Crossover – The Bunch Blog!

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/08/29/buick-envision-cuv-revealed-china/

By Chris Bruce

Buick is launching its new midsize Envision crossover in China at the Chengdu Motor Show, where it will slot between the subcompact Encore and larger Enclave. While it might be hard to muster too much excitement about a Chinese-market crossover, don’t completely ignore this one. There’s a very good chance it could be on sale in North America to fill the same hole in the brand’s lineup over here, possibly as a 2016 model.

We recently spied the Envision completely undisguised as it was arriving at the Chengdu show for its debut. The CUV still looks like a stretched Encore from some front angles, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s got a similar oversized grille, hood vents (presumably faux) and large greenhouse as its little brother. Where the midsize CUV differs is its prominent crease running down the side and the different rear treatment, with wing-shaped trim cutting into the taillights.

The interior looks like a pretty nice place to spend time, too, with a predictable mix of leather, wood and metal, and it should be quiet in there with its active noise cancelation system. Infotainment is provided by an eight-inch touchscreen with a touchpad and voice controls.

In China, this CUV is propelled by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 256 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque with standard stop/start and a six-speed automatic. That setup lets it run to 62 miles per hour in a claimed 8.4 seconds. The Envision also gets a standard all-wheel drive system that can send 100-percent of the engine’s power to the front or rear wheels as necessary and route power side-to-side at the back, too.

We tried to pin down Buick spokesperson Nick Richards about the Envision’s chances here, but all we would tell us was, “Our current focus is on continuing the Encore launch and the successful sales growth of these models.” We’d be shocked if it didn’t come to the States, but for now, it looks like we just need to wait and see for official word. Scroll down to read all of he details about the new middle child in Buick’s Chinese crossover family.

By Brandon Turkus

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/15/2015-chevy-trax-official-pictures/

We imagine the conversation among Chevrolet’s product planners that led to a greenlight for a US-spec Chevrolet Trax went something like this: “Hey, the Buick Encore is selling like mad. It’s proven that people love subcompact crossovers. Quick, let’s import a vehicle from Canada.”

Okay, so it probably didn’t go quite like that, but it seems logical that the US arrival of the Trax – which has been on sale in the Great White North and other markets since late 2012 – had a lot to do with the success of the Encore. Couple that with the impending arrival of the Renegade, and perhaps Chevy sees a market ripe for small crossoverization.

When the Trax arrives in the US market at some unspecified future date (probably early 2015), it will have a fair amount in common with the Encore, with which it shares a platform. Underhood, the same 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder will send power to either the front or to all four wheels while producing 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. It’s good to see this engine gain another assignment, as it’s already impressed in both the Cruze and Sonic. A six-speed automatic will be the sole gearbox.

In the cabin, the Encore and the Trax share identical measurements, meaning that passengers in both the front and back should have a reasonable amount of space. Not surprisingly, the Chevy’s cabin materials don’t look quite as nice as its tri-shielded cousin, although this sort of difference between Chevy and Buick is to be expected. What the Trax does have going for it, though, is a wealth of technology. Chevy MyLink, Siri Eyes Free and OnStar 4G LTE will all be available for customers to take advantage of.

As for its exterior, it’s kind of like someone fired a shrink ray at the Equinox. It’s clean and attractive, although we’d have liked a bit more visual panache, like the Sonic. Sixteen-inch wheels are standard on the lower two trim levels (LS and LT), while the top-flight LTZ is fitted with a set of 18-inch hoops.

Buick Envision Launched In China, Is US Next?

All New 2015 Chevrolet Trax Subcompact Crossover

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