Buick Envision

Buick Envision
Overview
Manufacturer	Shanghai GM
Production	2014–present
Model years	2016–present (North America)
Assembly	China: SAIC GM Dong Yue Foundry, Yantai, Shandong
Designer	Jeasoo Kim[1]
Body and chassis
Class	Compact crossover SUV [2][3]
Body style	4-door crossover
Layout	FF / AWD layout
Platform	D2XX/D2UX
Powertrain
Engine	1.5 L LFV turbo gasoline I4 (China) 2.0 L LTG turbo gasoline I4 2.5 L LCV gasoline I4
Transmission	7-speed DCT 6-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,750 mm (108.3 in)
Length	4,667 mm (183.7 in)
Width	1,804 mm (71.0 in)
Height	1,659 mm (65.3 in)
Curb weight	1,835 kg (4,045 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Buick Rendezvous (North America) Pontiac Torrent (North America) Saturn Vue/Chevrolet Captiva Sport (United States and Canada) Pontiac Vibe (North America)

The Buick Envision is a compact crossover SUV built by Buick.^[4]

Background

The Envision was first introduced publicly in China on July 1, 2014, with a photo of the car under a cover and placed between a Buick Encore and a Buick Enclave.^[5] On July 21, some specifications and the first official photos, as well as its Chinese name “Ang Ke Wei” (昂科威), were made public. The car is produced in China by Shanghai GM and went on sale in late 2014. By 2016, the Envision was available in China, the United States, Canada, and Mexico.^[6][7][8] In addition to the larger engines offered in North America, Chinese buyers also have the option of a turbocharged 1.5-liter unit.

The Envision made its American debut at the North American International Auto Show on January 11, 2016, as a compact CUV,^[9] sharing the segment with a second generation GMC Terrain and the Chevrolet Equinox.^[10] It went on sale in the United States in the summer of 2016, making it the first Chinese-built GM vehicle to be sold in America.^[11] It was initially only offered in all-wheel drive, but front wheel drive became an option starting in the 2017 model year.

The North American version of the Envision features two powertrains: a 2.5L LCV four-cylinder with 197 hp (147 kW) and 192 lb⋅ft (260 N⋅m) and a turbo-charged 2.0L LTG four-cylinder engine SAE certified at 252 hp (188 kW) and 260 lb⋅ft (353 N⋅m), paired with a third-generation six-speed transmission, seven active safety technologies, and On-Star/Intellilink connectivity. For the 2016 model year, it was only available in Premium I and Premium II trim levels.^[12] The trim levels expanded to five for the 2017 model year, with the base level Envision starting at $34,990 (USD).^[13]

• 
  Buick Envision pre-facelift front view.
• 
  Buick Envision pre-facelift rear view.

2019 facelift

Debuted in late 2017 in China, and revealed in 2018 for North American market, the 2019 Envision features an updated exterior that now falls more in line with Buick design themes across the rest of the lineup. The updated model has improved seating, a change in the grille that follows Buick’s American winged/waterfall models, a more chiseled design at the rear end, angular tail lights, and a newly calibrated stop/start feature.^[14] The 2019 Envision has a starting price of $32,990 (USD) in the U.S. market.

• 
  Buick Envision post-facelift front view.
• 
  Buick Envision post-facelift rear view.

Controversy

The announcement about selling the Chinese-built vehicle to American consumers has drawn a backlash from the United Auto Workers, who had just finalized a contract agreement with GM and had wanted the automaker to build the Envision stateside: “Today’s announcement by General Motors that they are importing the Envision from China is a slap in the face to U.S. taxpayers and the men and women who worked so hard to save GM during its darkest time,” UAW President Dennis Williams and Vice President Cindy Estrada, who head the GM department for the union, said in a joint statement on December 4, 2015. On the other hand, Buick spokesman Stuart Fowle defended the decision to keep production in China and import it rather than having it built in the United States because it made sense from a business point of view: “We have production already going (in China) and adding a second manufacturing facility for the volumes that we would expect in the U.S. just wasn’t feasible,” he said. “We wanted to take advantage of the manufacturing already in place. We’re very confident in the vehicle.”^[15]

On August 6, 2018, Buick announced that it might withdraw the Envision from the North American market, should a request to seek a waiver to continue to import the vehicle is denied. GM is seeking the waiver amid a trade war between the Trump Administration and China over tariffs that could hurt the sales of the Envision. The automaker sees the potential exemption as “the only way” to continue offering the vehicle to U.S. consumers, according to GM President Dan Ammann.^[16]

Sales in the United States

References

External links

• Official website

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