Cascada: It Means "Waterfall"
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| 2016 Buick Cascada at this year's North American International Auto Show. |
Behold the first Buick convertible in over 25 years! The last time Buick had a convertible in their lineup was the 1991 Buick Reatta. I'm continuously impressed by Buick. They keep rolling out new models that allow them to defy expectations and win over younger buyers. The soft-top Cascada convertible is actually a rebadged Opel that is imported to North America, as are some other Buick models. This was a trend that was started by Saturn before that brand went under back in 2010. The Cascada has already been on sale in Europe for several years now. will come standard with a 1.6 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine making 168 horsepower paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission, Buick's Intellilink infotainment system, rear park assist, and 20-inch (yes, standard 20s on a Buick) rims on both the base and uplevel models. Base models start at $33,065, where uplevel Premium trim models start at $36,065. The Premium trim level adds forward collision alert, lane departure warning, and rain sensing wipers among other features. Of all of the recent Buicks to have come out recently, this is the one I'm looking forward to test driving the most. Although, Buick has stated that the Cascada will only be available in certain parts of the United States starting out, such as Florida. This makes sense, as this is where most convertibles are sold at anyways. Expect the Cascada to release this coming spring.
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Envision the Future
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| The 2016 Buick Envision crossover. I've seen these in testing on the road several times over the last year. |
Buick's third crossover vehicle in the last 8 years, the Envision, is a little late to the game. Competitors such as Acura, Audi and Lexus have successfully capitalized on this segment for nearly the better part of a decade now, and Buick's past offerings - the Rendezvous, Rainier, and Terraza minivan - all certainly left something to be desired among buyers. The Enclave, which launched in 2008 as a replacement for those vehicles, has been a much better attempt at a luxury crossover. But yet, it is too big to truly compete with some of those mid-sized crossover vehicles since it offers third row seating coupled with more cargo capacity than even some of its immediate competition (i.e. Dodge Durango, Acura MDX, Honda Pilot Elite, Hyundai Sante Fe, etc.)! The Encore, while thus far being a strong seller for Buick, is too small to fill that role. Therefore: Enter the Envision, which is a model that is new to us, but has been on sale in China for a few years now. It'll be manufactured there and imported to North America. The model unveiled at the auto show this year was developed specifically for the United States market however, and features innovative seating and cargo arrangements, and undeniable Buick presence inside and out.
Powering the Vision
The Envision will only be available with one engine choice: a familiar GM 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine making 252 horsepower while paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission. This engine is tested and true, being used in some of GM's more performance oriented vehicles such as the Cadillac ATS and Buick Regal GS. My mother's 2013 Regal turbo also uses a version of this engine that makes 220 horsepower, and I can report it works well. How it will feel in a vehicle this large with standard all wheel drive is an unknown. But like I said, it's a solid engine overall. I am curious as to why only a 6-speed automatic is offered, as this somewhat dates the design of this car. Most competitors offer an 8 or 9-speed transmission now, but I'm sure we will see that and possibly front wheel drive on the Envision in the future.
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| 2016 Buick Envision Interior |
You can expect all of the latest safety gear will be present on the Envision, such as blind spot monitoring, lane keeping assist, autonomous braking, adaptive cruise control, etc. Additionally, other standard or available features will include heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, Bose premium audio, a 360-degree camera system for parking purposes, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, and OnStar with 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity. Overall interior styling is modern and follows Buick's current and future design languages, which is also on display in the new 2017 LaCrosse. LED running lights are standard on the exterior and a power rear liftgate is available.
The Future Is Near
Overall, the Envision is quite nice. Its styling is a little on the conservative side, and I'm not entirely sure the rear and the front mesh 100%, but I doubt that this will deter buyers much. Its likely one of those things where once you see it in person, you become an instant fan. The Envision is scheduled to launch mid-year as a late 2016 model, with pricing and fuel economy figures to be released closer to the launch date as well. Given how well both the Enclave and Encore have performed for Buick, this new crossover has big shoes to fill. But Buick has been on an absolute roll lately, and I'm sure that both the Cascada and Envision will continue to give Buick all the added momentum it needs to become a distinct leader in its segment.
Copyright © 2016 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.
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