Buick SUVs: Real Luxury Without Sticker Shock
Luxury vehicles are about more than creature comforts. Sure, the leather seats are buttery soft and the stylish exterior turns heads when you drive down the street.
But they’re also a smart investment. The saying “get what you pay for” is overused, but stepping up to luxury level offers enhanced automotive performance, a more enjoyable driving experience and all the latest safety features and tech enhancements. They even make your commute something to look forward to.
To enjoy the benefits of a refined, high-end ride without the sticker shock, consider the Buick SUV lineup: the Envision, Encore, Enclave and the soon-to-hit-showrooms Envista models. Here’s some info to help you make your decision.
- Category: Crossover
- Trim levels: Preferred, Sport Touring, Avenir
- Base price (Preferred): $23,495
The Envista, available for the 2024 model year, is Buick’s new entry-level SUV.
Combining the sleek, coupe-like styling of a sedan with the ride height and storage capacity of comparable small SUVs, Envista is designed to appeal to young professionals, small families and sedan owners considering moving over to the utility category.
It’s also, as CNBC reports, Buick’s last new petrol-powered vehicle as the automaker looks ahead to an all-electric lineup by 2030.
Features include automatic emergency braking that works with the forward collision alert and following-distance indicator to help avoid collisions or reduce their severity. This feature can even provide hard emergency braking when necessary. The vehicle also offers front pedestrian braking, IntelliBeam auto high beam headlights and lane assist.
On the tech front, Envista comes with a driver information center and a Buick Infotainment System to make crucial information readily available. It also offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Under the hood of this front-wheel-drive, six-speed automatic sits a 1.2-liter turbo-charged three-cylinder engine that pumps out 136 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Combined city-highway mileage is predicted to be 30 mpg, according to Motor Trend’s review.
- Category: Small and Sport SUV
- Trim levels: Preferred, Sport Touring, Avenir
- Base price (Preferred): $25,600
The smallest of Buick’s all-SUV lineup, the Encore GX is designed to convince younger drivers that Buick is more than just their dad’s ride.
The appearance and tech options do most of the persuading. The exterior features signature checkmark-shaped running lights, an Encore-only grille and a variety of attractive accents. Inside, it seats five and includes a trendy curved-panel infotainment system and an 11-inch touchscreen user interface that Car and Driver called “snappy in its responses and intuitive to use.” The driver’s gauge display occupies a separate 8-inch screen.
Info-tech includes wireless Apple Car Play, Android Auto, wireless phone charging and a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, all standard. Safety-tech starts with standard automated emergency braking and lane-assist warnings and goes on to add optional adaptive cruise control, a rearview camera mirror and 360-degree camera system. Weekend warriors will be happy with the 1,000-pound towing capability.
Power for the GX comes from a pair of turbocharged three-cylinder engines. The base trim has a 1.2 liter that pumps out 137 horsepower. CVT – a continuously variable automatic transmission – comes standard on front-wheel-drive models. All-wheel-drive models upgrade to a nine-speed automatic. Combined city-highway fuel economy is estimated at 27 mpg.
- Category: Compact SUV
- Trim levels: Preferred, Essence, Avenir (for 2023 model year; information not yet available for 2024)
- Base price: $43,195
Look, Ma – no hands! Part of the time, anyway. The 2024 Envision is the first Buick vehicle in North America to offer available Super Cruise driver-assistance – that is, hands-free – technology. Super Cruise is designed to work on compatible roads in the U.S. and Canada – 400,000 miles of asphalt so far, and increasing.
The revamped, spruced-up Envision also receives a new signature grille, badging, front fascia, hood and sculpted rear styling. Inside, drivers can expect an updated digital gauge cluster and a comfortable, whisper-quiet cabin.
Pedestrian detection, automated emergency braking and lane-keeping assist all come standard, as do Apple Car Play and Android Auto, Sirius XM satellite radio with a six-speaker stereo and active noise-cancellation system. A built-in Wi-Fi hotspot is also expected to be standard equipment.
The nine-speed transmission is powered by a turbo-charged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline that produces 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.
2024 Enclave
- Category: Three-row SUV
- Trim levels: Essence, Sport Turin, Avenir
- Base price: $43,900 (Essence)
The largest SUV in the Buick lineup, Enclave offers seating for up to seven and enough legroom, interior space and cargo space to persuade families with kids to walk right past the standard minivan.
Outside, the attractive exterior features well-defined lines on the hood and boldly styled grille and headlamps. On the other end of the vehicle, the hands-free power liftgate allows access to the cargo area – very handy if you’ve got your hands full of groceries or need to wrangle energetic children and your key fob is in your pocket or purse. A foot under the LED-projected Buick logo does the trick.
The interior earned praise from Edmunds for its “ride comfort, generous cargo capacity, and impressive list of standard safety features.” Standard amenities include wireless phone charging, heated leather seats and steering wheel, and six USB ports.
Safety features include automatic emergency braking, IntelliBeam auto high beams, front pedestrian braking, front and rear parking assist and alerts for lane changes, rear cross traffic and forward collisions.
For fun, and a great view, there’s an available panoramic moonroof.
The 2024 Enclave runs on a 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V-6 paired with a nine-speed automatic that produces 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel-drive is optional. Estimated mileage is 18 city and 26 highway for the standard front-wheel-drive. The vehicle can also tow up to 5,000 pounds.
For additional information, visit Mullinax Buick-GMC online at mullinaxbuickgmc.com or visit the dealership at 833 Eastern Blvd. Montgomery, AL.
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