Honestly, my biggest complaint about the Envista — and the reason it’s not an instant recommendation — is the absence of an all-wheel drive option. Buick’s strategy here of coaxing AWD fans into a more expensive Encore GX (from $28,895 plus destination in all-wheel drive form) makes perfect sense from a business point of view. However, it also ignores the fact that the Encore GX is, well, boring in comparison to the spunky little Envista.
It may not be giddying to drive, but it is a strong value, and Buick’s options sheet is sensibly priced. Viewed as the automaker does — as a way to coax former sedan owners or leasees into something new, as well as encourage fresh Buick buyers who might’ve dismissed it as fuddy-duddy — the Envista has the potential to be a remarkable success.
Chris Davies/SlashGear
Buick’s big challenge, then, is to commit to its Envista experiment. The new gateway to the brand is stylish and memorable, but the same can’t really be said for the larger, more expensive SUVs that Envista owners will, in theory, one day upgrade to. Here’s to hoping that by the time those leases are up, Buick has given the rest of its range a splash of the Envista treatment.
