“Cheap” Cars Still Exist: 2024 Buick Envista

[JGmazda]

Cars last longer now than ever before and the average age of vehicles on the road continues to climb.

There are very few "unreliable" cars IMO.

No reason to think the Buick wouldn't last as long as you want it to.

Just food for thought... and IMHO.... I personally buy a vehicle primarily focused on the "heart" of the vehicle - the engine. I don't care about anything else because if the engine is crap, you basically have nothing. My 2001 LeSabre has one of the best engines GM ever produced (3800 series) and this is widely accepted by mechanics that know engines. There's no way I would touch this new Buick as I've had experience with family and friends that have purchased both Encores and Chevy Cruse models with these new modern turbo four cylinders. All of them became very good friends with their prospective warranty and service directors.

Car have become more reliable for sure...but not all. the Japanese brands still hold the title and out of those... one or two are at the top. AS for these newer GM offerings.... Not a long term solution. Are they attractive? Sure. Marriage material? Nope. More like a one-night stand.

 

[justalubetech]

I think it will do well. As said before Buick's original base crowd is getting past the age of driving, so they don't really have to market nostalgia anymore.

I don't think anyone will make anything as comfortable or reliable anymore as a 90's - 2000's Buick though

 

[wemay]

I like the looks, inside and out. Very sharp for any price IMHO.

 

[wemay]

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[pezzy84]

If an automaker could actually make a new $20000 basic car that was readily available for purchase it would be a huge success. Unfortunately, the cheapest car available on most dealer lots is now closer to $30000.

All the below have models that can be had on/around the $20k mark you mention. Bump that up to $22-24k opens up all the compact cars (Sentra, Corolla, Civic, Jetta, Elantra, Forte, etc.). I looked at some local inventory and there do not seem to be inventory problems anymore for the few I spot checked - Versa had well over 100 available within 50 miles of me. Interestingly enough in my search Ford is totally out of the game......their absolute cheapest model now is a Mustang which is just ever so slightly cheaper than the cheapest Escape they offer.

- Nissan Versa
- Chevy Trax
- Mitsubishi Mirage
- Hyundai Venue
- Kia Rio & Soul

Pretty much all of these outside the Mirage are a very solid buy for ~$20k.

 

[Brons2]

Yeah I don't really get GM's little turbo motor SUV's and their poor mileage and utility... A base Forester is $26.5k with nearly double the cargo space, 29mpg combined even with AWD....
I guess some people don't need a vehicle with utility, and some chrome and a badge is worth paying more for?

$3000 for some people is the difference between having a new car and buying used, I guess.

 

[Brons2]

My uncle once had a 1969 Buick Skylark, with about 160k miles on it back in the late 1970's.
He told me the odometer went around to all zeros before hitting 60k.
It was unheard of at that time for cars to exceed 100k miles let alone 160k miles.
So Buick really knew how to build durable cars at that time.

GM cars in general are not that good anymore, with cheap dashboard plastics, and unreliable "not enough quality assurance" designs in my humble opinion. Once important consideration though is reliability. A cheap unreliable car will be far more expensive during it's life than an expensive reliable car like a Toyota.

Nonsense, lots of 60s/70s cars rolled the odometer. Our '70 Chevelle wagon had over 140K when my parents sold it in '81, ran great, but gas was expensive. I wish I had it back now but that's another story.

 

[fdcg27]

Call me crazy, but for only $25k the new Buick Envista Sport is pretty sharp looking . The base trim is even cheaper ($23,495). Replaces the Encore and is based on the new 2024 Chevy Trax. Barely more than a base Chevy Cruze hatchback 5 years ago ($20,495).

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1.2 Turbo / 6-speed auto. 30 MPG Combined

Site Maintenance

The more-expensive Encore it replaces:
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We had a Trailblazer with this 1.2 turbo triple as a rental on a trip last August. It was roomy and got 35-36 mpg in the 600 or so miles we put on it.
Not overly powerful, but okay.
Would I buy one of these?
No, but would one these provide good transportation to someone who either can't or doesn't want to spend more?
Sure.
The nonsense about cars being so much more durable and reliable back in the day needs to stop.
They weren't at all, as those of us who are old enough to have owned these cars back in the day and have owned later cars since can testify.

 

[justalubetech]

All the below have models that can be had on/around the $20k mark you mention. Bump that up to $22-24k opens up all the compact cars (Sentra, Corolla, Civic, Jetta, Elantra, Forte, etc.). I looked at some local inventory and there do not seem to be inventory problems anymore for the few I spot checked - Versa had well over 100 available within 50 miles of me. Interestingly enough in my search Ford is totally out of the game......their absolute cheapest model now is a Mustang which is just ever so slightly cheaper than the cheapest Escape they offer.

