GM Unveils Envista SUV for China and Teases U.S Introduction
Some have questioned why General Motors keeps Buick around since it seems like it’s not the most popular brand on America’s roads. What that view fails to consider, however, is that Buick is one of GM’s strongest brands in China, and earlier this month, the company’s president confirmed a new crossover would be coming for the country.
Motor1 reported that company president Mark Reuss confirmed the Buick Envista at GM Investor Day earlier this month, saying it would also be coming to the United States. The crossover is already in production in China and borrows heavily from the Buick Wildcat concept we saw earlier this year. Reuss noted that it's "getting ready for the U.S.," so a domestic introduction is likely coming soon.
The Chinese market Envista gets a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine paired with a CVT and front-wheel drive. There’s no word on what kind of powertrain we could see here, but a hybrid or plug-in hybrid variant is unlikely, given GM’s trajectory into electrification via full-battery electric vehicles.
The Envista will slot into the Buick lineup above the Encore GX and offer a large touchscreen inside. It features a slightly longer wheelbase than the GX, so interior space will be more generous for passengers in the second row. Other details are nonexistent, but it appears we won’t have long to wait for more.
[Image: Buick]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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Buick sells 5x as many cars in China as the US, and has 3x the market share.
Buick is still a relevant brand in the US, but it basically serves as a conduit for foreign-built cars to land on US shores. This Envista is no different.
Buick defines obscurity. It just does not translate well from China.
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"turbocharged 1.5-liter engine" Schweet!!!