Buick's Most Affordable Models Compared | 2024 Envista vs 2024 Encore GX

[@georgejungle138]

They sound like prescriptions “Ask your doctor if Envista is right for you”

[@yinyangthang]

Bravo.

[@davidstolarski741]

Yours are some of the most thorough, accurate and entertaining vehicle reviews on KZbin. This is why your channel continues to grow... Great job as always !!

[@sammyt3514]

I can't think of a single reason to get the base FWD Encore over the Envista, which is better in every aspect that counts imo. However, AWD is a must for me so it would have to be the Encore if I were picking between these two. At any rate, these are the most competitive Buicks I've seen in quite a long time.

[@crow_2k11beatsbydre8]

Winter tires is all you need for Winter conditions, AWD is expensive to repair.........

[@oi32df]

@@crow_2k11beatsbydre8 It's true (I'm in Canada) and people seem to like paying more for gas, repairs, consumables like tires which, if unfortunately only one fails, you have to replace all four automatically on an all-wheel drive at the risk of breaking this system if you don't.

[@yinyangthang]

People fail to realize when making the argument that you do, that it's not just a matter of "winter conditions;" many drivers desire/require AWD for navigating rougher unpaved roads, forest service roads, backcountry roads and the like. Mud and ruts and steep inclines occur at all times of the year. Despite some of the drawbacks, AWD makes a difference when it comes to more rugged terrain.@@crow_2k11beatsbydre8

[@caddyak93]

My family lived in a house on a hill in the north, and my parents had FWD Pontiac sedans and minivans our whole lives with snow tires for the winter. They never got stuck going up the hill. Since then they’ve replaced them with AWD SUVs and all-season tires and have gotten stuck too many times to count. Even my RWD BMW with snow tires is more stable than an AWD SUV on all seasons

[@sammyt3514]

@@caddyak93 But an AWD vehicle with winter tires would be better for wintery driving conditions than a FWD one with winter tires. That's the point I'm making. I've had FWD and AWD vehicles in Toronto, all on winter tires, and the latter were definitely more surefooted/stable on snow/ice.

[@brucekalter4206]

Your headline says these are 2023 models, but in fact they are both 2024 models. Another reason to go w/ the Encore GX is the higher ride height, which some prefer.

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

Thanks for the heads up! I fixed it!

[@dw8555]

The 1.3 engine has chains vs wet belts in the 1.2... I like that a lot!

[@martygolden7022]

Unfortunately the wet timing belt is enough to keep me from considering the 1.2.

[@cw4623]

It's the ride quality and handling that matter. Whichever is softer and has the lightest steering is the winner.

[@davparksoh]

Two suggestions - take them both on a quick test drive - tell the person controlling the camera to back away & show the vehicles' full shape/dimensions - & hold the camera steady with each view - feels like they're standing on a raft on water -

[@scott8919]

Taillights in the bumper make about as mush sense as eyes on your chin.

[@Luma_29]

As much sense as paddles on a Poodle

[@fromage_collage]

Those accent lights look great. And in a great place. Why not integrate the taillights? Looks stupid.

[@mr.c6674]

Agreed! The person tailing would likely see them too late too. Drivers are already driving too close and distracted.

[@AB-NJ]

There have been lots of reports of Hyundai and Kia's getting rear-ended because other drivers didnt see directionals

[@themoviebay]

​@@AB-NJlink to article please.

[@shanesnyder7359]

Hey Alex! Thanks for the info. Nice work. I would like to see a comparison between the Trax and the Envista.

[@oi32df]

If it weren't for the dubious reliability of the nissan cvts, I would rather opt for a base Rogue which is cheaper than a full equipped Envista. We thus obtain a more roomy vehicle which in addition consumes less.

[@themoviebay]

The new X-tronic CVT appears to be more reliable.

[@kmckenzie2461]

Thank you sooooo much for doing this video. You are awesome!

[@palebeachbum]

They both seem like nice CUVs for the money. I prefer the design of the Envista. It has a sleek, sexy, premium vibe on the outside. I also like the flat rear floor and longer cargo area. I dislike the low stance for a CUV. It still seems to sit a little higher than a car though and you have the advantage of the liftback rear versus a sedan with a tiny trunk opening.

