Driving With Style | First Impressions – 2021 Buick Envision
Yes the 2021 Envision has style, it is a beautifully designed car.
Written by Richard Sandoval
First impressions of the 2021 Buick Envision. Yes it has style, it is a beautifully designed car. The color we drove was described as “Sinister Black.” The car has many standard safety features, a larger information touch screen and it did pass the “Head Turner Test.” The real question is, did our family enjoy the time we spent with the 2021 Envision?
Our family enjoys taking long day trips. Living in Southern California we have lots of options. During our week with the 2021 Envision we headed off to hike up the Hollywood hills. Later in the week we drove to Oceanside, California taking a walk along the waterfront and pier. During both of our trips we filled up the storage compartments with extra clothes, hiking gear and items that you would have for the beach. The Buick Envision had plenty of storage for our gear.
Once you get past the fact it looks and drives great, we took a closer look at the car’s other features. One of my favorites is the wireless CarPlay. Set up was easy and it’s nice to drive around without a bunch of wires connecting to your devices, very cool. Gas? All I know is that we live in Southern California’s Inland Valley. We traveled to Hollywood (Los Angeles), Oceanside (San Diego) and around town for a week and still had a little left in the tank.
Mental health note – driving the Envision this past week was a much needed break from the everyday routine many of us are experiencing during the pandemic. Thank you GM for delivering our vehicle wiped down and sanitized. Also everywhere we visited, we wore a mask.
Post pandemic, I’m curious about our future driving habits. One of the engineers at Buick mentioned while he was driving less miles during the week, he was taking lots of weekend trips. Overall his miles for month ended up being about the same.
Awhile back I heard the term “affordable luxury” used when referring to the Buick brand and yes that’s how I feel about this vehicle. On sale now the Envision has a starting MSRP $32,995 (including destination, excluding tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment).
If you are deciding whether or not to purchase a full blown SUV however, you still like the sedan feel you need to check out this vehicle. Given all that we experienced during our time with the 2021 Envision and it’s 2.0L Turbo I-4 engine rated at 228 horsepower featuring direct injection, with Stop/Start technology, the information system, safety features, and the wireless CarPlay I think you would be very happy with your purchase.
Photos from – The Way We Travel #TheWayWeTravel
Exclusive photos by Richard Sandoval
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[flickr_set id=”72157718504682936″]
MORE ABOUT THE| 2021 Envision
Expressive interior
Envision designers had one overriding objective with the new SUV’s interior: Provide customers with a sense of reward in their everyday driving.
“The new Envision’s cabin is welcoming, with a comfortable and premium environment intended to make the driver and passengers feel like every excursion is an occasion,” said Rob Cameron, design manager, Global Buick and GMC. “All of the elements are designed to celebrate what customers use the most on their drives today.”
At the heart of the Envision’s new interior is its driver-centric instrument panel, which is tilted toward the driver for a better, clearer view. The panel blends technology and convenience, including Buick’s first available 10.2-inch-diagonal infotainment2 touchscreen.
The interior also features an all-new, versatile center console that incorporates:
Electronic Precision Shift. Rather than a conventional mechanical shift lever, this electronic system uses electric push/pull buttons, which not only amplify the Envision’s technology quotient, but also free up space under the console.
Dual-wing center armrest. Popular with owners of the previous model, the split-center armrest returns to allow access to the under-armrest storage compartment without disturbing the resting elbow of the other front-seat passenger.
Covered storage compartment below the instrument panel. Its retractable cover allows hidden storage of valuables. In equipped vehicles, it is the home for the available Wireless Charging4 pad, along with an SD card slot, accessory outlet and USB5 ports.
Five-passenger seating is standard, with the 60/40-split second row featuring the capability to fold flat with the cargo floor, for a virtually seamless transition with the seatbacks and a minimal gap between them. Slotting in between the smaller Encore and Encore GX and the larger Enclave, the Envision has 52.7 cubic feet6 of cargo space behind the first-row seats and 25.2 cubic feet6 behind the second-row seats.
A range of seating appointments, in light and dark color themes, are available, including perforated leather on Essence. Heated front seats are standard on Essence and available on Preferred.
