in the United States.

And so it is that the 2019 Envision, the only U.S.-market General Motors product manufactured in China, has been updated largely with Chinese buyers in mind. So do the tastes of Buick’s Chinese fans align with our own? Let’s drive the 2019 Buick Envision and find out.

The five-seat Buick Envision was introduced for the 2016 model year, and it was one of the first U.S.-market vehicles to use the platform that underpins the recently redesigned 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain. So while its corporate siblings are still brand-new to the market, the Buick Envision is already getting its first mid-cycle refresh.

What, exactly, has changed? There are subtle styling changes up front, but the biggest visual difference is found out back, where everything has been reshaped. New taillights, a new tailgate, and revised hindquarters with sharp creases that extend well into the rear fenders give the 2019 Envision a distinctive look.

Interior styling changes are minimal, but there are several functional updates, including an optional wireless phone charger and some rearrangements to the switchgear. The Envision now has a button to disable the auto-stop feature, which (when enabled) automatically shuts the engine off while you're stopped and restarts it when the driver takes his or her foot off the brake. Apparently, there was a great deal of demand from consumers to be able to disable this feature, so Buick engineers provided a great big button located prominently on the dashboard.

The ironic thing is that drivers who demanded this button might find themselves reaching for it less often than they expected. General Motors’ auto-stop system has always been one of the smoother ones, and Buick’s engineers have further refined it to make it even more seamless. The engine stops and restarts with little vibration, and the Envision is so quiet at idle that it’s hard to notice when the engine has shut itself off — the cabin just seems to get a bit more silent.

I rarely dive into the smaller changes that vehicle manufacturers make to their updated models, but the list of changes from Buick shows impressive attention to detail. The seat heaters now warm up more quickly, and the rearview camera has a clearer picture. The adaptive cruise control system can be used as regular cruise control (without matching its speed to the car ahead). The microphone has been updated for improved voice recognition, and the interior now features an air ionizer that, according to Buick, “helps eliminate odors, reduce bacteria and provide better air quality.” (Thank goodness — all the bacteria in the last Envision I drove really cramped my style!)

Ten airbags, an Android Auto/Apple CarPlay-compatible stereo, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot (which requires a subscription to Internet service) round out the long list of standard features found on all 2019 Buick Envisions.

Under the hood, we find a familiar cast of characters. The base engine for the Envision is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 197 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque, unchanged from last year. Also unchanged is the six-speed automatic with which it is paired.

The optional engine is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, which is the one I sampled for my test drive. For 2019, this engine gets a nine-speed automatic, a new unit with the ability to handle more power than the six-speed paired with last year’s turbo Envision. That has allowed Buick to increase the output of the engine to 295 lb-ft, up from 260 in the 2018 Envision. Horsepower remains unchanged at 252. Buick says the new transmission and higher torque output make the 2.0-liter Envision half a second quicker from 0 to 60 mph.

Considering that Buick is best known for “Quiet Tuning,” my fellow journalists and I were pleasantly surprised when the company set us loose on curvy back roads similar to those where we had driven the hot-rod-ish Buick Regal GS the day before. The Envision acquitted itself fairly well; like most modern-day crossover SUVs, it drives more like a car than an old-school SUV. The Envision is responsive and nimble, but it’s not really a smile generator. (To be fair, the 2.0-liter Envision that I was driving comes with the superior HyPer Strut front suspension. 2.5-liter cars get a regular MacPherson strut front end which, in theory, won’t be quite as precise — though as Buick had no 2.5-liter Envisions on hand, I can’t offer a direct comparison.)

What the Envision does best is coddle its occupants. As with other Buick vehicles, the Envision earned my respect for delivering such a quiet, comfortable, and isolated ride with no trade-off in handling. Still, there’s not much of a fun-to-drive factor here, and I was more impressed with the interior fittings than I was the driving experience.

Though it shares a platform with other General Motors SUVs, specifically the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain, the Buick Envision is slightly larger — and yet it offers less rear seat legroom and less cargo space. The Buick has 26.9 cubic feet behind the back seat and 57.3 cubic feet with the back seat folded, versus 29.9 and 63.5 respectively in the Chevrolet.

And while the Envision’s base engine is a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder, the GMC and Chevy versions get a more modern 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, along with a fuel-efficient (though somewhat unrefined) turbodiesel option.

One happy bit of news: Buick has lowered the price of the Envision. For 2019, the entry-level Envision starts at $32,990 (including a mandatory $995 destination fee), two grand less than the 2018 model. The price cuts continue up the line, with the $34,495 Preferred ($2,400 less than last year), $36,795 Essence (down $1,920), $41,695 Premium (down $1,620), and $44,595 Premium II (down $1,400).

At the time of our press preview drive, Buick announced only the base prices, not the cost of all the options such as all-wheel-drive.

Unfortunately, the Envision faces a difficult market. Its base price, while lower than last year, still puts it in the same neighborhood as nicely equipped SUVs from non-luxury brands. Chief among them is the Chevrolet Equinox, which, as I mentioned earlier, has more back seat and cargo space. I’d also suggest checking out the Honda CR-V, which, though nowhere near as posh as the Envision, is one of the hardest workers in the SUV segment.

If you’re looking for luxury, the Acura RDX is hard to beat. Its starting price is a bit higher than the Buick’s, but it comes with a long list of standard equipment. (Honda, Acura’s parent, is known for excellent build quality. Buick is too — but the Envision is built in China.) Lincoln’s MKC is a lot more fun to drive than the Envision, but it’s pricier and its engine choices aren’t as good (its 2.0-liter is slow and its 2.3-liter is thirsty). If you’re looking at the high end of the Envision lineup, you should definitely consider the Volvo XC60 — even in lower trim levels, it’s more satisfying to drive.

I can’t fault the 2019 Buick Envision, but I am having a bit of a hard time praising it. This is a good all-around entry-luxury suv that is unfortunate enough to compete in a very crowded and difficult field.

While I admire the Envision’s quiet ride and well-finished interior, and I certainly wouldn’t fault anyone for buying one, I am having a hard time recommending it — it’s just not a standout in the marketplace. My guess is that the Envision will continue to be a stronger seller in China than it is in the United States.