2021 Buick Envision vs Enclave

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. 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, giving 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. That package comes with heated seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone air conditioning, and an interior air ionizer. There are three trims available: Preferred, Essence, and Avenir, with pricing starting at $31,800 for the Preferred trim and ranging to a starting price of $40,400 for the Avenir trim.

The Enclave’s styling with its signature grille, hand-free power liftgate, power moonroof and winged LED headlamps creates a great family SUV. It seats up to seven people in three rows and is one of the roomiest SUVs in its class, with plenty of space for passengers and cargo. The first two rows are spacious and comfortable, while the second-row slides forward to allow easy access in and out of the vehicles. Cloth upholstery is standard, as well as heated and power-adjustable front seats. Leather upholstery, ventilated and massaging front seats, heated second-row outboard seats, a power-folding third row, and a heated, power-folding steering wheel are available. If you fold down the second and third-row seats, the Enclave yields nearly 98 cubic feet of cargo space, with 23.6 cubic feet of space behind the third row. An additional 3.1 cubic feet is provided for underfloor storage. The Enclave comes in four trim levels: Preferred, Essence, Premium, and Avenir. Prices start at $40,000 for the Preferred trim and range to $53,800 for the Avenir trim. All-wheel drive pricing adds another $2,000 - $2,300.

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.

There are plenty of advanced safety features on the Enclave, though just a few are standard, and most are available. Standard advanced safety features include a rearview camera and rear parking sensors. Available safety features include blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane change alert, as well as a rear camera mirror and surround-view parking camera system. Buick’s Driver Confidence package is available on the Premium and Avenir. It includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, front and rear parking sensors, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following distance indicator. The Enclave features an easy-to-use infotainment system with a long list of features including an 8-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, six-speaker stereo, Wi-Fi hotspot, and six USB ports. Available options include HD radio, satellite radio, 10-speaker Bose stereo, 120-volt household-style power outlet, and wireless device charging. Additionally, push-button start and remote start, proximity keyless entry, and automatic climate-control are standard.

Buick is standard across the board by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a nine-speed automatic transmission. It produces 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque 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 is composed when navigating turns with responsive steering and reassuring stopping power. The Envision can tow up to 1,500 pounds when properly equipped. 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 Enclave offers a gentle cushioned ride, even over bumps and dips in the road. Performance on the Enclave is peppy, with swift acceleration and a smooth transmission. Its powertrain is a 3.6-liter V6 engine that produces 310 hp and 266 pound-feet of torque and it comes with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available. It has a 5,000-pound towing capacity, and its estimated fuel economy is 18/26 mpg in the city and on the highway.