2025 Genesis GV80 vs 2024 Buick Envista

Like many brands, crossover SUVs are now Buick's stock and trade. The venerable General Motors division now exclusively sells crossovers, in fact. And for the 2024 model year, there's a new name in the lineup.

The 2024 Buick Envista is the company's new entry-level model, replacing the Buick Encore and slotting below the Buick Encore GX (which confusingly keeps that name despite there no longer being a standard Encore). The Envista shares most hardware with the redesigned 2024 Chevrolet Trax but, as with all Buick models, it aims for a more upscale feel than its Bowtie-badged counterpart.

This new model launches in three guises. The Envista Preferred is the base model, the Sport Touring (ST) adds sporty styling touches, and the Avenir is the range topper. We sampled an Envista ST in Ann Arbor, Michigan on some of the same roads GM engineers used to tune this new addition to the Buick lineup.

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The Genesis GV80 was introduced in 2021 and has proved itself to be a strong contender as a luxury crossover. Although the powertrain remains the same for 2025, the mid-size SUV gets a redesign both inside and out, adding a bit more sophistication, two new exterior colors and some sumptuous interior materials. We’ll see a sporty GV80 coupe with a supercharged engine later in 2025, but for now this traditional crossover is the company’s answer to luxury at an affordable price.

Verdict: Genesis improved the technology of the GV80 for 2025 by adding wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the SUV returns poor fuel economy and the seats are far from comfortable. Still, the GV80 undercuts its European counterparts on price and definitely deserves a test drive.