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Buick Envision Will Launch In North America In Second Half Of 2016

We knew it would happen eventually, but now we’ve got word that the Buick Envision will finally land in U.S. showrooms in the second half of 2016.

The premium compact crossover is expected to fill the considerable gap between the full-sized Enclave and the subcompact Encore, as its wheelbase (108.3 inches) and length (183.7 inches) plant it firmly against the likes of the Lincoln MKC, Lexus NX, Audi Q5, Acura RDX, and others in the compact crossover segment.

The Envision is vased on GM’s global and highly-modular D2XX platform that succeeds the Delta platform, which also underpins the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2016 Opel-Vauxhall Astra (and second-gen Buick Verano/Excelle GT), along with the next-gen 2017 Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain, among other non-Cadillac compacts. In China, the Buick Envision is offered with a 2.0L turbocharged I4 engine good for 265 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, a less potent 1.5-liter Ecotec turbo making 166 horses and 184 pound-feet of torque paired with a six-speed transmission and a fancy all-wheel drive system.

Crossovers are a big reason for soaring Buick sales in China; the brand sold 463,226 vehicles in the first half of 2015, up 4.3 percent despite a weaker Chinese economy. While the brand was led by the Excelle GT and XT, sales of Buick SUVs (Enclave, Encore, Envision) doubled to 96,433 units. Meanwhile, Buick is also seeing growing demand for its Encore in the U.S., as sales of the subcompact CUV have increased 29 percent during the first six months of 2015.

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A far-too-tall Ontarian who likes to focus on the business end of the auto industry, in part because he's too tall to safely swap cogs in a Corvette Stingray.

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Comments

  1. I really don’t understand what’s taking Buick so long to get Envision to get here?

    Reply
    1. Production, production, production. Suppliers, suppliers, suppliers.

      There is a limited amount of factories to work with, and those factories need to have the space before they can be tooled to produce the vehicle. My guess is that the launch of the Envision in the U.S. will coincide with that of the next-gen Equinox and Terrain, and that the trio will be made on the same line. All those are huge projects.

      Adding more to the complexity is the fact that the suppliers for the vehicle need to be localized to North America/NAFTA origin. They can’t just use the same parts/suppliers they do in China. Another huge project. There you go.

      Reply
      1. CAMI is already capacity constrained with Terrain/Equinox so it doesn’t really make sense to do it there. I would think that you might build it in Spring Hill with the new Cadillac crossover — there might be some overlap with technological features.

        Reply
    2. I don’t understand why actual video of this car is so rare? What’s with the rendered pics? Is it in China or not? Is it illegal for GM to show lovely vids from China?

      Reply
      1. GM doesn’t want Envision to be old when it comes over here, so they’re not encouraging videos. If GM wanted videos of Envision over here, they’d do what most companies do – print free airfare tickets for journalists.

        Reply
        1. I wasn’t asking why GM wasn’t promoting it. I was asking why almost no one who owns it has posted it to YouTube.

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      2. Also the Buick here may not look entirely like the one there. Most times it can be just some simple facial changed or it can be major like the two new Cruze as theirs is much more different than the new one coming here.

        You do not want to promote something that you will not be selling here.

        Even the Colorado from Australia is bases on similar platforms but the looks are different.

        What we see here could be close or totally different from what we get but the odds are it will be changed in some way

        Reply
        1. I hope GM leaves the design as is. At first, I wanted to see more traditional Buick cues, but now I find myself rather pleased with this new direction of Opel and Buick togetherness. Furthermore, change will simply cost more money at a time when Ford is demonstrating the power and value of global design.
          I would love seeing Buick get this vehicle first, for GM to use Buick as a space to display new technology and preview the future of the company.
          Envision more than matches the competition. I’m not sure why GM has had such a difficult time with Cadillac while this most recent generation of Buick designs come off as so smart. With the addition of all wheel drive, Buick is shaping up as an Audi rival.

          Reply
          1. Buick has done well with styling but I expect to continue to evolve.

            The Avenir was showing signs of refinement and a little more progression of design.

            They appear to be making the grills less prominent and flow better with the design. Also they are working with the vent ports to the point that they are there but not a slave to just tacking them on.

            Like Cadillac with the tail fin you can keep hints but you can not relive 1959 over and over and over forever.

            The new models will be identified as a Buick but they will grow the design.

            Reply
  2. Buick is on a roll right now . The Envision is going to fit right in . Would like to see it built in the USA though .

    Reply
  3. The reason it is not here is the production line has not been changed over. The Chevy that will share the line is not set for production yet.

    Word has been the Buick will join the Nox production and the Terrain will move to TN and join the XT5. Now if that is true I suspect that the Nox and Buick will be short wheelbase and the Terrain and XT5 will use the longer wheel base. This would make sense as it would keep the Buick and Terrain from stepping on each others toes in the same show room.

    Now I have not seen this as concrete yet but that has been what many are saying in the industry on where the vehicles will be MFG. Also GM has launched the Buick in China first to shake out the bugs as they have many other cars. China is more forgiving for issues than the American markets. The Asian brands for years would launch a car in the home market and work out many first year bugs before coming to America. GM is now using this tactic.

    Reply
  4. Not bad. But I really hope Buick will touch up the styling a bit before they release the Envision; up to mid 2016 should be plenty of time to get a decent design in. The interior looks quite attractive.

    Reply
  5. funny. what take so long and not only buick but all gm different things. gm is super slow

    Reply
  6. today car world is same like computer world. everyday goes things older. one day is bad car world other going days is dramatic.
    like some people said this car must be sail some years to go

    Reply
  7. Simple question needs a simple answer , where is the Envision for North America going to be manufactured ?

    Reply
    1. Wait. You’re not making it at home?

      Reply
  8. This Buick is a very nice looking car/CUV. The only part I don’t like is the dash board…way too much wood. Real or fake its just overdone, in my opinion.

    Reply
  9. It should have been here the second half of 2015. Why are these goons taking so long?

    Reply

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