[@lsutigerphan5218]

Great review. TY

[@c.a.r.s.carsandrelevantspecs]

Thanks for this excellent comparison! I would personally choose the Encore GX--if for no other reason than the optional more powerful engine. I'm a fan of the Mazda CX-30 (even its base engine is 191 hp). In comparison, the Envista has only 136 hp. With the best of both worlds, the Encore GX with the optional 1.3L engine has 155 hp which lands acceptably within the middle ground between the two. 🙂🚙

[@brocklanders6969]

Good points. I wish Buick would ditch the CVT in the Encore GX. I will be cross-shopping the CX-30 against both of these as replacement for my 2017 Honda Civic EX-T (1.5L turbo). My wife has a CX-3 and loves it but I'm not a fan of the Mazda infotainment, console control system. I suspect that Envista sales will hurt Encore GX sales resulting in greater discounts on the Encore GX. I was hoping Honda would put the 1.5L in the new HR-V, but of course they didn't.

[@c.a.r.s.carsandrelevantspecs]

@@brocklanders6969 I like the analysis you provided. Very cool! Best wishes on your vehicle shopping! 🙂

[@meyo1860]

I can’t be the only who has almost rear ended a Chevy Bolt because of its “bumper brake light” design while staring at the “faux brake lights” WTF!

[@rightlanehog3151]

Alex, When is the new Roadmaster wagon coming to market? 😉😁

[@crow_2k11beatsbydre8]

who cares........

[@aamirqz]

At around the same time that BMW makes a good looking car again.

[@Sacto1654]

I think the biggest concern about both the 1.2-liter I-3 turbo and the 1.3-liter I-3 turbo is the long term reliability of both engines. The small size means the engines will be stressed quite a lot in regards to acceleration on freeway ramps, driving on hills and driving at higher altitudes. I'm crossing my fingers that the engine has been properly engineered to run reliably and don't end up burning a lot of oil.

[@palebeachbum]

Supposedly they make healthy torque for their weight and motivate reasonably well. I do have reservations about the reliability of these vehicles, however. GM Korea's reliability track record of their tiny turbo engines is quite poor. Hopefully, they're learning from their mistakes and taking proactive steps with these newer engines to make them more robust. I'm doubtful though. GM generally doesn't improve on existing poor engineering. They just throw the baby out with the bath water and create a new junky engine replacement. Case in point, the new 1.2L 3cyl and 1.3L engines replacing the 1.4L.

[@kerrydahl4526]

You bring up a very valid point. I have the 1.3 in my Encore GX and my wife the 1.2 in her Chevy Trax. I guess that makes us the guinea pigs for these engines. We shall see.....

[@bdpSovietafr0]

These, the Chevy Trax and recent Trailblazer... all seem very compelling, I just wonder about true long term ownership, I know the Trailblazer with the 1.3 has seemed to be a solid car from a production standpoint and would love to see how those engines will be at 100k~150k miles.

[@mikerones7201]

I have a 2001 trailblazer 1.2 l ..40k miles with zero issues, getting 35 mpg and really enjoying the driving and power it has

[@aamirqz]

@@mikerones7201 I think you meant 2021, not 2001.

[@OswaldChisala]

now that's how you do a comparison review. bravo!

[@glennelliott708]

Good drivers with good winter tires do not need AWD

[@frankdeboer1347]

Envision, envista, endeavor, entourage, encourage, and whatever entirely engaging names Buick engages, they're about as encapsulating as numeric or alphanumeric names. Which enumerator fits which entrapment?

[@oi32df]

j'en veux encore

[@Meetoon733]

I really wonder how long a 1.2 and 1.3L engine would last over time.. Putting a turbo on those sounds like a ton of strain for such a small engine.

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

Think about this: Ford's 2.7L V6 has almost the same displacement per cylinder but makes far more power per liter of displacement and that's the engine you find in most F-150s. So how is this any different? In fact in terms of horsepower per liter, these engines are hardly stressed in modern terms.

[@travisjazzbo3490]

@@AAutoBuyersGuide Interesting point.

[@BTC909]

Keep it for about 100K, sell, get another one if you want.

