On July 29, Buick held a "cloud conference" to launch the blockbuster products of this year's Buick SUV family - Envision S and Envision S.
The price range of the three models is 219,900-259,900 yuan, the price of the version is 279,900 yuan, and the price of the whole series is within 280,000 yuan.
After the Envision S is launched, the old Envision will continue to fight, so the Envision S can be regarded as the increase in the sales of the Buick brand this year, and the subsequent performance will directly affect Buick's harvest level this year.
With a brand-new model and the strength to back it up, Envision S seems to have a bright future, but the reality may not be so "peaceful". Although SUV models are still the largest consumer mainstream in the market, it is becoming more and more difficult to become popular in this segment. In the past two years, the only new car in the joint venture camp that has really made some noise is Honda Haoying. On top of that, most new cars simply revert to mediocrity, or even struggle to survive. Can Envision S take over the mantle of the old Envision and "stand out" in the market? This requires not only the cooperation of marketing, but even some luck, but first of all, it depends on strength.
Design is the first selling point of EnvisionS, compared with Envision, the 6-year-old Envision S is indeed more in line with the current aesthetics. In fact, Buick's design in the past two years has been very good, from Regal, Envision GX, to Envision flagship, in addition to the family style that must be followed, emphasizing proportion is a common feature of the design of these new cars. The Envision S also pays great attention to proportions, and the slender lines of the engine compartment, coupled with the design of the short rear overhang and long wheelbase, successfully create a dynamic attitude.
The Envision S is similar in size to the previous generation, and is even 24mm shorter, but the body is wider and lower. Unlike its competitors, which deliberately create a variety of corners on the outside, the Envision S is more curved and streamlined, which makes it look less aggressive, but visually more compact. Buick also equipped the Envision S high-spec version and version with 20-inch tires, which are more in line with the sporty character.
The wheelbase of the Envision S has reached, not only surpassing the old model, but even reaching the level of the Toyota Highlander. However, when actually sitting in the back row, the sense of knee space is not as exaggerated as expected, at least it has not formed an advantage with rivals such as Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.
In terms of storage, the storage space of Envision S is very sufficient, the luggage compartment design of Envision S is very neat, after the rear seat backrests are folded down, the luggage compartment floor is flat enough, and the storage space can be expanded from 366L to 1444L, whether it is a long trip or occasionally put some large items, it can obviously be easily handled.
The smooth and concise characteristics are also reflected in the interior, the overall style of Envision S is very similar to the Envision flagship, the 10-inch touch screen is slightly inclined to the driver's side, which is more convenient to operate; The commonly used air conditioning function is designed as a separate area, and the piano-style keys not only bring a sense of visual elegance, but also make the operation more convenient.
ETRS one-touch electronic gear shift has gradually become the hallmark of several high-end Buick models, and due to the use of electronic signals for gear shifting, it can save space under the traditional transmission panel and form a large storage space.
Streaming mirrors, a phone slot with unlimited charging, a head-up display (HUD), and an extra-large panoramic sunroof are all found on the Envision S. However, as far as the three Envision S models are concerned, Buick did not show a big deal of "entry-level luxury" this time, and the surprise in price is largely due to the mediocre configuration.
In terms of power, Envision S is equipped with a universal ace power combination of "eighth-generation 2.0T engine + 9-speed HYDRA-MATIC intelligent transmission". This 2.0T power, just the data can impress a large number of people, after all, whether it is the maximum power of 174 kilowatts or the maximum torque of 350 Nm, it is definitely the first camp in the same level of power. If a serious technical flow is encountered, the 2.0T engine can also calm the scene. Technical labels such as 35MPa high-pressure direct injection, twin-scroll turbocharger, active thermal management system, and variable valve management all represent the strength of this engine. In particular, the variable valve management, according to the working conditions, can reasonably switch the engine four-cylinder high-performance, four-cylinder economy, two-cylinder ultra-economic mode, purebred polytechnic men have no reason not to love it.
The 9-speed gearbox is a perfect match for the 2.0T engine, and the universal 9-speed gearbox is compact and has wide applicability, and is also specially set according to Chinese road conditions and user driving habits. The 7.6:1 gear ratio range allows the engine to maintain an efficient speed range at all times, and it can be engaged in 9th gear at about 90km/h, which truly achieves both performance and energy saving. The official comprehensive fuel consumption given by the Aviator version is 7.8L per 100 kilometers. In actual driving, we drove nearly 300 kilometers a day, 60% of which was at high speed, and the final average fuel consumption was 8.2L, which is obviously a good result.
