2021 Buick Envision Avenir Interior Review: Breaking Stereotypes

The Buick lineup in the U.S. market consists of four SUVs: Encore, Encore GX, Envision, and Enclave. This GM brand, which once ruled the streets with premium land yachts and muscle cars, now only exists in America in the form of sport utility vehicles. For loyal sedan customers, that can be a tough pill to swallow. The new 2021 Buick Envision Avenir aims to convert those formally loyal sedan drivers into SUV buyers. We spent a couple days in the second-generation Envision, and the transformation is splendid and an upgrade over the previous model inside and out. Let's dive into the top-of-the-range Envision to discuss the interior changes and why this iteration is anything but bland.

For starters, the perforated leather-appointed seats in the Avenir provide all the comfort that is needed, and they feel upscale. Our test vehicle came with Whisper Beige seats. They are heated and ventilated and have a lower back massage function, which isn't the most advanced but still soothing. You can activate the massage feature using the controls on the side of the seat. To that end, the attention to detail on the seats (e.g., pattern and stitching) is quite impressive, and this extends to the rear seat.

Another point of interest in the cabin is the completely redesigned center console. Buick made the switch from a traditional automatic shifter to a push-button style. The ergonomic center console is sleek and looks gorgeous under the sunlight. The piano black trim is a nice added touch and complements the beige leather upholstery. More updates include the scaled-down climate control unit with a simplified button layout, additional storage space, and a sliding cover for the wireless charging pad. You will find the buttons for traction control, lane-keep assist, and automatic stop/start on the center console.

The Enclave Avenir's leather-wrapped steering wheel is heated and has paddle shifters; we tested the latter just for kicks and had fun while climbing up a hillside road. As soon as you shut the door, the active noise cancellation does an excellent job at muting outside disturbances and keeps the cabin soundproof. Other details that buyers will appreciate are the mood lighting, textured wood pieces on the doors, two-tone trim, and slanted dashboard. We noticed how well the small interior roof lights illuminate the inside at night.

We should talk about some of the safety technologies. The three we had a chance to put to the test were the forward collision warning, lane keeping assist, and surround-view camera. When you approach a parked, stopped, or slow-moving vehicle at speed, a red warning sign flashes on the windshield, and the seat's haptic sensors start buzzing. Lane-keeping assist is precise and managed to hold the Envision within its lane boundaries even at speeds up to 55 mph. The surround-view camera was helpful at night when sandwiching the glossy Buick crossover in between other cars parked on the street.

Among our favorite features on the Buick Envision Avenir is the panoramic moonroof, rearview mirror camera, and active noise cancellation. The neat tachometer gauge in the head-up display is worth mentioning, too. However, the Bose nine-speaker audio system and 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment screen take the highest honors. We sampled various music genres on the Bose system as loud as we could tolerate, and Chris Stapleton sounded pretty damn good on the highway.

What people will enjoy the most when it comes to tech equipment, though, is the magnificent touchscreen. The 10.2-inch touchscreen is devoid of clutter, features a modern design, and is very intuitive. Instead of going all-digital, it retains the power/volume and menu selection knobs, as well as a home screen pushbutton. Its non-glossy surface helps keep cleanup to a minimum as it does not attract a lot of dust or a plethora of fingerprints.

Can the overhauled 2021 Buick Envision Avenir convince Buick devotees to make the switch from a sedan to an SUV? Maybe. Maybe not. Could it compete with the likes of the Lexus NX, Infiniti QX50, and Lincoln Corsair? How it stacks up against the competition remains to be seen. One thing for sure is that this Buick has stepped up to the plate and has broken the brand's bland stereotype.