The New Buick Envision Fills Out Crossover Growth Segment Lineup

The Buick brand, once ahead of Cadillac as the limousine class offering of the original General Motors, has gone through a dramatic transformation in the last decade.

Buick was saved from the axe of the 2009 government bankruptcy restructuring largely because of its popularity among young affluent buyers in China. Go figure!

Since then quintessential aspirational brand of American middle class success has become a smart player in a global field. A few years ago sensing an opportunity for an affordable convertible, Buick rebadged an Opel Cascada without tampering with the model name, and scored good marginal sales without breaking a sweat.

Notably because of their popularity again in China, the Buick line-up is sedan heavy and even takes an unexpected turn with a practical and driver pleasing Regal TourX station wagon.

The latest addition is the 2019 Envision compact crossover. Bigger and more athletic than the egg-like Buick Encore, the interior of the $32,000 to $44,000 MSRP entry level luxury model is smart and cleanly finished with the comprehensive tech and safety gear.

The Buick Envision extra size come with some sacrifices agility and visibility.