2024 Buick Envista vs 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid

The 2024 Buick Envista was a stylish departure from its platform sibling, the Chevy Trax, with a sloping roofline that gave it a "crossover coupe" aesthetic. This design choice, reminiscent of luxury models like the BMW X4 and X6, slightly compromised rear visibility but was generally acceptable. The front-end styling, inspired by the Buick Wildcat EV concept, featured a split lighting design with thin daytime running lights above and real headlights positioned vertically beside the grille. This sleek arrangement, similar to those on the Hyundai Kona and Jeep Cherokee, was a first for Buick, giving the Envista a more refined appearance compared to its mid-cycle refreshed counterparts, the Buick Envision and Encore GX. The interior, while similar to the Trax, offered a more streamlined look with softer materials, though some textures felt cheap. The cabin was a step up from the Trax, but still aligned with entry-level expectations.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold design that could polarize opinions, particularly with its flat, wide grille. The vehicle's personality shifted with color and trim, with body-colored vertical strakes that blended better in darker shades. The X-Line and X-Pro models replaced these strakes with rectangular grille blocks and featured distinctive amber accent lights. The side profile showcased angular fender sculpting and unique black plastic tabs atop the wheel wells, while the rear view, with rounded corners and vertical taillights, bore a resemblance to a Range Rover. Inside, the Telluride's interior was less controversial, featuring a simple horizontal dashboard and a modern, buttonless appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim, with its optional Executive package, offered a luxurious two-tone palette, though some button labels were hard to read. The seats, covered in synthetic leather and suede, were somewhat firm, but the surrounding materials were of excellent quality for the class.

The 2024 Buick Envista was powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. This setup, shared with the Trax, offered a refined driving experience, delivering power smoothly. Unlike its predecessor, the Buick Encore, the Envista did not offer an all-wheel-drive option, differentiating it from the Encore GX. The base models featured a torsion-beam rear suspension, while models with 19-inch wheels had a Buick-exclusive Watts Link rear suspension, enhancing ride quality. The front suspension was a MacPherson strut setup with Buick-specific tuning for a quieter ride. On Michigan's weathered roads, the Envista ST with Watts Link suspension handled bumps well but felt unsettled on imperfect straightaways. Despite this, the Envista provided a more premium feel than the Trax, with quieter acceleration and a comfortable ride.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid combined a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with electric motors, producing 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. This setup, paired with a six-speed transmission, was not available in the off-road-capable X-Pro trims but was offered in the X-Line trim. The Hybrid delivered ample power and a quiet ride, with seamless transitions between electric and gas modes. The X-Pro Prestige model excelled off-road, climbing grades with ease. Both Telluride models prioritized comfort, with the X-Pro Prestige offering a surprisingly smooth ride despite its off-road suspension. The Hybrid SX Prestige had a stiffer ride with 20-inch wheels but managed to absorb bumps well. The Telluride was composed on winding roads, though not particularly sporty, and the brake pedal required some adjustment. Overall, the Telluride provided a luxurious and quiet driving experience.

The 2024 Buick Envista was 14.2 inches longer than the Buick Encore, with a 5.7-inch wheelbase stretch, offering more interior space. Rear-seat legroom increased by three inches, and shoulder room grew by two inches in both rows, though headroom decreased slightly due to the coupe-like roofline. The seats were comfortable for the price point, and the car-like design provided good visibility and maneuverability. However, cargo space was limited, with 20.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 42 cubic feet with them folded, less than the Trax and other competitors.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid offered ample space for adults in all three rows, though the rearmost row was better suited for smaller passengers due to low-mounted seat cushions. The Hybrid SX Prestige with the Executive package featured power-adjustable second-row seats with heating and ventilation, though they were slow to slide and tilt for third-row access. The middle-row seats offered significant travel, allowing for more cargo or legroom. The Telluride could hold 22.3 cubic feet of cargo behind the third row, expanding to 48.7 cubic feet with the seats folded, and up to 89.3 cubic feet with the second row folded. The Hybrid models lost only about one cubic foot of cargo space. The Telluride could tow up to 5,000 pounds, or 4,500 for the Hybrid, and offered various storage solutions for personal items.

The 2024 Buick Envista came standard with an 11-inch touchscreen and 8-inch digital instrument cluster, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The user interface was similar to the Trax, with easy-to-use controls and retained buttons and knobs for climate and audio. However, the center stack's tilt toward the driver made controls a bit of a reach for passengers. Optional tech features were limited, with wireless phone charging standard only on the Avenir trim.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch climate control touchscreen. The system included native navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and dual wireless phone chargers. The infotainment system was user-friendly, though it required firm taps and had some delays. The climate control screen was difficult to use while driving, but physical temperature buttons were available. The Telluride offered customizable themes and a 14-speaker Meridian audio system on higher trims, with excellent sound quality.

The 2024 Buick Envista's crash-test ratings were unavailable at the time of publication. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. Optional features included adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic alert, similar to the Chevy Trax.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid also lacked crash-test ratings at the time of writing. Standard safety features included frontal collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and highway driving assist. Higher trims offered a surround-view camera system and automatic reverse braking. The driver attention monitor had some operational issues, but the highway driving assist was effective on long trips.