Buick ups ‘sculptural beauty’ game with all-new Envision

Buick has unveiled the 2021 Envision, a compact crossover that shows off a new, expressive design language based on the philosophy of “sculptural beauty.” Sharing a new platform with the Cadillac XT-4, the Envision sits just below its posher sibling in terms of price and features and offers a glimpse of the global brand’s forthcoming lineup.

“The Envision really started to refine our surfacing philosophy, and this is just one example of how we’re going to turn it into high gear for Buick in the future,” says Rob Cameron, strategic advanced design manager. “There’s a lot of sensitivity in every surface and that’s something that’s very unique and what we pride ourselves on.” Not only is the Envision the first production car to sport the brand’s more sculpted look, it also, incidentally, served as a catalyst for the “orange car,” an inspirational design study we got to see at Buick’s studio nearly two years ago.

Compared with its predecessor, the new Envision sits lower and wider, but without the bulkiness of some crossovers in the market. “It’s got fullness, but not for the sake of being full,” Cameron explains. “I wouldn’t call it muscular, but it feels lean and athletic.” During a walkaround, exterior design manager Christine Cheng points out the wing-shaped signature in the DRL, a defining feature of the Buick face. Surfaces are taut and energetic, not overwrought. “There’s a lot of agility to how the lines interplay with one another, and a lot of reflection by the surfaces that draw your eye all the way around the vehicle,” Cheng says.

Designers created a different look and feel for each trim level, setting apart the top-of-the-line Avenir with a unique front grille treatment, clear-lens tail lamps, body-coloured lowers, and 20-inch pearl nickel wheels. A sport touring package, meanwhile, uses high-gloss black mixed with tinted chrome finishes to arm the Envision with what Cheng calls a “youthful, sinister look.”

In the cockpit, the IP is canted slightly toward the driver with a 10.2-inch integrated display, surrounded by piano black to emphasise a seamless appearance. A combination of digital and analogue controls keep the IP clean, while electronic push buttons replace a traditional shifter on the centre console to create more space. Cheng points out the dual-wing centre armrest, a play on Buick’s winged design signature. Luxury features borrowed from Cadillac include massaging seats, although the shared rotary knob that controls this function along with lumbar adjustments can seem clunky and frustrating to use (all hail one-touch massage controls). In our Avenir test model, seats get diamond-perforated leather and elegant open-pore wood executed in a wave pattern, along with ambient lighting that highlights the lines on the IP and door.

China has long been Buick’s top market, but Cameron, who’s been driving his own Envision around Michigan, hopes the car will increase the brand’s allure in the US. “People stop me at the gas station, the car wash, and lots of random places. I’ve been stopped as much in this thing as when I was driving a C8 Corvette,” he muses. “That’s what we set out to achieve with the whole DNA philosophy of sculptural beauty and the future of the brand.” Even in jaded Los Angeles, our Envision got surprised looks and the occasional compliment. One car collector, whose acquisitions include a Ferrari Dino and a new Mercedes-Benz GLS, admitted he was (begrudgingly) impressed.

One engine powers all 2021 Envision models: a 228hp, 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. Over a few days’ driving in L.A., the powerplant proved peppy and smooth, managing the twists and turns of the Hollywood hills and the straightaways of the infamous 405 freeway in equal comfort. Driver assistance features such as rear cross-traffic alert and forward collision alert helped to ease the stress of the myriad jaywalkers, bicycles, and lookie-loos hindering the flow of traffic around Santa Monica beach.

When it arrives in the US, the 2021 Envision will have a starting price of $32,995, although our FWD Avenir test car priced out at $45,305, more than the entry price of an Audi Q5 and on par with the likes of the Lexus NX 300 Luxury, Lincoln Corsair Reserve, and the AWD Volvo XC60 Momentum.

The “sculptured beauty” idea has also been explored on Buick’s Electra concept.