- Nissan Versa
- Chevy Trax
- Mitsubishi Mirage
- Hyundai Venue
- Kia Rio & Soul

Pretty much all of these outside the Mirage are a very solid buy for ~$20k.

I was in serious consideration of a base model Ford Maverick, as it suited pretty much all my needs in a commuter and a small truck.
They were also supposed to be about ~$20k, but you can't find one anywhere near me though and if you do the dealer wants about $10k over

 

[JGmazda]

I was in serious consideration of a base model Ford Maverick, as it suited pretty much all my needs in a commuter and a small truck.
They were also supposed to be about ~$20k, but you can't find one anywhere near me though and if you do the dealer wants about $10k over

Happens all the time. Too many people are willing to pay the greedy dealers and this is what happens. From what I've read though... it 'may" be possible to order one of these trucks and keep the price down. But, you'll be waiting for a long time.

 

[Brons2]

Not bad looking, what does the extra $2K on the base model get you over the Trax?
Regarding the turbo 3, if it makes it to 100K I'd probably get bored with it anyway and move on to something else.

For me the defining question though is always how much front legroom there is. The old Equinox back in the early-mid 2010s was one of the the most comfortable small SUVs ever for a tall guy. I keep hoping GM will make another like that. I'd personally be fine with the seats in a small crossover going right back until they are touching the back seat. That would work well for me, and they wouldn't be too low to the ground either like a sedan. That is really what I am looking for as an aging 6'7" guy, good legroom and not too close to the ground.

Well ok also reasonable entry space I had a 2012 Sonata and it had great legroom, but getting in and out was an act of physical contortion for me. I had to be careful not to bump my head on the door frame.

 

[hemioiler]

What are Kia Forte's going for these days in the US? Here in Canada they go for $23k so I'm assuming you can get them for < $20k in the US. Far better buy if you ask me, probably far more power and looks way better, possibly a little less head room. But I've hopped in my parents 2019 and found 4.8 l/100km (so 49 mpg) on the lie-o-meter.

It's been a great car for them so far without a single issue and incredible MPG. It's still "brand new" though at < 20k miles so there's that.

 

[zzyzzx]

So it's a Buick version of the Chevrolet Trax, made by Daewoo in South Korea.
I like that it doesn't have a CVT.
I wouldn't call it particularly cheap, considering it's really a Daewoo, not made in USA, and has a tiny engine that probably won't last.

Having said that, it does look nice and I could see it selling well (especially as rentals). I would not expect a 1.2L aluminum engine with a turbo to last, but IMO replacing a turbo is something that almost everyone here could DIY. And an aluminum engine that small might be DIY replacement friendly as well (by engine standards).

And saying that it theoretically exists and is available in the dealer lots are two different things. I doubt that you can actually go to the dealer and buy one of these right now. Maybe in a year or more.

 

[zzyzzx]

Does it come in stick?

 

[zzyzzx]

I wouldn't own one, not when there are really good vehicles like the Corolla Cross and Subaru Crosstrek available for about the same money.

The thing is if you go to the dealers lots you currently won't find Corolla's or Subaru's available for sale, and won't anytime soon. I'm guessing that this new Trax and Trax clone shows up first, and in numbers, and will end up on fleets well before you can just show up at a dealer's lot and get a Corolla.

 

[zzyzzx]

GM cars in general are not that good anymore, with cheap dashboard plastics, and unreliable "not enough quality assurance" designs in my humble opinion. Once important consideration though is reliability. A cheap unreliable car will be far more expensive during it's life than an expensive reliable car like a Toyota.

This particular vehicle is a rebadged Daewoo, which doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in reliability either. But if it can be bought cheap enough, and you like it, and only intend to keep to for 100K miles then I don't see a problem here. You would still be better off with a Made in USA Corolla, except that doesn't have a hatchback.

 

[Finklejag]

You would still be better off with a Made in USA Corolla, except that doesn't have a hatchback.

 

[BLND1]

When I Googled this it came-up both ways.
Either way, I wouldn't own one, not when there are really good vehicles like the Corolla Cross and Subaru Crosstrek available for about the same money.

Buick is aimed a a more urban demographic or the ederly (IMO).

I’d be looking at a crosstrek in segment.

 

[zzyzzx]

All the below have models that can be had on/around the $20k mark you mention.

- Nissan Versa
- Chevy Trax
- Mitsubishi Mirage
- Hyundai Venue
- Kia Rio & Soul

The issue with all the vehicles in the lower price points is that they aren't available on the dealers lots. They are all in transit and will have additional dealer markups. The stuff that no longer has additional dealer markups is the more expensive stuff.

 

[Quattro Pete]

is there a manual version

What is the target market for this vehicle?

Looking at some of their recent ads, it seems that Buick is trying to go after the younger generation (Millenials, Gen Z). How many of these folks know how to drive a manual? And of those that do, how many actually want to?