2014 Buick Enclave Leather on 2040-cars

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2020 Buick Encore GX is a really attractive middle child

The 2020 Buick Encore GX is officially a thing in North America. The compact crossover slips into the space between the slightly smaller Encore and the larger Envision, adding extra room behind the rear seats to pack in a lot more than the Encore, and only a little less than in Envision. Beyond the additional room, every trim of the Encore GX comes with safety tech that — for the moment, at least — can only be had as an optional extra on the standard Encore, if it's available at all on the smaller model. The six included features are automatic emergency braking, following distance indicator, forward collision alert, front pedestrian braking, IntelliBeam headlamps with automatically-adjusting high/low beams, and lane-keeping assist with lane departure warning. IntelliBeam, for instance, isn't available on the Encore, and doesn't come standard on the Envision until maxing out at the AWD Premium II trim. What's more, the new bigger Encore brother puts a list of substantial safety features on the options sheet, such as Automatic Parking Assist with Braking, a heads-up display, camera-based adaptive cruise control, high-definition Surround Vision camera system, rear park assist, rear cross traffic alert, and a hands-free power liftgate with logo projection. Convenience touches in the cabin are found in wireless charging, Bluetooth pairing for two phones simultaneously, and Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Sirius XM with 360L compatibility. The 360L version of Sirius XM combines satellite services with streaming to provide more channels and access to live and on-demand shows. Buyers can luxe it up inside with optional perks like leather-appointed seats, a heated steering wheel, and an ionizing air filter. Buick says the Encore GX swallows 25.3 cubic feet of goods behind the second row. According to the dimension stats on the Buick site, that's 6.5 cubic feet more than the load space in an Encore and a measly 1.6 cubic feet less than the available volume in an Envision. The carmaker wants buyers to get the most flexibility out of the Encore GX area as well, serving up an adjustable load floor in every trim that can be raised to lie level with the folded rear seats and provide extra under-floor storage.

Buick Avenir Concept saunters into Detroit [w/video]

We'd never accuse the most recent crop of Buicks of being ugly. Then again, we'd also never argue that they're overly pretty. Instead, they waltz along a middle ground, not standing out while not causing offense. The Buick Avenir Concept occupies no such middle ground – it's gorgeous. A long hood and a short deck fit well with an evolved form of Buick's long-running design language, while traditional highlights such as the waterfall grille and portholes mingle nicely with newer touches, like a beautiful, curvaceous set of rear haunches that bleed into the rear decklid. The cabin, meanwhile, is solidly in the concept realm, with a prominent 12-inch touchscreen as its centerpiece. Like the exterior, the Avenir's cabin is an evolution of current Buick designs, with a curve that tops the dash and feeds into the doors. A higher center console is finished in buffed wood, although the majority of the interior materials appear to be fine leather. Check out our gallery of live images of the new Avenir, at the Buick stand at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Show full PR text Buick Explores Future with Avenir Concept New design proportion, device integration, rejuvenating interior push brand forward DETROIT – Buick introduced the Avenir concept today in advance of the North American International Auto Show – a flagship sedan exploring progressive design with new levels of passenger well-being and technology integration. The Avenir – French for future – is distinguished by its premium sports proportions and all-new interpretations of traditional Buick cues. It is the creation of a global team of Buick designers and sculptors who were inspired by historic Buick concepts, which pushed traditional boundaries, shaped future Buick models and influenced the entire auto industry. "Avenir embodies Buick design, which centers on effortless beauty and presence without pretense," said Ed Welburn, vice president of General Motors Global Design. "It demonstrates the growing international reach of Buick and offers an exciting vision of where it can go." The Avenir's sculptural surfacing, expressive proportion and Buick's signature sweep-spear bodyside visually cue an exceptional driving experience that awaits inside. "The interior is designed with the driver and passengers' comfort and well-being in mind," said Welburn.

2021 Buick Envision First Drive | A successful sequel

The 2021 Buick Envision inaugurates the second generation of what GM's premium division hopes will become the staple of its all-crossover lineup. The original Envision, while reasonably competent, suffered from ungainly styling and struggled to separate itself from its reputation as the built-in-China Buick. Bundle that with a brand that has (at best) an on-again, off-again relationship with being interesting and you have a recipe for “Who cares?” No longer, says Buick. While itÂ’s still assembled in China, the 2021 Envision gets a new platform, a new powertrain, and a complete styling overhaul. Feeling a little deja vu? ThatÂ’s reasonable. Buick gave us a promising first look at the new Envision last summer, but thanks to, well, you know, 2020, weÂ’re only now getting our hands on the final product, and if we were intrigued in June, weÂ’re impressed in February. BuickÂ’s first attempt at a compact CUV was not particularly impressive, especially when it came to design. The Equinox-in-a-dinner-jacket thing never really worked and weÂ’re happy to say that the second effort is a huge improvement. The new look is genuinely attractive. Like the Enclave, the Envision borrows cues from the Avenir concept whose name BuickÂ’s product planners appropriated to denote the brandÂ’s top-trim variants. It works. Power comes from a 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline-four producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque as its only available engine. Front-wheel drive is standard; a twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system is optional. Both setups utilize a nine-speed automatic transmission. Your author managed an average of 23 mpg over the course of a 60-mile test loop against EPA estimates of 22 mpg city, 29 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined. FWD models are rated at 24/31/26, respectively.  Size-wise, the Envision is a bit of an odd duck. One could teach an undergrad course on GMÂ’s two-row crossover ecosystem, but suffice it to say that itÂ’s a bit more closely related to the Chevrolet Blazer than it is to the Equinox this time around, despite being closer in size to the latter. Within the luxury realm, its length and wheelbase are a few inches shorter than those of larger compact models like the Volvo XC60, Acura RDX and BMW X3, but its rear legroom is greater than them all. It's actually closer in that measurement to the midsize Lincoln Nautilus.