Buick has completely redesigned the Envision SUV for 2021, with an eye-catching design that gives it a handsome makeover. It features revised styling, a new standard engine, a new top trim, and upgraded interior technology. Let’s compare it to the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox, with its great predicted reliability rating and some good strengths.
Design
The 2021 Buick Envision has a whole new look It is stylish, athletic and refined with its bold sculpted stance and longer and wider proportions than before. The unmistakable Buick grill is now larger, with additional front air intakes; and narrower headlights and three distinct ridges running from the grille to the windshield, give it a more modern look. The Envision seats up to five people in this two-row SUV, and the top-of-the-line, Avenir and Essence trim will offer genuine leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a wood-trimmed steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof, a power-adjustable steering column, and a digital gauge display. Cloth-covered seats come standard on the Preferred trim, as well as a Comfort and Convenience Package is available on the base Preferred trim – it comes with heated seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone air conditioning, an interior air ionizer. There are three trims available: Preferred, Essence, and Avenir.
The Equinor features a striking exterior, offering aerodynamic sculpting and accents that combine style and function. Optional Sport and Midnight Edition is available with the LT trim. This five-seat compact SUV offers tremendous rear-seat legroom and ample headroom that allows tall adults to sit comfortably. The front seats will keep you supported on a long drive with its well-shaped seats. It is mixed in its interior quality because of hard plastic surfaces, but soft-touch accents are also present. It seems to be built for durability instead of luxury. Standard features included are cloth upholstery and four-way manually adjustable front seats. Standard and available features on the LT and Premier trim include leather upholstery, eight-way power-adjustable front seats, heated and ventilated fronts, heated rear seats, heated rear seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a heated steering wheel, and driver’s seat memory seat. Sport and Midnight Edition add leather upholstery and driver’s seat memory settings. The Equinox offers average cargo space, with 30 cubic feet behind the rear seats and about 64 cubic feet with the second row folded down. Hidden storage under the rear cargo floor will give you more storage. The Equinox offers four trim levels: L, LS, LT, and Premier.
Safety and Technology
The new 2021 Envision will feature standard active safety features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, a following distance indicator, and rear parking sensors. Available features include blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Essence and Avenir trims are available with Technology Package II that includes enhanced versions of the automatic emergency braking and parking assist programs, active suspension damping, adaptive cruise control, articulating headlamps, and a video rearview mirror. An 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system carried over from the last generation is standard, with an available 10.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system that is standard on the Essence and Avenir trim. All models include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, along with pre-installed Amazon Alexa connectivity and Pandora, Spotify and Fox Sports apps. A 9-speaker Bose audio system and an infotainment system with greater memory is standard on the Avenir trim.
The Equinox offers plenty of driver’s assistance features to feel confident on the road. A lot of features are standard on all trims, but you’ll need to move up to the LT and Premier trim to get the available Confidence and Convenience packages. Standard features include forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, following distance indicator, lane departure warning, land keep assist, automatic high-beam headlights, Teen Driver system, rearview camera, and a rear-seat reminder. The Confidence and Convenience package offered on the higher trims adds additional safety and conveniences such as a power liftgate and rear parking sensors. The Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system comes standard with some great technology features. The L and LS offer the standard features and the LT and Premier add a little bit more. Standard on all trims include a 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, four USB ports, a Wi-Fi hot spot, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and a six-speaker stereo.
Performance
Buick is standard across the board by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a nine-speed automatic transmission. It makes 252 horsepower and drives either the front or all four wheels. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is an option on all trims. It has an estimated 22/29 mpg city and highway with all-wheel drive and 24/31 mpg city/highway with front-wheel drive.
The only power the Equinox offers this year is a 170-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. The transmission shifts smoothly, but acceleration is a bit lackluster in its only engine. The Equinox delivers a comfortable ride and takes turns with composure. Opting for larger wheels, will give you a jittery experience, especially over large bumps in the road. Some class rivals are more agile and athletic. The Equinox will tow up to a maximum of 1,500 pounds with its only engine. Estimated 26/31 mpg city and highway
Overall
The 2021 Buick Envision is all new inside and out. It’s stylish and offers a new modern look and quality features. It also comes with some great features, but some should be standard on all models, including blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox has a lot to like about it. It offers an array of standard safety features and technology and plenty of room for comfortable seating. It lags in its performance and cabin quality, only offering one engine choice and hard plastics for its interior.