2022 Buick Envision: PLANNING AN ENVISION

2022 Buick Envision:

PLANNING AN ENVISION

I continue to be a fan of today’s Buick brand – although there aren’t many models in a Buick dealer’s showroom to celebrate.  I still wish they had a few cars to sell, but all three American automotive manufacturers have figured out that their futures lie in producing crossovers and trucks.  Unfortunately, if you want to shop for cars your only real path is to look at Asian and European showrooms.  

So, Buick’s complete lineup now consists of four crossovers: two compacts, one mid-size and one large.  Several weeks ago I was given the opportunity to test drive a Summit White 2022 Buick Envision Avenir FWD that came with a MSRP price tag of $45,010, about $12,000 over a base model.  It’s a stylish two-row crossover, one designed for folks who don’t need the third row that its larger sister, the Enclave, provides.

This second-generation Envision is only available with one powertrain, a 228 hp, 2.0 liter in-line four-cylinder turbocharged engine mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission.  Gas mileage is decent, with the FWD getting 24 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.  The Envision won’t set any speed records for acceleration, but it did handle well going down the road.  I expect, however, the Envision would labor on a trip to the airport with a full load of five adults and its cargo area crammed with luggage. 

The interior is roomy for both the front and rear passengers.  The Avenir trim comes with a heads-up display which always gets a huge thumbs up from me.  I’m just a sucker for any vehicle with a heads-up display.  

So now that I’ve had the privilege of driving the Envision for the last two model years, I’d like to include my ideal version of the crossover by virtually building one. This is the fun part, when you get to build your own creation.  It’s something every new car buyer should do before heading to a dealership.  

Although the base Envision Preferred is attractive, for an extra $4,000 the Essence trim is what I’d choose (with a base MSRP of $35,600) since it features the larger infotainment screen and a nicer sound system, along with a few other goodies.  The Summit White color is terrific and the only color that doesn’t command an extra cost of $495, so I’m sticking with that.  

As far as available option packages to consider, I’d definitely go for the Safety Package that includes both Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert.  For only an additional $200, that package is both a steal and a must-have.  As much as I love the Panoramic power moonroof, I just don’t want to spend $1,495 to have it.  In Texas, a moonroof is an option that you can only use a few months of the year, when the weather isn’t brutally warm.

The Navigation used to be an option that always tempted me, but with Google Maps on my smartphone the added expense of built-in nav is a luxury I see no need to choose.  And as much as I love any vehicle with a heads-up display, that option is only available in the higher trim Avenir, so that’s out for me in this build.  And there you have it: my 2022 Buick Envision for under $36,000.  What’s yours?