2024 Buick Envista

We had high hopes for the Envista, Buick’s new entry-level SUV. It sports a new nameplate and standout looks, especially for a model that sees even its top-tier Avenir trim carrying a starting price of less than $30,000.

- Alisa Priddle

If you don’t need all-wheel drive, this front-drive small SUV is worth a look. It’s longer, with more second-row legroom than the Encore GX, as well as being lower and sleeker. The extra development time the company invested in the Envista produced a more refined vehicle overall.

Make no mistake, the Envista is not an econobox. Its interior features interesting soft-touch material on the instrument panel, blue piping and stitching, tech-finish accents, new infotainment screens, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and a power liftgate.

Features beneficial for driving include a Watts-link rear suspension on the Avenir trim, lane keep assist, auto high beams, blind-spot detection, and more. The ability to view your following distance in terms of time on the adaptive cruise control is a feature that stands out.