Genesis GV70 vs Buick Envista

The 2024 Buick Envista, despite sharing its platform with the Chevy Trax, ventured into a new styling direction. It boasted a sloping roofline that lent the vehicle a “crossover coupe” look, previously associated only with larger, costlier models like the BMW X4 and X6. Though a more conventional roofline could have improved rear visibility, the design remained acceptable.

The coupe-like profile was coupled with new front-end styling, inspired by Buick's Wildcat EV concept unveiled in 2022. This included a split lighting design with thin elements on top that resembled headlights but were actually daytime running lights. The real headlights were integrated into vertical elements framing the grille, resembling oversized fog lights.

This design approach has been utilized by other crossovers like the Hyundai Kona and Jeep Cherokee. However, Buick's iteration, incorporating these elements into a pointed, shark-nose silhouette, appeared sleeker. Being the first model designed for this front-end treatment, the Envista wore it better than the Buick Envision and Encore GX, which adopted it as part of their 2024 mid-cycle refreshes.

For trim specifics, the ST grade featured black exterior trim and standard 18-inch wheels, with 19-inch wheels as an option. The top-tier Envista Avenir featured bright exterior trim and standard 19-inch wheels with a Pearl Nickel finish. The ST and Avenir trims also showcased interior contrast stitching in blue and off-white, respectively.

The Envista's interior, akin to the Trax cabin with subtle changes, traded large round air vents for a more streamlined look with smoother surfaces. Buick incorporated softer dashboard and door armrest materials that, although better in texture, still felt somewhat cheap—a fact resonant with the Envista's price point and entry-level status. The dashboard featured cloth-and-leatherette upholstery in the base Envista Preferred trim, while leather seats were standard in the Avenir trim.

Comparatively, the 2024 Genesis GV70 stood out amidst the Genesis lineup and its market competitors. It carried distinctive Genesis design cues—like split headlights and a large shield-like grille—bringing brand recognition to the fore. Nonetheless, the GV70 maintained a sleekness absent in its larger sibling, the GV80, without the excessive quirks of the GV60.

The GV70 had numerous standout details, such as a hatchback-like rear window profile, significant round exhaust outlets on the gasoline-powered Sport Prestige trim, and distinctive available 21-inch wheel designs—19-inch wheels were standard. This model adeptly balanced SUV size and presence with luxury-car aesthetics, presenting a more refined style compared to rivals like the Audi Q5 or BMW X3, which sometimes appeared overly rugged or stylistically constrained.

The Electrified GV70 retained most of the styling from the gasoline models, with the grille doubling as a charging port for added convenience at charging stations. This design allowed straight-in parking akin to traditional spots, unlike the often cumbersome positioning needed for EVs with front-fender or rear-side charging ports.

Inside, the GV70 boasted one of the most distinctive interiors in any new vehicle. Traditional luxury touches like quilted Nappa leather upholstery and a panoramic sunroof were available. Unique details included climate controls in an elliptical pod, a rotary infotainment controller with a futuristic design, and a dashboard with a rounded cross-section akin to an airplane wing, showcasing Genesis’ effort to offer something unique.

For the 2024 Buick Envista, the sole powertrain option mirrored that of the Chevy Trax—a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with front-wheel drive (FWD). This engine produced 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, exactly matching the Trax. Despite its modest stats, the turbo-three engine offered a refined driving experience comparable to larger engine setups.

While the Envista’s predecessor, the Buick Encore, offered both FWD and all-wheel drive (AWD), the new model discontinued the AWD option to differentiate it from the similarly sized and priced Encore GX, which remained the entry-level Buick offering AWD.

Envista's base models sported a torsion-beam rear suspension, similar to the Trax. However, the 19-inch wheel versions (Avenir and some ST models) featured a Buick-exclusive Watts Link rear suspension promising improved ride quality. Regardless of wheel size, the front suspension was a MacPherson strut setup with Buick-specific bushings and damper tuning to enhance road quietness.

During test drives on Michigan’s weathered roads, the Watts Link-equipped Envista ST demonstrated admirable bump absorption performance, though it seemed unsettled on less-than-perfectly smooth straightaways. Despite this minor issue, the Envista excelled in highway merges and corners, offering a quieter, more laid-back drive than its Chevy counterpart.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 retained its prior year’s powertrain options, with gasoline versions starting with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine generating 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel. Additionally, a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 option offered 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. Both engines came paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD.

The Electrified GV70 featured standard AWD, achieved through front and rear electric motors delivering a combined 429 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, supported by a 77.4 kWh battery pack. A “Boost Mode” enabled a temporary surge to 483 horsepower for 10 seconds.

While luxury brands generally prioritize either sporty driving or comfort, the GV70 didn’t fully excel in either category. The Electrified GV70 and twin-turbo V6 models provided strong straight-line acceleration as expected from their specs. However, the chassis tuning felt mismatched, with the GV70 appearing larger and heavier through corners compared to its sportiest rivals like the Acura RDX, BMW X3, or Porsche Macan.