[@Meetoon733]

@AAutoBuyersGuide that's fair, but let's assume normal conditions that a npc driver of a car like this would do. Ignoring hard pulls, the most strain will occur cruising at highway speeds of 70-75. What is the RPM of a 1.2L 6 speed at 75mph vs the 2.7? I know regulations are pushing us to small displacement and turbos but I just can't imagine owning something with this tiny of a turbi engine long term

[@morebarsmoreplaces24]

​@@AAutoBuyersGuide Not a fair comparison considering the problem is in the fact that it's a 3-cylinder engine to start with. Why didn't you compare it to Ford's own 1.0L 3-cylinder engine that they had in their Fiesta/Focus for YEARS? Could it be that it is because that engine was plagued with known problems and issues? 3-cylinder engines by design are less reliable due to balancing issues that you don't have with even cylinders such as 4, 6, and 8 cylinder engines. With just 3 cylinders, the engine is by nature off-balance which proves to be problematic in the long-term.

[@henryd1981]

Not sure why people are dogging on the CVT in the GX. I have the GX with the 1.3 and the CVT and don't have any issues with it. Also, the 6A won't get as good gas mileage. I've gotten mid-30s on the highway.

[@tjs114]

The main problem with CVTs that makes everyone leery is that when they fail, they brick the car and the usual answer is replace the transmission because it often can't be repaired after failure. With a regularly geared transmission, when they fail, they are usually stuck in a specific gear and can be limped home. But really, CVTs get such a bad rap because of Nissan and their incredibly high failure rate of CVTs that they know will fail, but don't redesign to fix the flaws. There's a reason Rogues and Sentras/Altimas/Maximas are all rental fleet fodder that gets dumped on the used market at 36k miles-- that's when the Nissan warranty expires and the CVTs start dropping like flies.

[@aamirqz]

@@tjs114 Some Subarus and the first gen Honda HR-V also had problematic CVTs. Nissan deserves much of the blame for CVT's bad reputation, but they're not the only manufacturer with these problems.

[@aamirqz]

What year is your GX and how has it been treating you thus far? I'm assuming yours is FWD?

[@eplourde4634]

Which one get the lower decidels?

[@radanovics]

The Envista has a nicer backend, plus more leg room

[@Paul-cx4gm]

I guess if you want an SUV get the Encore GX and if you'd rather have a "car" get the Envista.

[@TalismanPHX]

I'll go for the Chevy Trax RS

[@jovar.3649]

Jeep may have started the trend with the 2014 Cherokee, but I blame Kia for this stupid trend of separating headlights from daytime lights and doing likewise with turn signals and taillights. One fender bender and the repair bills skyrocket

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

I blame Hyundai, the Kona sold in big numbers.

[@cw4623]

@@AAutoBuyersGuide Nah, Jeep and Kia did it before Hyundai. And the Kona came out at the same time as everyone else started doing split lights. Kona isn't responsible. It's just one of the pack.

[@markb3866]

Envista is the way to go

[@bextar6365]

I test drove an Envista and was amazed at the turbo boost and overall drivability. Was also easy to enter and exit, overall it's a bargain $$

[@CKPHH]

How can you test drive one already, where you live?

[@bextar6365]

@@CKPHH I should have said Trax >>..whoops !

[@ut1004bp]

You didnt speak of the ride, braking, cornering, or noise levels, nor warranty for either

[@cw4623]

Exactly! And those are the more important aspects than the ones he talked about. I'm disappointed.

[@Qrail]

I will wait for the mpg. If you have a 3 cylinder engine, one wonders if it can get out of it’s own way. And how heavy are they?

[@porterbrass]

Regarding 3 cylinder- it seems crazy I know! We just got a 3 cylinder turbo rogue for my wife and she LOVES it. Over 200 Hp- and faster than her 4 cylinder 2016 rogue. Better mpg. Fantastic engineering.

[@travisjazzbo3490]

They have plenty of get-up-and-go. You won't have any issue with that. MPGs aren't as impressive as you would think with these as a lot of 4 cylinders do about the same in a similar size car. I would guess it will come in around 27-33

[@TobyMichaelPortableTechReview]

Hard to tell in the video but is the Buick badge on the front and back just stuck on? If they were removed is there an indent?

