Extensive discussion on the Buick has been conducted time and time again giving us a tremendous amount of information on its capabilities and features, but what about Buick when considering a luxury car? Does it hold up? What does it offer? Let’s have a look:
Buick offers only SUVs and crossover vehicles. The Avenir trims are considered Buick’s luxury trims and are available on two of its models: the Enclave and Envision. They are offered at starting prices of about $40,000 and $55,000. They achieve their luxury status with the help of serene cabins that incorporate premium features such as a WI-FI hotspot, wireless charging, and handsfree power liftgate.
This is but a bitesize answer. Read on to get a good overview of all that the Buick has to offer and where it stands in the luxury world.
Why Are Buicks Considered As Luxury Cars?
Buick is a luxury brand that solely focuses on SUVs and Crossover vehicles. In its lineup, Buick offers 6 luxury vehicles which can be boiled down to three main models; the entry-level Encore, the mid-range Envision, and the high-end New Enclave. It also offers a performance-oriented Sport Touring trim as well as a magnificent Avenir trim.
The Sport Touring trim is available on all three models (Encore, Envision, and New Enclave). The ST trim rocks a sporty exterior and interior to give you a more sophisticated and athletic feel.
The Envision and New Enclave are both available in Avenir trims. The Avenir models are the most luxurious models that Buick has to offer; they have stunning exteriors paired with breathtaking interiors.
Luxury Features
Regular Buick
At the center of luxury lies an elegant, comfortable, and efficient cabin. The interior of luxury vehicles is one of the most important factors to consider while selecting what car to purchase or what brand to purchase it from.
The Buick aims to make your cabin feel like a second home. It starts by ensuring you’re comfortable with its heated front seats and 10-way power driver seat with power lumbar. Adding to its elegance are the first and second-row leather-appointed seats and the heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel. Then an incredible ambiance is created with the panoramic moonroof and premium led lighting.
Of course, the drive itself is made focused with the use of a head-up display to present essential information like speed, performance, audio, and navigation. Also, to make the use of storage space ever more convenient, Buick provides a hands-free programmable power liftgate with a LED logo projection.
But that’s not all, Buick wants you to enjoy an unpolluted environment which it achieves by utilizing Quiettuning Technology and Advanced Air Filter Technology. Quiettuning Technology uses triple door seals, laminated windshields and front side glass, improved body stiffness, and Active Noise Cancellation to help minimize unwanted noise. The Advanced Air Filter Technology uses microfilters to ensure that you enjoy a breath of fresh air within the cabin.
Buick doesn’t stop there, it gives you a WI-FI Hotspot option so you can stay connected at all times or entertained on long trips. It allows connection for up to seven devices and provides a wireless smartphone charging station for convenient and clutter-free charging.
Avenir Models
Avenir models can be distinguished at a glance from their regular counterparts. Buick’s top models, the Avenir models, can be identified by their signature grilles and 20” aluminum wheels with Pearl Nickel finish. The Avenir models aren’t just different from the outside, as you step into the cabin, you’re drawn in by diamond perforated quilting on the leather-appointed seats and exclusive textured wood-tone accents on the door panels. The cabin’s sophistication is further enhanced by controls such as rain sense wipers, power moonroof, and rear fixed skylight with a power sunshade.
Sport Touring Trim
It’s all in the name. The Sport Touring trim is all about sophisticated athleticism. It stands out with the help of its blacked-out theme while giving you a more sport-inspired look. The Envision and New Enclave both switch to pitch-black grilles, surrounding themselves with an aura of dominance and respect. The Encore spices things up with its high-gloss black grill, red inserts, and black roof giving it an intimidating look. The insides of these beasts include red accent stitching and ST branding on head restraints and carpeted floor mats. A package and trim for the sports admirers.
Capabilities
Performance is considered an integral part of luxury by many people. After you’ve taken your place in a comfortable and elegant cabin, the next thing you look forward to is the drive. A powerful car with an engaging drive elevates you to a new level of luxury. Let’s see if Buick’s lineup is up to the mark.
Performance details like horsepower and torque of the six lineup vehicles offered by Buick are listed below.
| Model | Horsepower | Torque |
| Encore | 155 | 177 |
| Encore GX | 155 | 177 |
| Envision | 228 | 258 |
| Envision Avenir | 228 | 258 |
| New Enclave | 310 | 266 |
| New Enclave Avenir | 310 | 266 |
When it comes to performance, consumers don’t have a lot of options in Buick. Each model has a fixed performance capability regardless of the trim level, giving you three options to choose from. The entry-level Encore has a horsepower of 155 which isn’t particularly impressive for a five-person SUV. Although, this is justifiable considering that the Encore is a relatively cheap entry-level SUV.
The Envision comes with a nice performance upgrade outputting 228 horsepower, while the New Enclave takes it a step further by giving you 310 horsepower. These two more powerful SUVs ensure that no performance admirer is left unsatisfied at Buick.
