2027 Buick Envista

Overview

The Buick Envista is a sibling to the 10Best-winning Chevrolet Trax, but it wears a sleeker coupe-like roofline and more upscale interior elements that help justify its slightly higher price. Like the Trax, the Envista comes only with a 137-hp turbocharged inline-three with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive is not an option.

The cabin is spacious enough for a quartet of adults to commute or road trip in relative comfort. A host of amenities are standard on the base Preferred model—adaptive cruise control, a large touchscreen infotainment display, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and keyless entry are all included—with additional luxuries available by upgrading to the Sport Touring and Avenir trims.

Expert Tip: If you want a small Buick SUV with all-wheel drive, consider the similarly sized but more upright Encore GX.

What’s New for 2027?

Buick has shuffled some of the Envista’s features for 2027, making more driver-assistance tech standard—including adaptive cruise control. Also, newly standard this year are front and rear parking sensors, sliding sun visors, and blind-spot monitoring. Elsewhere, the midrange Sport Touring trim now comes with the front center armrest that previously was available only on the top-spec Avenir. The Envista’s compact spare tire is now optional.

C/D Expert Tip:

If this year’s model is largely unchanged and you’re comfortable with a lightly used car, you may want to consider shopping previous model years. A one-to-three-year-old model will likely have a warranty and it’ll cost less than buying new.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

• Engine: 137-hp turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder
• Transmission: 6-speed automatic
• Drivetrain: front-wheel drive

All Envistas are powered by the same engine: a Lilliputian turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder that makes 137 horsepower. All-wheel drive is not available, so all models drive the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration feels surprisingly perky in casual, around-town driving, but step on the throttle hard to call up power for highway passing, and the Envista feels more lethargic.

It takes a second or two for the turbocharger to spool up and push the Envista ahead in earnest, which feels to the driver like the engine is taking a slow, deep breath before moving ahead with any urgency. But the Envista’s vibe isn’t about speed or sporty driving. Instead, it’s built for loping along comfortably and quietly. Handling is confident and poised, with a well-controlled ride, precise steering, and a firm brake pedal.

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0–60-MPH Times

In Comparison: At our test track, the Envista needed 9.3 seconds to hit 60 mph. It reaches 50 mph in a more acceptable 6.7 seconds, but after that, the turbocharged three simply runs out of steam. The Buick’s 60 mph time makes it one of the pokiest options in this segment, but few subcompact SUVs are particularly quick. If you want something speedier, consider the turbocharged version of the Mazda CX-30 Turbo, which needed only 6.2 seconds to hit 60 mph in our testing.

Additional Research

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

• C/D 75-mph Highway Fuel-Economy Test: 32 mpg
• EPA City Rating: 28 mpg
• EPA Highway Rating: 32 mpg

According to the EPA, the Envista is estimated to return 28 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined. On our 75-mph highway fuel economy test route, which is an integral part of our extensive testing regimen, the 2025 Envista delivered precisely on its 32-mpg promise. For more information about the Envista’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

First Row: Inside, the Envista offers a cabin that’s roomy for four. Interior materials aren’t luxury grade, but compared to rivals such as the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, the Buick more than measures up. It also offers plenty of convenience features and desirable tech gadgetry, including a large dashboard screen that houses both the digital gauge display and the infotainment touchscreen. The top-spec Avenir gets the fanciest interior and rises to near the top of the class in terms of ambiance, but this is no competitor to more expensive models from Audi, BMW, or Mercedes-Benz.

Second Row: The Envista’s chic coupe-like roofline doesn’t noticeably cut into rear-seat headroom.

Cargo Capacity: Important for a vehicle where practicality is a given, it can haul 20 cubic feet of gear, and 42 cubic feet of stuff with the rear seats folded. In our testing, the Envista fit six carry-on suitcases in its trunk and 19 cases in total with the rear seats folded.

Infotainment and Connectivity

• Infotainment: 11.0-inch touchscreen
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Audio System: 6-speaker stereo

The Envista’s dashboard consists of two digital displays under one piece of glass: an 8.0-inch gauge cluster and a second 11.0-inch touchscreen infotainment interface. There is also a separate panel for climate controls below a center-mounted dash vent. The Envista uses Buick’s most up-to-date software, and it includes standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot. All trims come with a six-speaker stereo.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

All Envistas are equipped with a comprehensive set of driver-assistance features, including automatic high-beam headlamps, adaptive cruise control, and automated emergency braking.

• Standard Safety Features: automated emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control

For information about the Envista’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Buick’s standard warranty package matches that of many of the Envista’s key rivals but pales in comparison with the plans of the Hyundai Kona,

Source: www.caranddriver.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.