The name “Buick” is synonymous with luxury, elegant design, and sophistication – it’s all about quality with any Buick. As such, you would think that when looking at the 2019 Buick Envision vs. 2019 Ford Edge, that the Buick model would win in pretty much every category. While not entirely the case, since the Edge includes the new ST trim level designed as a high-performance SUV, there are some significant ways in which the Envision comes out on top just as you’d expect.
In particular, when you look at the starting trim level for the 2019 Buick Envision, which is the 1SV, you can see it really dominates compared to the Ford Edge. Even as a starting model, Buick’s engineers and designers have come through to create an SUV that drips elegance from its every vehicular pore and radiates sophistication in a way few SUVs can hope to match.
So let’s take a look at the Envision 1SV compared to the starting model and trim of the 2019 Ford Edge, the SE, and see how they stack up. If you’re a Buick-lover, then I think you’ll be pleased. Ford fans out there, not so much.
Way #1: The Center Stack
Decades ago, a couple cup holders and some air-conditioning vents might have been good enough for the center stack of a vehicle, but no more. Especially in an SUV, the center stack is the hub of the interior of the vehicle, and you expect it to be impressive, with a lot of features that are easy to use. The starting model of the 2019 Buick Envision comes through in this department, while the 2019 Ford Edge falls a bit short.
The Envision’s center stack features an 8-inch touch-sensitive Infotainment system, which supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It has Bluetooth support, an auxiliary media input for connecting to devices physically, along with USB ports for streaming audio and charging devices. While you can get more at higher trim levels, including Navigation, this starting build looks great and offers terrific functionality.
By comparison, the starting console of the 2019 Ford Edge is just not on the same level. It includes an unimpressive 4-inch LCD screen with a single USB port. Thankfully it includes voice recognition, but its small size makes it much harder to use and read than the one in the 2019 Buick Envision and less enjoyable overall. Four inches might not seem like they would make much difference, but when you’re looking at a screen half the size of another one, you’ll notice it very quickly.
Way #2: Driver Information System
Just as center consoles have evolved from years past, the driver’s dashboard area is also more than just a bunch of dials like it used to be. Or at least it can be when a manufacturer puts in a little extra effort. As you might expect, this is one area where the focus on luxury puts the Buick ahead of Ford’s offering.
The 2019 Buick Envision starts off with the usual dials you would expect, but also includes a 4-inch digital driver information system. This can be personalized and includes warning messages and vehicle information in a color display. By comparison, the 2019 Ford Edge has only a standard driver dashboard without a digital display of any kind. At higher trim levels, 4-inch digital displays become available, but in the starting trim level it’s not even an option.
Way #3: Climate Control and Comfort
Air conditioning and climate control in a vehicle can make a huge difference regarding just how comfortable it is for the driver and passengers. And yet, these things are often overlooked in favor of flashier specs or details. Leather trim and wood accents inside a cabin are great and certainly look amazing, but they are not as important as the comfort level of the driver and passengers.
The 2019 Buick Envision starts off with dual-zone automatic climate control and air vents in the front and the rear console. This automatically maintains a selected temperature in two different locations, ensuring that the driver and front passenger are both as comfortable as possible. Without climate control, you more often end up with a situation where one person is hot and the other cold – or you have to adjust the air conditioning for the driver; meanwhile, the passengers are uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, the starting 2019 Ford Edge has only a single-zone, manual climate control. In other words, adjustments to heat and cold have to be made manually to keep the inside comfortable, and it only offers one overall area. So if the driver is warm, but the passengers are cold, they all have to deal with whatever climate preferences the driver has. On a long road trip or just over several thousand hours of standard use, this can make a big difference and makes the 2019 Buick Envision a much more attractive vehicle (at least to me, since I’m always the warmest person in the room).
Way #4: Front Row Seating
Just as important to comfort as climate control or air conditioning are the seats themselves that companies place inside a vehicle. While the second-row seating is pretty similar between the starting trim levels of these two vehicles, front-row seating is quite different. For the driver and a primary passenger, this can be very important.
The 2019 Buick Envision comes with standard front bucket seats. What’s important about these seats, however, is that even at the starting trim level they are heated and fully adjustable. Both the driver’s seat and the front-passenger seat are 8-way power adjustable for optimal comfort and the best positioning, and they include lumbar adjustments for proper back support.
The 2019 Ford Edge, on the other hand, has much more limited seating adjustability. While the Edge also has front bucket seats, they feature manual reclining only, rather than numerous power options for adjustment or changeable lumbar support. This has a huge impact on how comfortable these seats are, leaving the 2019 Buick Envision a much better option for optimal comfort. Anyone with back issues that finds sitting for long stretches uncomfortable is much more likely to find a comfortable position in the Envision than the Ford Edge.
Way #5: Active Noise Cancellation
This is a very specific and particular way in which the 2019 Buick Envision sets itself apart and really sets the standard for luxury in an SUV. Even at the starting trim level, the Envision includes noise cancellation so that it is a joy to ride in and far quieter than a lot of other vehicles on the road. It has been engineered and designed with materials that help dampen noise and sound from outside the vehicle – including general road noise so that you get a quieter ride.
Beyond that, however, it includes active noise cancellation, which the 2019 Ford Edge lacks. Active noise cancellation uses a system that monitors sound coming from the engine, which would normally be fairly loud inside the cabin of the vehicle. The system then emits an opposite sound that cancels out that engine noise, greatly diminishing what you hear while driving. Ear protection systems used in construction or the aircraft industry feature similar noise cancellation.
All of this means that driving the 2019 Buick Envision, compared to the Ford Edge, is more comfortable in terms of temperature control, seat comfort, and noise level. That’s what makes the Envision a far more luxurious and sophisticated ride. Even at the starting configuration.