Additional interior features include:
Heated steering wheel is standard on Essence and Avenir, and available on Preferred
Air ionizer7 is standard on Essence and Avenir, and available on Preferred. Research shows Americans spend approximately 10 hours a week7 in the car. With the introduction of an Air Quality Indicator, a first for Buick in the U.S., the air ionizer provides customers with peace of mind, enabling them to monitor the quality of the cabin’s air
QuietTuning is standard on all trims – including active noise cancellation and strategically placed acoustic materials
Rear Seat Reminder8 is standard on all trims
Panoramic power moonroof is available on Essence and Avenir
Infotainment and connectivity
The 2021 Envision will also offer Buick’s first available 10.2-inch-diagonal touchscreen infotainment system2, and includes in-vehicle apps9, such as available Alexa Built-in3, as well as Buick-exclusive apps – Reese’s Book Club (curated by Reese Witherspoon) and NCAA March Madness. Wireless charging4, wireless Apple CarPlay10 and Android Auto11 are also offered.
Safety and driver assistance features1
The new Envision is purposefully contented with standard and available active safety and driver assistance technologies designed to help monitor the vehicle’s surroundings and alert the driver to potential hazards — and, in some cases, take action to help avoid a threat.
The Buick Driver Confidence Plus package offers nine standard active safety features, including:
Automatic Emergency Braking1
Front Pedestrian Braking1
Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning1
Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert1
Forward Collision Alert1
Following Distance Indicator1
IntelliBeam, auto high beams1
Rear Cross Traffic Alert1
Rear Park Assist1
Additional available driver assistance technologies include HD Surround Vision, Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Head-up Display and more.
Envision Avenir
The Avenir is Buick’s ultimate expression of refinement and is now being offered on the Envision for the first time.
The Envision Avenir is distinguished by an exclusive mesh grille design, with tinted chrome trim and unique 20-inch wheels with a Pearl Nickel finish.
Additional standard features include:
Heated and ventilated front seats
Diamond-perforated quilted leather-appointed seats
Driver’s seat massage feature
Heated rear outboard seats
Navigation12
Wireless smartphone charging4
Performance and propulsion
The new Envision’s propulsion and chassis/suspension details include:
A 2.0L Turbo I-4 engine rated at 228 horsepower (170 kW) and 258 lb-ft of torque (350 Nm); and featuring direct injection and Stop/Start technology
Nine-speed automatic transmission with electronic shift control
Available all-wheel drive with electronically controlled twin-clutch operation
Standard four-wheel-disc brake system, StabiliTrak stability control with traction control, and electronic grade braking
On-demand, selectable drive modes, including Tour, Snow/Ice and Sport on FWD models and Tour, AWD, Off-road and Sport on AWD models
Hill Descent Control is standard with AWD models
MacPherson strut front suspension and five-link independent rear suspension
Electric power steering
Continuous Damping Control electronically controlled real-time damping system is available on Avenir
Standard 18-inch wheels and available 20-inch wheels
1Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. The driver should remain attentive to traffic, surroundings and road conditions at all times. Visibility, weather and road conditions may affect feature performance. Read the vehicle Owner’s Manual for more important feature limitations and information.
2Functionality varies by model. Full functionality requires compatible Bluetooth and smartphone, and USB connectivity for some devices.
3Functionality is subject to limitations and varies by vehicle, infotainment system and location. Select service plan required. Certain Alexa Skills require account linking to use. Amazon, Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon, Inc. or its affiliates. See onstar.com for additional details.
4The system wirelessly charges one compatible mobile device. Some phones have built-in wireless charging technology and others require a special adaptor/back cover. To check for phone or other device compatibility, see [my.buick.com/learn] or consult your carrier.
5Not compatible with all devices.
6Cargo and load capacity limited by weight and distribution.
7Ketchum Daily Ride Index (2019)
8Feature does not detect people, pets or objects. Customers should always check the vehicle before exiting.
9Available on select 2017 model year and newer GM vehicles with compatible hardware. Third-party trademarks are the property of their respective third-party owners and used under agreement. Requires active service plan and paid AT&T vehicle data plan. See onstar.com for details and limitations.
10Vehicle user interface is a product of Apple and its terms and privacy statements apply. Requires compatible iPhone and data plan rates apply. Apple CarPlay is a trademark of Apple Inc. Siri, iPhone and Apple Music are trademarks for Apple Inc, registered in the U.S. and other countries.
11Vehicle user interface is a product of Google and its terms and privacy statements apply. Requires the Android Auto app on Google Play and an Android compatible smartphone running AndroidTM 5.0 or higher. Data plan rates apply. Android Auto is a trademark of Google LLC.
12Map coverage available in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.
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