Buick Thinks Encore Buyers Will Jump To Envision
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Buick filled a gap when it announced it would import the Envision from China to slot between the Encore and Enclave crossovers. Now, Buick hopes to capitalize on the compact CUV.
Speaking to WardsAuto, Rick Spina, executive chief engineer for the 2019 Buick Envision, said the thought is Encore owners will move up to the Envision. GM research suggests this is exactly what will happen, too.
The Buick Encore has brought droves of new buyers to the brand, about 60 percent. The automaker expects at least half of them to trade their Encore in for another crossover, and the next logical step is the 2019 Envision. The crossover also starts at $2,000 less than the previous model.
Spina said the strategy is to “keep them in the family” and collect a higher transaction price in the process. It’s not a new strategy, but a time-tested one—court a new buyer, and keep them around as they progress in life with larger vehicles to suit their needs.
“You need to allow people to migrate with their changing life stages,” Sam Russell, Buick’s marketing director, said.
The Envision shows no sign of slowing down, either. Buick sold 41,000 Envisions in 2017 and it quickly became Buick’s number three volume contributor. The Encore remains number one, and the Enclave number two.
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… and who’s to say they won’t lose a bunch of Enclave customers to the Envision which is ‘big enough’?
Sounds like Buick is getting desperate trying to prop up Made in China Envision sales.
They are dismal because maybe people are tired of buying Chinese goods while American factories and communities suffer. Or that the Envision is just not the best vehicle to buy especially when you can get a much better and more advanced Buick Enclave that is completely redesigned for about the same price…And it is Made in USA to boot!
Encore to the new Cadillac XT4 could be a stepping stone as well
Personally I wouldn’t buy the made in Korea vehicle or the made in China vehicle. Between the two lines it’s about 120,000 – 130,000 vehicles that should be built in the U.S.A.
Encore to a 2019 Envision. Placed an order a month ago.
NO thanks either one –they are not American made
No one was more anti China import than me. Envision sells well enough to be made in the NAFTA zone; however, I make exception for low volume failures like CT6 PHEV that aren’t worth selling, starting a second manufacturing line, and are only possible via import.
Lacrosse will soon be in this category, too. I’ve got a feeling that future Buick EVs like Velite 6 will only be profitable via China, too. I can live with this provided the US keep Enclave and get any Buick selling over 40,000 units yearly at a price point above Encore.
Why do Opel-derived vehicles, especially front fasadas,
look better than Chinese and even US design. Regal, Tour X and Encore have beautiful daytime running lights, decorative elements and proportion. Envision looks like crap.
Buick needs Mark Adams. He would be great with bespoke Avenir trims.
Both are overpriced as opposed to other Asian imports.
I hope there’s more to this conquest plan than propping up the #3 model solely by migrating drivers from Buick’s #1 model …
there are no shortage of other, outside options for a soon-to-be-ex Encore driver than the somewhat dowdy Envision …
GM Korea is going under now GM wants people to switch to Envision. What a surprise. Encore is made in Korea if you weren’t aware
Yes – just wasn’t sure exactly who was bldg it in Korea, since it began life as the Opel Mokka over there …
Those cheap, buggy electronic components are already a problem in your cars, so I’ll avoid the whole car being made by the same. Trying to buy American, please don’t make me buy European as the last hope of avoiding garbage.
Built it in Korea or in USA first.
One wonders whether Buick’s next Encore refresh will see a front fascia similar to that of Buick’s Enspire EV SUV concept with the stealthy LED headlamps.
Anyone who drives an Envision with the 2.0 turbo engine (2018 of course sine 2019 is not in dealerships yet so still the old 6 speed) and the drives the 2018 Enclave with the 310 HP V-6 9 speed will want the Envision unless you are coming out of say an Escalade or other huge vehicle. The differences are amazing to anyone who values precise handling dynamics over the floating sensation of older cars. The 2019 Envision with the 9 speed should be a notch better on the 2.0T.
I have no idea if the more cost effective Envision Essence with the 2.5 engine has better feel than an Encore though since I have only driven a loaner Encore and found it very sluggish.
Yes the MSRP on the Envision is close to the Enclave but the negotiated “bottom line” is much lower than the same for an Enclave. So Encore owners are much more likely to move into an Envision.
I don’t see a 2019:Encore please tell us hey are not replacing it with the Envision.And it looks better than the Envsion.Im on my 3rd one.I want a 2019.
Why aren’t you guys upset about EU made Opel-based cars? Is Asia the only “threat”? German and Canadian cars arent nearly as upsetting as S Korean for you guys.
I’ve, in fact, heard much love expressed for Tour X on this site from you anti-Asian posters