CARS.COM — The crossover strategy for GMs' near-luxury Buick brand is becoming sharper with the U.S. introduction of the 2016 Buick Envision at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It's a compact crossover, slotting between Buick's Encore subcompact and the Enclave full-sizer, that strikes right into the heart of the hyper-competitive crossover market.
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The Envision will be the first Chinese-made car to be sold in the U.S. by an American brand, which means that the detail and assembly quality are likely to be put under a microscope by both Buick and its customers. From my initial look, it seems that there's nothing to worry about from that standpoint.
2016 Buick Envision Cars.com photo by Evan Sears
Visually, the Envision fits perfectly among Buick's other offerings. The family face is evident in the waterfall grille and sculpted lines, looking like a miniature version of the popular Enclave. It's well-proportioned, with no miscues, extraneous lines or bits of inappropriate chrome. The look encompasses the latest thinking for Buick: quietly good-looking designs that appeal not for their outlandishness, as in some competing luxury brands, but for the competency they suggest.
2016 Buick Envision Cars.com photo by Evan Sears
Material quality and assembly accuracy is outstanding inside as well. It feels larger than competitors, such as the Lincoln MKC or Acura RDX, with more space up front and in the second row. Headroom isn't a problem either, with plenty to be had for both rows of passengers.
2016 Buick Envision Cars.com photo by Evan Sears
The switches and gauges are designs shared with the rest of the Buick family, and they're kept to a minimum — a nice change from Buicks of just a few years ago. Buick's IntelliLink is one of the better multimedia systems on the market as well. With the addition in the latest version of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, it will be hard to find much to complain about in the electronics options.
The 2016 Envision is exactly what Buick needs to bring in new, younger customers or to give Encore owners something to trade up to. If they want something with three rows, the Enclave is available. The Envision has proven popular in China, where it's become the second-best-selling vehicle in the land. While Buick might be hard pressed to sell quite that many here, it won't be because it isn't any good.
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