Buick Envision: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Buick Envision: 10 model years scored from 236 NHTSA owner complaints and 14 recall campaigns. Worst year 2017, best year 2016.
Buick Envision: which years to avoid
Across 10 scored model years the Buick Envision ranges from 65/100 in 2017 to 95/100 in 2018 — a 30-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Electrical System (25 of them).
Safest years: 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 — scored 70 or better.
Check carefully: 2017.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2016 (score 86). Worst: 2017 (score 65, CAUTION).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 84 | BUY | $3,232 | 8 | 0 |
| 2024 | 87 | BUY | $3,315 | 10 | 1 |
| 2023 | 79 | BUY | $3,412 | 24 | 1 |
| 2022 | 83 | BUY | $3,518 | 25 | 1 |
| 2021 | 85 | BUY | $3,627 | 23 | 2 |
| 2020 | 94 | BUY | $3,812 | 10 | 0 |
| 2019 | 92 | BUY | $3,982 | 23 | 0 |
| 2018 | 95 | BUY | $4,090 | 13 | 0 |
| 2017 | 65 | CAUTION | $4,371 | 81 | 4 |
| 2016 | 86 | BUY | $5,276 | 19 | 5 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the Envision, through the years →
What goes wrong on the Buick Envision
Across every Envision model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Electrical System67 complaints across all Envision years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Service Brakes47 complaints across all Envision years · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles$580–$1,140
- Engine35 complaints across all Envision years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other28 complaints across all Envision years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Power Train27 complaints across all Envision years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Steering13 complaints across all Envision years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Buick Envision years to buy?
2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024… all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2018 at 95/100, on 13 complaints and 0 recall campaigns.
Which Buick Envision years should I avoid?
The 2017 is the weakest year we score, at 65/100 (CAUTION), on 81 complaints and 4 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Buick Envision problem?
67 of the complaints filed against the Envision across all its model years sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04