On A Clear Day, Can You Envision Buick?

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Billed as a concept that

introduces the development direction for Buick’s future SUV products for the market,

the Chinese-designed Envision is the first look at future Buick design since the Buick Business from two years ago. But whereas the Business Concept pointed the way towards a funkily distinctive Buick aesthetic and product sensibility (if anyone should reinvent the minivan, shouldn’t it be Buick?), the Envision concept is an anonymously internationalist crossover. GM’s presser claims the Envision “merges Buick’s global design language with Chinese aesthetics,” but next to Buick’s previous Chinese-designed masterpieces of contemporary “American-style” design like the Business, Invicta and Riviera concepts, it offers little to identify it as a Buick. In fact, it seems more like a tribute to the Hyundai Tucson, which itself is something of an homage to Ford’s Kinetic Design. Perhaps Buick’s designers are trying to signal the fact that, in the future, all crossovers will look exactly the same.



Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Dean Trombetta Dean Trombetta on Apr 18, 2011

    There is a lot going on in the side view. What is the little panel behind the front wheel? I think that some of the lines on the side are supposed to be reflections of light from the floor as opposed to character lines. Weird picture. The scissor doors are ridiculous. I do not know why they put things like that in these pictures. They will never produce that vehicle with doors like that.

  • Advo Advo on Apr 19, 2011

    GM must want to lower the average age of Buick purchasers, and it's turning to Chinese designers to do it?

  • David Murilee Martin, These Toyota Vans were absolute garbage. As the labor even basic service cost 400% as much as servicing a VW Vanagon or American minivan. A skilled Toyota tech would take about 2.5 hours just to change the air cleaner. Also they also broke often, as they overheated and warped the engine and boiled the automatic transmission...
  • Marcr My wife and I mostly work from home (or use public transit), the kid is grown, and we no longer do road trips of more than 150 miles or so. Our one car mostly gets used for local errands and the occasional airport pickup. The first non-Tesla, non-Mini, non-Fiat, non-Kia/Hyundai, non-GM (I do have my biases) small fun-to-drive hatchback EV with 200+ mile range, instrument display behind the wheel where it belongs and actual knobs for oft-used functions for under $35K will get our money. What we really want is a proper 21st century equivalent of the original Honda Civic. The Volvo EX30 is close and may end up being the compromise choice.
  • Mebgardner I test drove a 2023 2.5 Rav4 last year. I passed on it because it was a very noisy interior, and handled poorly on uneven pavement (filled potholes), which Tucson has many. Very little acoustic padding mean you talk loudly above 55 mph. The forums were also talking about how the roof leaks from not properly sealed roof rack holes, and door windows leaking into the lower door interior. I did not stick around to find out if all that was true. No talk about engine troubles though, this is new info to me.
  • Dave Holzman '08 Civic (stick) that I bought used 1/31/12 with 35k on the clock. Now at 159k.It runs as nicely as it did when I bought it. I love the feel of the car. The most expensive replacement was the AC compressor, I think, but something to do with the AC that went at 80k and cost $1300 to replace. It's had more stuff replaced than I expected, but not enough to make me want to ditch a car that I truly enjoy driving.
  • ToolGuy Let's review: I am a poor unsuccessful loser. Any car company which introduced an EV which I could afford would earn my contempt. Of course I would buy it, but I wouldn't respect them. 😉
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