Auto NSider | 2022 Buick Envision Avenir AWD

Yes.  Surprise Surprise.   If you’re looking for a luxury two-row, high tech SUV…and this is not on your short list…check it out…you may be surprised.   I was.

And I may have left out a third “Surprise”, but I’ll tell you about that in a bit.

The first surprise?   I’m usually pretty good about guessing the price of vehicles, but I missed this one by quite a bit…guessing that it was somewhere in the $50’s.   Wrong.   Right at $47,105…and that was for top-of-the-line “Avenir” trim and loaded with options and packages plus all-wheel-drive.

The Avenir + packages got us 20” alloys, sunroof, heated and ventilated diamond perforated leather with drivers’ massage, heated outboard rear seats, heated steering, surround vision, hands-free liftgate, heads-up display, and LED lighting with “Welcoming lights”….altho’ with today’s supply chain issues, some of these niceties may get you a credit with installation later when chips are available.   That’s not a Buick issue…sadly today that’s an “every car” issue.

Pick another package and get Wi-Fi supporting up to seven devices and Warner Media Ride…giving you over 1,000 hours of live and on-demand movies and TV shows plus the ability to order and prepay for pick-up meals, pay and activate gas pumps from your Envision, and locate, reserve and pre-pay for parking.

You may only have to leave your vehicle to go to a restroom!

Second surprise?   The ride and handling.   Buick’s re-styled Envision is one of the most composed and quiet.   Close to velvet on four wheels.

All Envisions come with a 2,0 liter turbo four-cylinder with power coming through a nine-speed automatic.   All the no-drama power that I needed…including for passing.  The EPA rates the AWD Envision at 22 MPG City and 29 Hwy…which is close to what we averaged.

And room?   Plenty of stretch-out room for three in the rear…and a healthy 52.7 total cu. ft. or cargo room.   This is one vehicle that can take 4 or 5 people on a good week-long road trip…and maybe more.

Style?   Well, that’s subjective, of course, but as for me, the recently re-styed Envison was nipped, tucked and creased in all the right places…making it one of the more attractive two-rows on the market today.

And for that third surprise?   Consumer Reports rated Buick’s new Envision as being one of the most reliable vehicles for sale today.

If you need to save a few bucks, lose some of the luxury and you can drive an Envison in the low $30’s.   You’ll have a lot of capacity and capability for the money.

But if you want something that’ll rival those vehicles with stars and circles on their grills, the Avenir will deliver what you’re looking for at a price that undercuts those other guys by five thousand…or more.