In terms of drive type, there are also big differences between the three Envision S models and versions. The regular version of the Envision S is unified with front-wheel drive, and the only version is equipped with a four-wheel drive system and CDC full-time active hydraulic shock absorption. Buick's intelligent all-terrain four-wheel drive system consists of a double-sided hydraulic clutch, which can not only control the torque distribution of the front and rear axles, but also adjust the torque of the left and right rear wheels between 100:0 and 0:100 to improve driving smoothness and driving performance. In good road conditions, the driver can also choose to disconnect the 4WD through the driving mode to save fuel. The CDC full-time active hydraulic damping system, which is usually installed on Buick's high-end models, monitors road conditions at a frequency of 100 times per second, and adjusts the damping of the shock absorbers in real time to ensure the comfort and handling of the vehicle.
The S model also has more driving modes than the regular version, with the adaptive driving system providing four modes: comfort, four-wheel drive, sport, and off-road, and can also actively adjust the suspension system, steering system, transmission system and four-wheel drive system according to the driving environment to meet the different driving needs of all kinds of "veteran drivers".
In order to achieve better dynamic performance, Envision S has also put a lot of effort into the suspension structure, the front enhanced MacPherson and the rear five-link suspension combination, making Envision S the only model in the same class to use five-link rear suspension, compared with other rear suspension forms, five-link has more adjustment content, so it can better balance comfort and sportiness.
In terms of the Internet of Vehicles, the quality of Envision S is also strong enough, and at present, SAIC-GM has promoted the intelligent network to the level of the "second engine", so the entire Envision S is also equipped with iterative upgrade of intelligent network technology.
This new car system is deeply embedded in the functions of "Baidu Family Bucket", such as Baidu AI intelligent voice assistant, which not only supports multiple rounds of dialogue, but also realizes various human-computer interactions in more than 60 scenarios, and completes vehicle control, navigation and search, telephone control, vehicle control smart home and various query functions. Baidu Tingge can provide massive news and information, online music resources, online radio stations and various audiobook resources. Baidu real-time navigation also complements the commonly used navigation software, and it is very easy to get started. The Apple phone mapping function of Envision S has also been upgraded to wireless mode, which is easier to operate.
In addition, Envision S is equipped with a new generation of full-time online assistant, covering more than 50 main services in five categories, including rich vehicle remote control functions, and 100G per year "4G Internet of Vehicles application lifetime free traffic" service, eliminating users' worries.
The Envision S is also the first model equipped with Buick's intelligent cloud electronic architecture, which has faster and more efficient communication and data processing capabilities. The new architecture has a data processing rate of up to 4.5 TB per hour, which is 5 times higher than the previous generation architecture, and the bandwidth is 4-10 times higher than that of the traditional bus, so it can support OTA online updates at the vehicle level. The OTA update content of the vehicle not only includes the in-vehicle communication and entertainment system, but also includes more than 30 electronic modules such as the power system, chassis system, and body control system, so that the performance of the vehicle can be maintained at its peak for a longer time.
Buick has always been willing to invest in safety, and the Envision S is no exception, so the cage body made of 75% high-strength steel, 6 airbags, and ESC electronic stability control system are standard equipment for all models.
Envision S high-end version and version are also equipped with 6 high-definition cameras, 3 millimeter-wave radars, 12 ultrasonic sensors and other hardware, which can realize 12 intelligent driving assistance functions such as SBZA side view blind spot warning, LKA lane keeping, CMB collision mitigation, PD pedestrian recognition, APA automatic parking, ACC adaptive cruise, etc., providing users with multi-dimensional and all-round protection.
Can the Buick Envision S become a hit? Although the market is becoming more and more saturated, the possibilities are still very high. First of all, the product power is strong enough, although the attitude of Envision S "entering the game at a low price" includes a lot of configuration strategies, it can also be seen that Buick has indeed delivered all the technology at hand to Envision S without reservation, which also makes this mid-to-high-end SUV have a commendable product power. Secondly, although Buick did not shout the slogan of "10% more" like the old Envision when it was launched, there are still not many products in the SUV market that can compete with the Envision S, and the only real opponents that can compete with it seem to be Volkswagen Tiguan L, Tanyue and Honda Guandao. As for other competing products, the size of the model in the same price range is slightly smaller, the size is about the same but the price is higher, so this time the Envision S still found a relatively easy competitive space. Of course, these aren't the only factors it takes to become a hit. It requires marketing ability, market environment, brand credibility, and even some luck.