ANN ARBOR, Mich. — By the end of 2024, Buick will have overhauled its lineup and will be on track to cement its symbol among younger consumers as an ambitious premium SUV brand.
The accelerated speed of the new products Buick is bringing to market — five new models updated and redesigned over 18 months, adding its first electric vehicle — is the first step in getting new and younger buyers behind the wheel of their crossovers on the road to an all-electric logo through the end of the decade. Buick executives told Automotive News.
The Envista subcompact crossover, which debuted in April to refresh the Encore as Buick’s entry-level vehicle, will be a key checkpoint of that strategy. Dubbed internally as Buick’s “champion of conquest,” the Envista ranks as a breakthrough for Buick sedan homeowners who don’t need the length of an SUV and as a premium access available to consumers leaving other brands, said Sam Russell, Buick’s chief marketing officer.
The interior of the 2024 Buick Envista Avenir.
Segment: Subcompact crossoverPower: 1. 2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine generating 137 hp and 162 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission All costs include shipping. It offers an 8-inch driving force data display and an 11-inch infotainment screen. ne Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning and automatic emergency braking.
“In fact, we see this as our calling card for consumers who may never have thought of a Buick before. Because it is not only in an exclusive area in terms of price, but also in an exclusive area in terms of style. There’s nothing like that on the market,” said Russell, a media player for Envista 2024.
“If he’s not willing to buy an SUV,” he added, “he’ll forget us. “
Buick aims to prevent that from being felt through consumers who, according to Russell, were “orphaned” because automakers phased out sedans and became interested in driving larger, more compact application vehicles. Buick halted construction sedans several years ago, and since then, the market has shifted toward more expensive vehicles, in part because of a microchip shortage that has led brands to prioritize their maximum profitable offerings.
Amid emerging value trends, General Motors is playing a strategic role in affordability with some of its new entrants, adding the sub-$25,000 Chevrolet Trax built on the same platform as South Korea’s Envista.
The Envista and its sibling Encore GX, which was updated for 2024, start at less than $30,000, adding shipping. The Encore GX is Buick’s entry-level four-wheel drive model, while the Envista is 11 inches taller and nearly 3 inches lower than the Encore GX. Envista sellers claim its proportions allow for sedan-like handling with the functionality of an SUV.
Nearly 70% of Buick’s consumers in 2023 were new to the logo, Russell said. Buick’s visitor loyalty scores are also the highest since 2004: As of June, approximately 36% of previous owners have purchased Buick, according to the logo, giving it the opportunity to introduce its premium line to consumers whose trust in Buick may be exceeded in 20 years. Russell said.
The foundation the logo strives to build now will continue in Buick’s long-endurance electric vehicles, he said.
“These are the right products for the logo, as we need it to be represented today,” Russell said. “These are all very new products in terms of how we execute our design language, how we execute the integration of technologies into the vehicle, how we execute our overall high-level positioning, in terms of what we offer for the costs that other people pay. “
Buick did not provide sales estimates, but a spokesperson said the logo expects the Envista to be even Buick’s most productive seller. It has a smart chance to do so, said Paul Waatti, head of industry research at AutoPacific Inc.
The Envista maintains the affordability of the outgoing Encore, but “takes a leap forward in terms of product positioning and styling,” Waatti said. And this reflects a continued evolution of the low-end market away from sedans or hatchbacks with a lot of personality, joining new small crossovers like the Trax or even Ford’s Maverick compact pickup.
“It’s a smart time to be an entry-level buyer,” he said, “because you’re not limited to what the entry-level model used to be. “
Since February, Buick has brought the Envista and Encore GX models, as well as a refreshed Envision compact crossover. The logo has shown the last two of its five launches, plus one will be electric, the other will have an internal combustion engine, and both will launch in 2024.
Buick had said in the past that its first electric vehicle would arrive in 2024, the Electra naming convention. Automotive News also reported that the full-size Enclave crossover, the only gasoline-powered vehicle in Buick’s lineup for which no updates have been announced, is expected to be redesigned next year.
As part of the product redesign, Buick is focusing on modern generation and vehicle protection features, adding an 8-inch driving force data display and an 11-inch infotainment display, a single pane of glass, as well as GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving force assist system. which makes its debut at Buick in the 2024 Envision.
The strategy is to offer consumers a generation that can make their lives less difficult and easier, a technique that will do so as Buick goes electric, Russell said.
The logo said it will carry over to all electric cars until 2030, although Buick’s combustion cars will coexist with its electric cars “for some time,” Russell said.
“As with all forecasts, I think the dynamics of the market will change. The economic environment will change and methods will change to accommodate those changes to ensure the logo continues to win in the market and does the right thing for customers,” he said. “But right now, that’s how we’ve set it up, over the next six years we’re moving away from ICE and moving to a long-term all-electric starting in 2030 and beyond. “
Buick struggled last year with restrictions that slowed sales. Brand leaders said 2023 represents a year of recovery for Buick. Your U. S. sales U. S. shipments increased 68% in the first part of the year, led by Encore GX.
“The Envista will be a smart check for the brand’s longevity in the U. S. “”It’s a U. S. economy,” said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions.
If Buick can attract more younger consumers to the logo with the Envista now, especially those who can buy in the high-end market, those buyers could be in a position to upgrade to a Buick EV in a few years, he added.
“When you attract younger buyers for a vehicle like the Envista, you’re already accessing a market that’s more open to the concept of an electric vehicle,” Fiorani said.
Envista production began in May and the first deliveries to dealers are expected to begin this month, Russell said. He added that Envista’s launch crusade may look toward the end of the year, once distributors have enough stock to meet advertising demand.
Entry-price cars have long been key products for Delray Buick-GMC, a Delray Beach, Florida, dealership, said Kevin Connolly, the store’s managing spouse. The Envista may be a less difficult next step for a former sedan owner than a vehicle with more classic SUV styling, Connolly said, and it also attracts young, tech-savvy buyers with larger screens, protection features and a premium Avenir finish that starts at around $30,000. Shipping included.
He said he liked Buick’s resolve to start moving toward electric cars years in advance, adding the styling elements of the brand’s Wildcat EV concept to its gasoline-powered nameplates, given the convenience consumers want before buying an electric vehicle.
“We think it’s going to be a phenomenal line,” Connolly said of the Envista. “We can’t wait until we have the first ones. “
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