Buick Envision vs Cadillac LYRIQ

The 2021 Buick Envision underwent a significant redesign, following two years of facelifts, to present a more premium crossover styling. This two-row compact crossover, positioned between the smaller Encore GX and the larger Enclave, was sold in China and North America. The Envision's new design was lower and wider, offering a more planted appearance on the street. It showcased a sculpted look, distinguishing itself from its cousin, the Cadillac XT4, though it wasn't as sleek as the Acura RDX. The Envision was available in three trim levels—Preferred, Essence, and Avenir—with the Avenir trim making its debut in this model year. The Avenir models featured upgraded exterior elements, including a Black Ice Chrome mesh grille and 20-inch Avenir-specific pearl nickel wheels, while the interior boasted leather-appointed seating and a head-up display. The Envision's cabin design was driver-centric, with a protruding center stack housing the infotainment screen and climate controls, angled toward the driver. However, the use of piano black plastic on the dashboard and center console attracted dust, detracting from its premium feel.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ was a striking vehicle with a commanding street presence, reminiscent of the classic Seville with its long hood and low ground clearance. The LYRIQ featured vertical light bars with nine LED headlights that played a light show upon unlocking. The grille, adorned with lighting effects, varied in design across trims, with the Sport trim offering a muted dark triangular motif. The LYRIQ's design included thin, deployable door handles and wraparound taillights that defined its shoulder line. Inside, Cadillac paid attention to detail with leather-wrapped seats, polished window switches, and a sleek three-spoke steering wheel. The air vents had a retro feel, controlled by swiveling knobs. However, the floating center console offered limited usable space. The 33-inch OLED display was a standout feature, providing a modern touch without overwhelming the interior.

The 2021 Buick Envision featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This was a downgrade from the previous model's 252 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Despite shedding 200 to 300 pounds, the Envision's performance was more about comfort than sportiness, with a focus on fuel efficiency. The front-wheel-drive version achieved an EPA-estimated 24 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway, while the all-wheel-drive version offered slightly lower figures. The Envision's drivability was comfortable, akin to a Lincoln, but lacked the engaging dynamics of sportier competitors. The Sport mode altered revs but didn't significantly enhance performance.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ, with its dual-motor powertrain, delivered an impressive 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque for continuous all-wheel drive. The standard setup was a single rear motor with 340 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. Both powertrains utilized a 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack, offering a claimed range of 314 miles with rear-wheel drive and 307 miles with all-wheel drive. However, real-world testing showed a range closer to 260 miles. The LYRIQ's handling was hindered by its weight, at 5,800 pounds, leading to understeer and uninspiring steering feel. While braking was strong, the LYRIQ lacked handling-enhancing features like torque vectoring and magnetic dampers, which affected its agility.

The 2021 Buick Envision's redesign resulted in a cabin that was less spacious than its predecessor, with reduced headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in the front row. Rear-seat passengers also experienced a decrease in legroom and hip room. Despite these reductions, Buick claimed similar passenger volumes to the previous model. The Envision's cargo capacity was 25.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 53.7 cubic feet with the seats folded, which was lower than other luxury SUVs. The driver-centric cockpit limited the front passenger's access to controls, and forward visibility was challenging for shorter drivers. However, the Envision offered standard features like heated seats and a heated steering wheel.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ faced functionality issues, with misaligned rear fenders and a problematic motorized charging port. The glovebox was difficult to access while driving, and the floating console offered limited storage space. The rotary selector for the touchscreen was less intuitive than direct touch. Despite these issues, the LYRIQ provided generous headroom and legroom, with a spacious back seat. However, its cargo hold was smaller than most compact SUVs, offering 28 cubic feet behind the seats and 60.8 cubic feet when folded.

The 2021 Buick Envision featured a standard 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, which was responsive and displayed necessary functionalities. The driver could access station and song information faster on the available 8.0-inch driver information display. Standard features included USB ports, dual-zone automatic climate control, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Available features included navigation, a surround-view camera, and wireless device charging.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ boasted a 33-inch OLED screen with three sections, offering touch-enabled controls for lighting and gauge cluster layouts. The infotainment system ran native Google Maps and Google Assistant, with simple menus and high-quality graphics. The available Super Cruise system provided hands-free driving, with a helpful colored bar on the steering wheel indicating system status. The 19-speaker AKG stereo offered variable surround sound modes.

The 2021 Buick Envision had not been rated by NHTSA or IIHS at the time. It featured standard safety equipment like forward-collision alert, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency braking. Adaptive cruise control and enhanced automatic park assist were available on Avenir models. However, the Envision lacked GM's Super Cruise and lane-centering technology.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ also had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS. It came standard with forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Optional features included adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system.