Buick introduced the Envision for the the 2016 model year in limited, highly-specced configurations along with a relatively high price. The 2017 Buick Envision changed that, introducing less luxurious trim levels and powertrain configurations, making it more financially accessible, enabling the crossover to gain a sizable foothold in the premium compact crossover segment, a space that has been defined by the Lexus NX and Acura RDX
To wit: the Envision accounted for 14,193 U.S. deliveries in 2016, and is on track to double that sales figure for 2017. Suffice to say, that the product is on point, so it would only make sense not to change it up too much, if at all. And that’s exactly what is happening for the 2018 model year, as the 2018 Buick Envision is getting one minor new feature for the 2018 model year. Truth be told, the item in question is not even a feature. Instead it’s a new accessory — an all-weather floor liner. Assigned RPO code RIA, the LPO-level item can be purchased and installed for all model years of the Envision.
The updates and changes described here are specific to the U.S. market and may be different for other markets.
The GM Authority Take
GM would do well to increase Envision availability (supply), since the market — enabled by a seemingly-insatiable hunger for crossovers at the expense of sedans — is ripe for vehicles like the Envision. We wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Buick could sell twice as many Envisions (roughly 7,000-8,000 a month) as it does currently (between 3,000-4,000 per month) in the United States. Doing so, however, would likely call for producing the vehicle in North America, as the factory where the Envision is currently built in Yantai, China does not have the capacity to produce an additional 3,000-4,000 units every month.
More Information & Reporting
The 2018 Buick Envision rides on GM’s D2 platform is assembled by GM China at the SAIC-GM Dong Yue Motors Co., Ltd. assembly plant in Yantai, Shandong, China.
- Buick Envision info
- 2018 Buick Envision info
- 2018 Buick Envision changes, updates, new features
- 2018 Buick Envision order guide
- Buick Envision sales numbers
- Buick Envision news
Comments
“Doing so, however, would likely call for producing the vehicle in North America, as the factory where the Envision is currently built in Yantai, China does not have the capacity to produce an additional 3,000-4,000 units every month.”
Perfect. Bring it here. You’ll gain additional sales in NA to people who won’t buy a Chinese made vehicle, while you support jobs here, and free up capacity at the Chinese plant for more domestic sales. If China is truly a growing market, they could probably use this capacity very soon.
They could benefit from the additional sales by making it here but in usual GM fashion they shot themselves in the foot by making the decisions they did. By all intents and purposes I say it serves them right that it wont do better because of what they did.
Well, it’s good that they have a 3 SUV lineup.
Sorta disappointing that they seem to view the Envision as a plug n play success (for now), instead of upping it’s game.
I believe they would sell more if it was built here . Everyone I have talked to say they like the car but don’t like the fact it’s built in Communist China .
I know that this will fall on deaf ears, but I certainly would buy one made in North America. I really like it(especially the interior), but I’m going to end up with an Equinox instead, regretfully.
I will wait till the Equinox has the 2.0 turbo/9 speed available
Well, the Chinese aren’t very imaginative. Floor liners are likely all they could come up with in terms of improvements.
There won’t be one in my driveway until they start making them in the US.
It needs the new grille – please get rid of the old waterfall grill!
Yes, I don’t get either why GM is not giving Envision a face-lift to match it visually with latest version Buick design (with “wings” flanking the emblem). Odd enough to me, since they already did that on 2017 Encore (small crossover) and it will be the case for 2018 next-gen Enclave (big crossover) – but that’s not the case for Envision (mid-size crossover in between the two other aforementioned crossovers they offer).
Yes, stuck with the old grill, I dare say even the Encore looks more upscale and modern than the Envision.
I agree. It can’t cost THAT much to design the new grill and put it into production. It will really does look out of place. But then again so does the grill of the Cascada…
Assemble the Envision in AMERICA – redesign the grill & use the red, white, & blue nameplate and you will have a winner !!!
World economy. I don’t care where the Envision is built. But I do care that it has the old grille. Isn’t the Equinox built in Canada in a plant that is on strike. This is a nice car at the right size. They should put some effort into finishing the car the right way instead of settling.