The new Buick Envista was unveiled by General Motors on Monday, April 17, as part of the brand’s shift to an all-electric domestic lineup. The Envista is a small crossover that has the appearance of a sedan but the ride height and storage of a favorable SUV.
The brand’s well-liked Wildcat concept car from the previous year served as inspiration for the new component’s smooth, long exterior style.
Beginning at $24,495 for a base model and $29,695 for an Avenir variant at the top, the Envista will take the position of the Buick Encore as the brand’s entry-level vehicle. The Encore was no longer manufactured by GM as of last year in favor of a larger “Encore GX” vehicle, which has a starting price between $26,000 and $35,000.
Sam Russell, the marketing director for Buick, stated during a media conference that “there just seems to be an enormous opportunity at the price point. We genuinely believe that the Envista is just a great opportunity for conquesting. That’s kind of our goal, to be the conquest champion within GM.”
The Envista debuts amid concerns about the affordability of new vehicles as several automakers have phased out less expensive cars in favor of more expensive crossovers. In spite of the lack of available vehicles over the last three years, average transaction prices have risen to record highs.
The 1.2-liter turbocharge engine in the Envista will only be available with front-wheel drive and is projected to produce 136 horsepower and 162 foot-pounds of torque. Six active safety technologies, including automated emergency braking and lane-keep assistance, are part of the standard safety package. 19-inch information and control screens are present inside.
The Envista is the second of five new Buick models or vehicles that will be released over an 18-month period ending in 2019. The redesign of the 2024 Encore GX was the first. The brand’s first all-electric car is scheduled to debut in the first half of next year.
According to Russell, “Once we switch to EVs, it will only be EVs going forward.”
By the end of this decade, Buick wants to only sell EVs, while GM plans to invest $35 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles between 2020 and 2025. By 2035, the automaker wants all of its brands to offer only consumer EVs.
