2019 Buick Envision: Now $9,000 Cheaper Than the First Buick Envision

Last week we brought you a taste of the facelifted 2019 Buick Envision, already on sale in its Chinese homeland. General Motors has now graced us with details on the U.S.-bound model, which should appear this spring wearing the same trims you’re become used to.

While there’s a new transmission and tech content to go with the updated front- and rear-end styling, one feature of the new model stands out: its price. To lure new buyers to the brand (and tempt Encore owners to move up the ladder), Buick is offering the Envision with a new pricing scheme.

“All trim levels have been adjusted toward the heart of the premium compact SUV market,” the automaker said today.

Just how much has a Buick Envision slipped in price in the two years since its introduction? A cool nine grand.

So, has the 2019 Envision become a cut-rate, bargain-basement stripper? No, but it’s definitely less expensive than the 2018 model, regardless of trim. When it appeared partway through the 2016 model year, the only Envisions rolling off the boat from China were uplevel, all-wheel-drive Premium and Premium II models. As such, Buick was forced to advertise its new compact crossover with an after-delivery entry price of $42,995. Ouch.

Mere months later, the 2017s arrived with a full gamut of trims and a $34,990 after-delivery starting point. That pricing carried over for 2018, but now it’s poised to sink further.

A base 2019 Envision carries an after-delivery sticker of $33,895. For that price, buyers see a carryover 2.5-liter inline-four (197 horsepower, 192 lb-ft of torque), six-speed automatic, and front-wheel drive. HID headlamps become standard equipment for 2019, along with GM’s child-protecting Rear Seat Reminder. Drivers can now deactivate the start/stop system if it gets too annoying.

Also standard is an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. There’s a Wi-Fi hotspot, as well.

Moving up to the Prefered trim now costs $2,370 less, while an Essence model demands 1,920 fewer dollars. As before, all-wheel drive is optional on lower-rung models. Premium and Premium II models come standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder (252 hp, 295 lb-ft), mated to a new-for-2019 nine-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. LED headlamps joint the top two trims for the coming model year, along with a full suite of driver assist features.

The 2019 Envision Premium stickers for $1,620 less than a 2018 model, while the Premium II shaves $1,400 off the price of its predecessor.

Buick claims, “Nearly 60 percent of all Encore buyers come from outside General Motors,” adding that these customers are increasingly becoming Buick return buyers. Nearly 50 percent of those customers say they would buy another Buick, apparently.

[Images: General Motors]