I drove a $29,000 Buick Envista Sport Touring. It’s an impressive, affordable small SUV with upscale looks.

The Envista’s front fascia draws heavily from Buick’s recent Wildcat EV concept car and features thin “wing”-shaped LED running lights flanking the brand’s newly redesigned Tri-Shield logo. The crossover’s actual headlights are lower down, straddling its large mesh grille.

The Envista’s exhaust is hidden neatly behind the bumper. I’m glad Buick’s designers resisted the urge to employ large faux chrome exhaust tips that have become increasingly common on everything from mainstream family SUVs to luxury cars.

At 182 inches long, the Envista is roughly seven inches longer than the VW Taos and Toyota Corolla Cross. It’s almost a foot longer than the Mazda CX-30.

All Envistas are powered by a 1.2-liter, turbocharged, direct-injected three-cylinder engine that produces 137 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque.

The turbo three, shared with the Chevrolet Trax, is mated to a shiftable six-speed automatic transmission.

The Envista is front-wheel-drive only and does not offer an all-wheel-drive option.

My Envista ST test car boasted EPA fuel economy figures of 28 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined. I was able to easily achieve 30 mpg in mixed driving during my time with the Buick.

The Envista delivered a solid driving experience with confident, composed handling and a quiet, comfortable ride.

My only complaint is that 1.2-liter engine could use more power to haul around the 3,000-lb SUV.

The 137 horsepower turbocharged, three-cylinder under the hood emits a surprisingly pleasant noise and is plenty peppy for a relaxing jaunt around town.

However, the engine lacks the muscle for anything beyond that.

Fill the Envista with passengers or cargo, and you’ll immediately feel the little engine struggle; throttle response feels lethargic, and there’s noticeable turbo lag.

Spirited runs up highway onramps are similarly challenging for the powertrain.

According to Motor Trend, the Buick Envista ST can do 0-60mph in a relaxed 9.4 seconds.

The Envista’s front seats offered good lumbar and thigh support but lacked adjustability.

The Envista’s eight-inch digital display looks good but lacks the configurable layouts found in screens on GM’s pricier offerings.

The single-zone climate control system’s clearly labeled buttons and dials are pretty much idiot-proof.

With 38.7 inches of legroom, the Envista offers 2.5 inches more than the Mazda CX-30 and six inches more than the Toyota Corolla Cross.

Even with the raked roofline, headroom is more than adequate for most adults.

The Envista’s 60/40 split rear bench seats can fold down, expanding cargo capacity to 42 cubic feet.

The Envista ST comes standard with the Buick Driver Confidence Package, which includes IntelliBeam headlamps, a following distance indicator, forward collision alert, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and front pedestrian braking.

To add adaptive cruise control, lane change alert with side blind zone alert, and rear cross-traffic alert, you’ll have to spend $595 on the Advanced Safety Package.

I genuinely didn’t know what to expect when Buick dropped off my Envista test car.

The Buick brand has long struggled to shake its image as the hulking mass of Americana your grandmother drove to church on Sundays.

But the look and feel of the Envista say something very different.

It’s sleek, stylish, and modern.

Not to mention, it’s also a compact SUV made in Korea.

I found the Envista to be a delight. It’s comfortable, looks great, its tech works well, and has plenty of cargo room.

But what’s most astonishing about the Envista is that Buick has delivered this in such an affordable package.

With a starting price of just $22,400, the Envista isn’t just cheap for a Buick; it’s one of the most affordable cars on sale in the US.

To me, it’s an ideal fit for a young family looking for style and utility at a price that won’t break the bank.

So, no, this isn’t your grandma’s Buick anymore. It’s a Buick for someone’s future grandma.