*Small conclusion for this subheading summarizing and comparing to similar brands etc. The sport touring and Avenir models do not offer any upgrade in performance capabilities.
Price And Cost
When considering Luxury, one automatically assumes a high price. Luckily, the Buick offers its lineup over a modest range, with the entry-level Encore coming in at 24,600 USD and the high-end New Enclave Avenir going at 55,100 USD. The six lineup vehicles and their starting prices are listed below.
| Model | Price |
| Encore | $24,600 |
| Encore GX | $25,800 |
| Envision | $35,600 |
| Envision Avenir | $39,850 |
| New Enclave | $42,800 |
| New Enclave Avenir | $55,100 |
Even though the lineup has a relatively low starting price, you’ll have to dish out about 40,000 USD or more to truly experience Buick Luxury. The recommended vehicles for luxury seekers are Envision Avenir and New Enclave Avenir.
Safety
Safety is an essential part of vehicles now. Luxury vehicles tend to have more safety features than your everyday cars. Some of the safety features offered by Buick are listed below.
- Front Pedestrian Braking which alerts you if a pedestrian is detected directly ahead and can automatically apply brakes if required.
- Forward Collision Alert which alerts you to a potential front-end collision and can also alert you if you’re following a detected vehicle too closely.
- Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert and Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning to help you change lanes or stay on your own.
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert to avoid collisions when reversing such as out of a tight parking spot.
- Teen Driver mode allows you to track your teen’s performance and set features such as speed alert and audio volume limit. It also automatically enables certain available active safety features.
- Proactive Pulses. The left and/or right side of the driver seat cushion gently vibrates to indicate the direction of an approaching hazard.
What Buick Is Top Of The Line And Why?
The Enclave Avenir takes this spot. It is Buick’s largest and most expensive vehicle, seating 7 people and starting at 55,100 USD. It employs a 3.6L V6 with a 9-speed automatic transmission to give you 310 horsepower, it even offers a trailering package allowing you to tow up to 5,000 lbs. The Enclave Avenir showcases Buick’s complete luxury package.
Starting with the interior, the Enclave Avenir embraces you into its sophisticated and elegant Whisper Beige or Exclusive Ebony cabin with warm wood tones and brushed chrome accents. It offers heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats as well as a heated steering wheel to ensure an enjoyable and comfortable drive. The Enclave Avenir is packed with the latest technology giving you access to features like wireless charging, a WI-FI hotspot, a Head-up display, and a hands-free power liftgate with a premium LED logo projection.
On the outside, the Enclave Avenirs grace is defined by its elegant design and intricate Enclave Avenir grille. The 20” aluminum wheels with Pearl Nickel finish and the exquisite LED headlamps further complement the elegant design. It truly is Buick’s best offering.
Where Does Buick Rank Amongst Other Luxury Car Brands?
The entire Buick brand cannot be categorized as luxury. Although, its Avenir models can be. They are advertised as luxury compact and mid-size SUVs. Buick easily ranks below high-end luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz which come at a much higher price, anywhere in the $80,000 to $150,000 range and beyond, and offer exclusive features fitting the high prices such as heated armrests or BMWs Sky Lounge LED roof that is available along with its Panoramic roof. Among GM motors subsidiaries it would rank below Cadillac but above Chevrolet.
So where does Buick find its competition? Buick’s Avenir line comes as a competitor to Mazda and Azura, offering similar premium features and refinement. It offers luxury vehicles at an attractive price, higher than Mazda’s lineup which gives it a more premium or luxurious outlook but cheaper than BMW which makes it an attractive deal.
Should You Get A Buick?
Yes. The Buick is a great option if you’re looking for a luxury SUV around the $50,000 to $60,000 mark. We’d recommend the Buick Enclave Avenir as our first option with the Buick Envision Avenir as our second. If you’re looking for luxury, we’d recommend sticking to these two models which provide the best refinement in the lineup. Along with a comfortable and refined cabin, you get an elegant and graceful exterior design that presents itself as a proper luxury SUV. However, you might get tempted by Acura’s MDX Type S which also offers similar features, comfort, and refinement within roughly the same budget.
Of course, if you want high-end luxury and are willing to spend close to $100,000 then you don’t have to worry at all. You can simply jump to deciding between brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. The leaders of the luxury world.
Sources
- https://www.buick.com/suvs/envision/avenir
- https://www.buick.com/suvs/enclave/avenir
- https://www.motorbiscuit.com/buick-luxury-car-brand/
- https://www.sweeneybuickgmc.com/blog/is-buick-a-luxury-brand/#:~:text=As%20the%20maker%20of%20the,when%20it%20comes%20to%20prices.
His interests in cars, motorcycles, and machines led him to the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore where he is currently a mechanical engineering sophomore.
His future aims include the development of an energy-efficient prototype vehicle for the Shell Eco-Marathon competition and getting a Master’s Degree in Automotive Engineering from Germany.