2024 Buick Envista vs. 2024 Honda HR-V

2024 Buick Envista Avenir ・ Photo by Brady Holt

We’re not used to Buick being a value brand. It’s best known for quiet comfort and lots of chrome. Still, the Encore subcompact crossover has been one of its best sellers for years. And after more than a decade, its replacement – the all-new 2024 Buick Envista – is even more appealing. It brings dazzling new looks and a roomier interior, all at a lower price. 

To properly evaluate the new Envista, we’ve compared it against one of its most popular rivals: the 2024 Honda HR-V. The HR-V stacks up more closely in some ways to Buick’s more expensive Encore GX (no relation to the smaller, now-discontinued Encore), but it’s almost exactly the same size and price as the new Envista. In this review, we’ll discuss how the two small SUVs stack up in eight categories, then declare an overall winner. Keep reading to find out which little crossover we chose and which one sounds like the better choice for you. 

Pricing and Features

The Envista is an appealing value for the money. At a base price of $22,400, the Preferred model includes high-end features like automatic climate control, a six-speaker stereo, and a big 11-inch touchscreen infotainment system, along with automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping steering assistance. By contrast, the base HR-V LX costs $24,600 with a 7-inch touchscreen and a four-speaker stereo. Honda generously provides adaptive cruise control as standard equipment, but the Envista Preferred offers it as an option (bundled with blind-spot monitoring, unavailable on the HR-V LX) for just $595. 

Still, we’re going to call this category an overall tie for two reasons. First, if you want leather upholstery instead of the Envista Preferred’s mix of cloth and leatherette, the HR-V EX-L costs $28,150 versus $28,600 for the Envista Avenir like our test vehicle. Plus, add another $1,600 to get other HR-V EX-L features. (Aside from the leather, though, an Envista Preferred with basically all the HR-V EX-L’s features costs $25,880.) Secondly, while the HR-V offers all-wheel drive for a $1,500 upcharge, every Envista is front-wheel-drive only. Your needs and preferences will determine your winner. 

Winner: Tie

2023 Honda HR-V EX-L ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Exterior Design

The old Buick Encore was a tall, stubby little SUV. The Envista takes the opposite approach. It’s long, low, and sleek, following the “SUV coupe” trend that’s popular among luxury marques. But its clean lines, big wheels, and chrome details keep it from looking like a mere hatchback. Buick didn't save high-end looks for its high-end models; even the low-cost Envista looks striking and at least somewhat expensive.

The HR-V is less flashy. To our eyes, it’s a pleasantly anonymous rounded-off box. To some tastes, that restraint is classier than the Buick’s upscale aspirations. To others, the Honda is simply dull. We’ll let you decide that one and call this category another tie. 

Winner: Tie 

2024 Buick Envista Avenir ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Interior Design

Inside, the Envista and HR-V once again take the respective tacks of swoopy elegancy and all-business simplicity. But here, we’re going to confidently choose the Honda as our winner. 

There’s a lot to like in the Envista’s interior. We already mentioned its big touchscreen. And its graceful curves refuse to acknowledge that it’s a low-cost economy vehicle. But many of its plastic trim pieces admit precisely that. The HR-V, meanwhile, has a plainer style (aside from vents that hide in decorative grillwork across the dashboard) but higher quality. Dials and stalks move with a precision that eludes some luxury cars. The Honda’s controls are simpler, and its smaller touchscreens (7 inches on the base LX and midlevel Sport, 9 inches on the top EX-L) have just about as much useful space as the Envista’s 11-inch unit. We don’t mean that the Envista has either a junky interior or confusing controls, but the Honda comes out ahead on both fronts. 

Winner: Honda HR-V

2023 Honda HR-V EX-L ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Passenger Accommodations

The Envista measures more than a foot longer than the old Buick Encore it replaces, and this is clear in its much roomier interior – in particular, in its generous rear legroom. The front seats are comfortable as well, and it’s easy to get in and out of this “not too low, not too high” crossover. 

Still, the HR-V wins again. We find its seats slightly more comfortable and supportive, and they also edge out the Buick for space. The Envista is one of the roomiest subcompact crossovers, but the HR-V is even more so. Also, when you look behind you, you’ll notice the Envista’s tiny rear windshield and lack of a rear wiper. The HR-V provides drivers with better outward visibility. 

