A century ago, Buick was known as the “doctor’s car” because it was known for its reliability, practicality and a level of luxury that portended success without being flashy.
In the early 20th century, doctors made house calls at night, often in rural areas with poor road conditions. Getting paid was always a problem, and a doctor arriving in a Cadillac gave the impression that he had more than enough money.
This feeling was so common that between 1924 and 1928, Buick enjoyed remarkable sales success with the Doctor Coupe, or Model 24-48. The car featured similar design features to Ford’s run-of-the-mill Model A, including full-length running boards, a huge windshield, and a powerful folding hood. In reality, the Doctor Coupe was much larger, and came with a jump seat that could seat two children, a medical bag, and a set of golf clubs.
Unlike the primitive and tiny inline-four engine found in the Ford, the Doctor Coupe has a huge six-cylinder engine, which is the main reason for its reliability claims.
Over the past two decades, Buick has enjoyed remarkable success by replicating the early 20th century formula of producing luxury, reliable automobiles at affordable prices. The brand frequently receives praise for initial quality from J.D. Powers and durability from Consumer Reports readers and editors, but its record is spotty.
For example, in 2020, Buick rose 14 spots to fourth on CR’s annual reliability index, but dropped seven spots in 2022. Buick was average this year, ranking lower than Asian automakers but slightly higher than American automakers.
Why is that the case? A great place to start is the all-new Envista. This impressively designed, affordable luxury compact crossover rides and feels like a typical Asian commuter car. In fact, that’s what it is.
The Envista, one of 10 products General Motors assembles at its Bupyeong, South Korea, plant, gets 3 percent of its parts from North America, and the car’s 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine comes from another GM plant in Mexico.
Featuring a long wheelbase, low roof and sleek looks inspired by Buick’s Wildcat prototype, the Envista caters to young professionals, families and value-conscious buyers looking for refinement, practicality and affordability.
Price and attractiveness
Preferred: $23,495, includes 17-inch wheels, automatic LED headlights, automatic climate control, an 11-inch infotainment screen, and limited driver-assistance tech such as automatic high beams, lane-keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking.
Sport Touring: $25,195, adds 18-inch wheels, black synthetic leather seats, and black exterior trim items.
Avenir: $29,695, includes 19-inch wheels, leather seats, heated front seats, and adaptive cruise control.
A suite of driver-assist tech, including blind-spot monitoring, rain-sensing wipers, powered and heated side mirrors and cross-traffic alert, is a $795 option — our Avenir tester had it, bringing the list price to $30,490, including a $1,085 delivery charge.
Powertrain
The Envista comes with a single powertrain configuration: a 137-horsepower 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine mated to a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission.
The engine hums when you press hard on the throttle and vibrates undesirably when idling. Acceleration is adequate for city driving, but it may lack power for highway overtaking or for those looking for a lively driving experience.
We remain skeptical of small turbocharged engines, whose main benefit is improved fuel economy — the Envista gets nearly 30 mpg in combined driving — and while that may sound good to those of us who are used to shelling out hundreds of dollars a month at the gas station like the frog in the pot, it’s not so good in the third decade of the 21st century.
For example, the 2024 Kia Niro Hybrid gets 53 mpg and is priced similarly or less, while the Corolla Cross Hybrid is more spacious, gets 42 mpg, and is much more reliable.
GM uses this same engine in a wide range of products, and it has few fans among mechanics. This little aluminum engine runs under a lot of pressure, and this type of engine frequently has problems with oil slipping past the rings and into systems that weren’t designed to manage it.
The 1.2L Ecotec is known for issues with the start-stop system, the evaporative emission control system and carbon build-up on the valves, and forums state that mechanics expect serious problems at 50,000 to 60,000 miles, and that by 150,000 to 160,000 miles (when most Toyotas and Hondas begin to break in), the little Ecotec will cost more to repair than to replace.
Standard warranties include a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. I won’t take the car in until the dealer agrees to provide an extended warranty at dealership expense. The extended warranty is 50% to 60% of the asking price.
cabin
The Envista Avenir’s cabin is a highlight. Premium materials such as soft-touch surfaces and contrast stitching enhance the perceived value. The design is clean and contemporary, and fit and finish are above par.
We found the interior noise particularly bad on the miles of chip-seal highways that stretch across northeast Texas.
Standard equipment includes an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, which is fine for commuting but can be a challenge on long drives.
Luggage space
With 20.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and 42 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats folded, the Envista Avenir offers plenty of capacity for everyday errands and grocery shopping. While it’s not ideal for taking a large family on a long road trip, it’s perfect for active families taking them on weekend getaways or for hauling weekend sports equipment.
What others are saying:
Edmunds: Praises the Envista Avenir’s comfortable ride, competitive pricing and surprisingly peppy engine for city driving, but criticizes the lack of availability of all-wheel drive and hard plastics.
Car and Driver: Though impressed with the interior design and handling, C&D editors felt the three-cylinder engine was underpowered and wished all-wheel drive was available.
Motor Trend praised the Envista Avenir for its luxury feel and great standard equipment for the price, but highlighted its limited cargo space and limited engine options.
Consumer Reports: Score 65 out of 100 and recommends purchase. The Envista is ranked fifth out of seven luxury entry-level vehicles, but all of the other cars have starting prices between $10,000 and $15,000 higher than the Envista.
Conclusion
The 2024 Buick Envista Avenir delivers a refined, comfortable driving experience at a competitive price, and while the powertrain may not entice driving enthusiasts, the upscale interior, standard equipment and emphasis on comfort make it an appealing choice for young professionals, families and price-conscious buyers looking for a sleek subcompact SUV for urban adventures.
The smart way to get one is to lease: Buick is offering a 24-month lease for $199 per month, with $4,356 due at signing.
Front three-quarter view of the 2024 Buick Envista Avenir in Moonstone Gray Metallic. (Photo courtesy of Buick)
The driver’s interior of Gideon’s 2024 Buick Envista Avenir with ebony accents. (Photo courtesy of Buick)