[@95blahblahhaha]

That AWD is what makes a difference. If the Envista had AWD then there would be no reason for me to even consider the Encore at all.

[@TwasSoBrillig]

That's exactly where Im at

[@95blahblahhaha]

@@TwasSoBrillig So I decided to go a whole different way and got myself a 2023 Enclave. It's 1 year old but has the AWD and still under warranty

[@TwasSoBrillig]

@@95blahblahhahagood move!

[@dforrest4503]

Why do they make the front ends look almost identical?! I’ve never understood why manufacturers do that.

[@hlcepeda]

5:16 I had to laugh! Re "Hannah-Barbara" vibe; he's right. That's the influence of Googie futurist architecture that influenced so much in, _especially,_ the '50s and '60s. You can even see the influence in H-B's _The Jetsons_ cartoon in the way the car's display angles up at the far ends.

[@nodak81]

They need to move that 6-speed over to the FWD Encore GX and ditch the CVT altogether.

[@nodak81]

lol, didn't realize you said the same thing in the video until after I commented.

[@lobohobo9218]

Why?? If this was a Corolla with a CVT I'd be reading here..... these things are INDESTRUCTIBLE, they go forever!

[@aamirqz]

The six-speed automatic would probably give the Encore GX worse fuel economy.

[@slscamg]

I really wish they’d at least offer the 1.5t in these. It’s a Buick, it should be a bit nicer over the Chevy versions. The low power just makes it a non starter for me.

[@slscamg]

@@crow_2k11beatsbydre8 thank you for the value your comment added. Really moved the conversation along nicely.

[@B9M3]

Plus $3K dealer markup.

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

Right now seems like Buick dealers don't have a markup on average

[@webcomment8895]

Just get the Encore if you must get one of these two. All wheel drive, 9-speed, rear wiper, more headroom, more power, rear brake lights and turn signals at a normal sight level.

[@chadakoin1]

A hybrid Envista GS with an electric motor powering the rear axle would be perfecto.

[@CKPHH]

Pe fec too

[@nickcheema907]

The Envista is another GM design disaster. How did GM designers think that putting the brake and turn signal cluster down so low on the bumper was a good idea from a safety perspective??? Hello GM?? Have you ever heard of winter?? You do realize that many cars have snow covered on the lower bumper in winter don't you? LOL

[@aamirqz]

I think it has something to do with the fact that it's built in South Korea. As far as I am aware of, the only other vehicles sold in the US that have these lights in the rear bumpers are Hyundais and Kias.

[@m4st3rm1nd9]

Same as the stupid rear end of the new Santa Fe.

[@WilliamPozo]

Alex.. isn't buick a korean and chinese car company at this point?

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

It's an American brand with products from the US, China and South Korea. The bulk of sales volume is in China and most of those models never come to the USA. Here we get the 3-row Enclave which is made in Detroit, the Envision made in China and the Envista and Encore GX which are made in South Korea. Next should be the Electra which will likely be built in Michigan although there are rumors about it being imported.

[@travisjazzbo3490]

@@AAutoBuyersGuide Unions really screwed themselves in the USA with American car companies. And yet Japanese car manufacturers make it work just fine here!

[@ATH_Berkshire]

@@travisjazzbo3490The Japanese and GM are doing exactly the same thing. Some production outside the US and some domestic.

[@travisjazzbo3490]

@@ATH_Berkshire Yes. The point is the American worker in Japanese plants seems to be doing fine and seems to be happy and is not putting Japanese in a position to close down anything here

[@cloud1stclass372]

Alex, can the Envista fit a few bags of golf clubs?

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

It might be a tight fit without using the back seats

[@husseinadib7666]

Actually, I was offered the Encore finance at 4.5% and the Envista at 10%! This seriously reduced the price difference by about 40%.

[@CKPHH]

Does The Envist Front Right Passenger seat fold flat ?

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

I believe so.

[@tjs114]

Isn't it odd that the US market is getting the tiny little turbo 3 while the Chinese market version of the Envista gets a 1.5L inline 4? Maybe its because that's what was in the Equinox/Terrain until 2022.