Winner: Honda HR-V

2023 Honda HR-V EX-L ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Cargo and Utility

The HR-V’s spaciousness advantage grows when it comes to cargo. The Envista’s “SUV coupe” profile leaves it with less room for your stuff: 20.7 cubic feet of space behind the rear seat and 42 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. That’s not dismal for a subcompact crossover, but it’s not great, either. (The old Encore had 18.4 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 48.4 cubic feet with the rear seat folded, but it was also harder to fold than the Envista’s.)

The HR-V, meanwhile, fits 24.4 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 55.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. You’ll feel that difference if you’re packing for a camping trip, heading to the airport, or trying to play Tetris with some Ikea boxes. Neither little crossover is rated to tow a trailer. 

Winner: Honda HR-V

2023 Honda HR-V EX-L ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Ride and Handling

Buick always focuses on quietness, and indeed, the Envista isn’t as noisy as most subcompact crossovers. It also has a smooth ride and agreeable, easy handling. This isn’t a lazy old barge of a Buick like an ancient LeSabre sedan.  

Still, we’ll pick the Honda’s extra deftness. The latest HR-V shares its underpinnings with the outstanding Honda Civic (it used to be based on the subcompact Honda Fit), and this helps it feel more substantial and solidly built. Yet it’s also poised and agile. While we liked driving both of these crossovers, the Honda felt more expensive. However, part of the Honda’s advantage came from its heavier weight. And as we’ll discuss, that weight has tradeoffs in other areas. 

Winner: Honda HR-V

2023 Honda HR-V EX-L ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Acceleration

The Envista isn’t inexpensive by magic. Key to its affordability is a wee 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine, which makes 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. Still, this engine has a surprisingly rich growl – nothing like the raspy moan of some small, cheap engines. And the Envista’s light weight, as little as 3,030 pounds, helps keep this little turbo from being so terribly overmatched. Especially around town, the Envista doesn’t feel like a slug. 

Let’s be clear: The Envista is no performance car. Expect to need more than 9 seconds to reach 60 mph. That’s quick enough to be safe but not quick enough to impress someone who’s used to most other modern cars. Still, it’s quicker than the HR-V. The Honda’s non-turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder makes 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque, but the HR-V is a couple hundred pounds heavier than the Envista. Lead-footed drivers will find even more frustration here. We do find the HR-V’s continuously variable automatic transmission to provide smoother acceleration than the Envista’s six-speed automatic, but the Buick gets it done with more punch. 

Winner: Buick Envista

2024 Buick Envista Avenir ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Fuel Economy

Despite being quicker, the Envista also scores better in EPA fuel economy ratings than the HR-V. The EPA pegs it at 28 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 30 mpg combined. We matched that figure during our weeklong test. We might prefer even better from a three-cylinder subcompact, but it does beat the HR-V. 

In EPA testing, the HR-V manages 26 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 28 mpg combined with front-wheel drive. (As a reminder, all Envistas are front-wheel drive.) The AWD HR-V drops to 25 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined; our AWD test vehicle beat the EPA estimate, managing the same 30 mpg that we observed in our Envista. Still, in the EPA’s repeatable tests in equivalent conditions, the Buick wins. 

Winner: Buick Envista

2024 Buick Envista Avenir ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Final Thoughts

The 2024 Buick Envista proves that a cheap, simple vehicle doesn’t have to look cheap and simple. Buick gave its entry-level crossover the styling of a vehicle that could have commanded a much higher price, then saved money with a little engine, a lack of all-wheel drive, and downscale interior materials. Still, this is an expensive-looking, comfortable, and surprisingly spacious little crossover at an appealing price. 

Still, our pick is the 2024 Honda HR-V. It has none of the Envista’s design verve, and it’s neither as peppy nor as economical. But it’s roomier and feels more upscale, both in its interior and its driving dynamics. And depending on the features you’d choose, the HR-V might even cost less. We understand if you’d rather have the Buick’s extra flash for the money, but our own choice is the Honda’s extra substance at a similar price. 

Winner: Honda HR-V

2023 Honda HR-V EX-L ・ Photo by Brady Holt