In terms of comfort, the GV70’s suspension occasionally crashed down on bumps instead of floating over them, mirroring an average performance typical of its mid-tier status in the Genesis lineup. Nevertheless, the Electrified GV70 maintained comparable driving dynamics to its gasoline counterpart, despite weighing more.

The 2024 Buick Envista measured 14.2 inches longer than the outgoing Buick Encore, along with a 5.7-inch wheelbase increase. These expanded dimensions contributed to the Envista’s more fashion-forward design and enhanced interior space.

The longer wheelbase yielded an extra three inches of rear-seat legroom and approximately two inches more shoulder room in both rows, reducing any cramped feel. However, courtesy of the coupe-like design, headroom decreased slightly in both rows, impacting second-row passengers more. Despite these compromises, the seats were comfortable without being overly plush.

Compared to the Chevy Trax, the Envista’s lower, car-like driving position and good outward visibility remained. Visibility was aided by low side glass and a short hood, essential for maneuvering tight spaces efficiently. However, this car-like design also meant car-like cargo capacity. The Envista offered 20.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats up and 42 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was notably less than competitors like the Honda Civic hatchback. The Trax provided more cargo space, at 25.6 cubic feet with seats up and 54.1 cubic feet with the seats down.

In contrast, the 2024 Genesis GV70 presented a competitive interior space relative to its European rivals. Though it had slightly less headroom than the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, it offered marginally more front-seat legroom than the X3 and GLC-Class, while second-row legroom was slightly greater than the X3 but a tad less than the Q5 and GLC.

For cargo, the GV70 boasted 28.9 cubic feet with the rear seats in place, surpassing the Mercedes’ 21.9 cubic feet and BMW’s 28.7 cubic feet but falling short of the Audi’s 29.5 cubic feet. With the rear seats down, the GV70 provided 56.9 cubic feet, less than all its German rivals.

The Electrified GV70 had minimal impact on interior space due to its additional battery pack. First-row legroom remained unchanged, and second-row legroom reduced by only 0.6 inch. Headroom showed slight reductions—1 inch in front and 0.8 inch in the back seats. The cargo space discrepancy was less than a cubic foot compared to gasoline models.

Downsides included a stylish interior that impinged on small-item storage. The infotainment controller, rotary shifter, and curved dashboard collectively consumed space, though a dedicated phone nook and rear-seat climate controls were provided. The Electrified GV70 also featured automatic side bolsters in Sport mode—a rarity in its price range—that hugged occupants during aggressive driving.

The 2024 Buick Envista skipped the Trax’s base infotainment system, offering an 11-inch touchscreen and an 8-inch digital instrument cluster as standard. Features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, and Wi-Fi connectivity.

User experience-wise, the Envista’s system resembled the Trax, with slight differences in graphics but similar layout and functionality. Controls for climate and audio volume remained tangible buttons and knobs, which was user-friendly. However, the center stack’s tilt towards the driver made these controls less accessible to the passenger.

Although the Envista lacked an extensive range of optional tech features, it did include wireless phone charging and kept optional features like a head-up display limited to the upper Avenir trim. Despite being an entry-level vehicle, the Envista offered impressive features for its price range, like the digital instrument cluster, not typically found in similarly priced models.

Conversely, the 2024 Genesis GV70’s infotainment system, heavily influenced by Hyundai’s parts bin, was simpler yet effectively user-friendly. All GV70 models sported a 14.5-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Lower trims had an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, while higher trims featured a 12.3-inch unit with a 3D effect—a nostalgic touch for 90s enthusiasts. A 12-inch head-up display and a premium 16-speaker Lexicon audio system were also available.

The intuitive touchscreen layout, with large function-specific tiles, was convenient for both the driver and passenger. Alternatively, the front control rotary controller had a superior feel compared to BMW’s iDrive and Mercedes’ MBUX systems. Extra tech included a fingerprint scanner for driver profiles and a digital key allowing a phone to replace the key fob.

At the time of publication, crash-test ratings for the 2024 Buick Envista from IIHS and NHTSA were unavailable. However, the vehicle included standard driver-assist technologies like automatic emergency braking, pedestrian braking, forward collision warning, automatic high beams, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. Optional features added adaptive cruise control, lane-change alert, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear park assist, aligning with the tech offered in the Chevy Trax.

In contrast, gasoline versions of the 2024 Genesis GV70 had received IIHS's highest Top Safety Pick+ award, with the Electrified GV70 receiving the same accolade in 2023. NHTSA had granted the gasoline GV70 four-star frontal and rollover crash-test ratings, with the 2023 model receiving a five-star overall safety rating. Additionally, all GV70 models, including the Electrified, came packed with standard safety features like lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and a Highway Driving Assist combining adaptive cruise control with lane-centering. The more advanced Highway Driving Assist 2 added automated lane-change capability and blind-spot monitoring.

Genesis also offered high-tech safety features like safe exit assist and a rear occupant alert system sensitive enough to detect breathing, further enhancing the GV70’s safety suite compared to its competitors.