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

The position of the car is different in China, here it’s a entry level car while in China it’s positioned more as a premium option so it has a more powerful engine

[@Mgoblagulkablong]

GM could have saved a ton of money by never developing that CVT

[@cesarm.3656]

I can't decide. I test drove the Envista and it's nice but it felt like a car to me. I would like a higher ride

[@yurkshirelad]

I'd like the 1.3 AWD in the envista. Only if I had to choose between the two. But the envista only has the 1.2, so neither.

[@caddyak93]

Unless you need AWD, why would you ever get the Encore over Envista? I saw an Envista today with the orange/gold color and it’s a stunner. Reminded me of the Mercedes SUV-coupes. The Encore looks like a dopey Chevy crossover

[@Aves_1]

Brake lights in the bumper is gonna cause so many accidents

[@honestymines1672]

Very narrow front seats. Uncomfortable.

[@wynchestyr]

Gotta love the cheapifying of vehicles these days - no spare tire, rear wipers now disappearing and 4 cylinders going to three :-( What's next?

[@sunbow45]

Would you compare 2024 Buick Envista with 2024 Chevrolet Trax?

[@46foryounger]

The new trax feels like you are driving on a piece of tin horrible test drove it no ty. I haven’t test driven the Envista but I saw one in the road and it was stunning only problem. Is interest rate is high

[@cindibeazmont9428]

Front seats too small.

[@FantomLightning]

I would honestly sell my soul for an AWD Envista.

[@cgbg89]

They won't have an AWD option

[@FantomLightning]

@@cgbg89 ... Correct.... Which is why I said I'd sell my soul for one equipped that way...

[@46foryounger]

The Envista may be “cheaper” but once you see the interest rate 7.992 mf .0333 it’s pretty much the same. The marker after Covid is horrendous periodt

[@baldheadlogic]

I like the Envista better in this comparison. I don’t get the engine choices in these vehicles. Oh well.

[@ATH_Berkshire]

So what would you fit a the same cost that gives the same MPG.

[@cgbg89]

It's the same engine in both though 1.3l

[@jeremyol5212]

What the happened to Buick and the domestic vehicles. Such a terrible time for automobiles.

[@jaws10278]

I wish Buick would bring back a sedan.

[@jasonlake2427]

The gx with the bigger motor and 9 speed trumps the lil envista

[@nygreek743]

No rear air vents? They lost me right there. They totally lost me with the CVT engines.

[@tonyw2167]

The Envista is such a nice package with 6 speed automatic transmission, roomy rear seats and sexy roofline (the rear actually reminds me of Porsche Panamera), but if it adds a hybrid version like the new Kia Niro I’ll jump right in and try out this brand for the first time.

[@aamirqz]

Shame the Envista doesn't come with a rear wiper though.

[@brocklanders6969]

Given that the Encore GX will likely have more sales incentives, the Envista might not be that great of a deal. I think the Envista is still too low to the ground. I would rather have the more powerful 1.3L engine and added ride height in the Encore GX, even with FWD and CVT.

[@cgbg89]

They both have the same exact engine

[@brocklanders6969]

@@cgbg89 No, they don't. The Envista only has the 1.2L. The Encore GX has the 1.2L only is the base Preferred trim, but the ST and Avenir trim get a larger, more powerful 1.3L.

[@cgbg89]

Still a 3cyl regardless 😂

[@brocklanders6969]

@@cgbg89 Yet, the HP and torque exceed that of many of its competitors 4 cylinders...😂

[@garyclark6747]

Rebuilt too many GM engines due to manufacturer coolant choices. I’ll pass on these Chinese made twins even if the only option was walking. 8:13 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

They are not made in China, they are made in South Korea.

[@garyclark6747]

@@AAutoBuyersGuide I shouldn’t have trusted a Google search. The Encore was listed from two countries and we’ve named them both. I’ll just check the VIN if I ever see one to know it’s manufacturing origin.

[@djipka]

Alex, you look like you have lost weight. . . Share the secret.

[@tinoramos5139]

Do any of the Envista trims have roof rails?

[@JamesRussoMillas]

GM continuously refusing to make good tail lights as usual 😮‍💨

[@zero11010]

All wheel drive is useless for most of the population. If the car isn’t sporty I don’t care about automatic Vs CVT. There’s no fun to be had there. The box just needs to get me around. I think the stumble you had with naming was more to do with lack of familiarity than anything else. The names of these aren’t more similar than BMW or Mercedes or Genesis or Audi naming conventions. Let alone the chevy volt Vs the Chevy bolt.

