For Buick, the Envista represents another “white space opportunity” in the small end of the crossover segment that builds on what it learned a decade ago with the Encore, Buick marketing manager Jazzy Teen told Automotive News.

The Envista’s design, which marries sedan-like proportions with SUV-style utility, helps to further separate the entry-level vehicle from the newly updated Encore GX, Teen said. The Envista, for instance, will only be sold with front-wheel drive, while the Encore GX becomes Buick’s entry-level all-wheel-drive vehicle.

The Encore, which ended production late last year, brought in younger and more diverse buyers to the Buick brand, she said. Buick wants to continue that with the Envista, including with former sedan owners who like the crossover’s car-like proportions but don’t want an SUV.

“We’re really trying to reimagine what an entry-level vehicle should feel like,” Teen said. “We really incorporated the Buick styling, safety technologies, enhanced connectivity in this entry-level unit, but we’ve done so at an approachable price point.”