[@LovesGrilling]

Who would buy this landfill trash? Both of these will pop head gaskets by 100k. Or maybe a whole cylinder with the 3 liter turbos.

[@m4st3rm1nd9]

So stupid. Buick is selling their old Encore alongside its replacement - brand new (sleeker styling, more space and better tech) Envista but they are charging more for the old one.

[@jeffhawkins9483]

Cvt transmissions are the worst I'm a past GM tech

[@lobohobo9218]

The 2024 FWD Encore GX does NOT have a back seat hump! Completely flat.

[@joespina308]

No thanks.

[@DM-fp8uw]

I know this is silly, but having to stare at the ugly multicolor Buick logo on the wheel whenever I drive is a big reason for me not to buy either.

[@raknoknak]

Skip to the engine horsepower numbers, get disappointed and stop the video.

[@205rider8]

Sure looks cheap and tacky.

[@46foryounger]

Who cares they are expensive af!!! The Envista interest rate is horrible

[@individual116]

They should make the ugly Chevy bolt look like this

[@joespina308]

Uncreative Buick names all begin with the letter E. Lazy.

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

Next: the Buick Enema

[@KendrasEdge757]

Lol “Buick buyers guide” they may be cheap, but all those repairs are gonna make up the difference between that and a new Honda or Toyota. Buick smh not any better than a fiat honestly.

[@nodak81]

Both of these cars are Korean, vastly better than anything out of Italy.

[@KendrasEdge757]

@@nodak81 lol “vastly better”, because they’re Korean? Granted hyandai IS better than fiat, but not by too much. They’re junk just as fiats are. Kia’s aren’t any better either. Had to give them “100k mile warranty” just to sell the things and they’re consistently at the dealer for warranty repairs. None of those are even remotely great cars.

[@nodak81]

@@KendrasEdge757 There's no such thing as "great cars" anymore. Even Toyota and Honda aren't nearly as reliable as they used to be. My Prius was the worst car I ever owned. Besides, these some of these Korean-made GM cars have established a good reliability rating. I've heard nothing but good things about the Encore GX specifically.

[@shanesnyder7359]

​​​@@KendrasEdge757I have questioned the same thing, but all the reviewers seem to absolutely love the Kia Sportage for example. I think it has won several awards as well. I'm thinking especially the hybrid version. Things have changed remarkably in the past 5 to 10 years with them. However, initial impressions are difficult to reformulate at times.

[@watershed44]

@@nodak81 True! The Honda and Toyota, even Nissan/Datsun of the 1980s and 1990s are long gone, as are the bulletproof reliability, ease of maintenance and durability as well as LOW cost of repairs. Sadly.

[@7techno77]

These engines are terrible compared to my lacrosse...

[@timyank8433]

Oh Buick, what has happened to you? Never should a Buick be compared to a Hyundai when it comes to style. Buick has fallen and its fallen hard!

[@rightlanehog3151]

Never should a Buick be built by Daewoo. 🤨

[@trumpet12345]

@@rightlanehog3151 isn't the evista imported and made by china? seems like GM is making these two so close to normalize bringing in more chinese cars

[@AAutoBuyersGuide]

No, the Envista is made by GM Korea in South Korea.

[@trumpet12345]

@@AAutoBuyersGuide yes my mistake. the 2024 version to the US comes from south korea while the ones made in China are sold there. Previously this wasn't the case. i miss the spark though... and all the various cars that got slashed across the board from pretty much every auto maker that sells in the US.

[@watershed44]

@@AAutoBuyersGuide I believe the plant that the Envista is built in, used to be a Daewoo plant years ago. Daewoo was actually owned by GM for some time until they merged the entire company into the GM family and dropped the Daewoo name.

[@shichynwang]

GM going for another bankruptcy? 2 similar vehicles, who can tell the difference? Someone in GM should be fired or GM should go bankrupt again.

[@Joeromano95]

Both trash. Never buy a GM product. He doesn't know that though.

[@frankiehoosier9165]

Alex....have you ever considered becoming a male model? Recommended ❤