Squint really, really hard and, with just the right back-lighting, just the right soft-focus, Buick’s swoopy-roofed Envista SUV-coupe could, quite possibly, be mistaken for a…Lamborghini Urus.

I’m talking about stying here. Those slender cat’s-eyes headlights, the shark-like nose, angled front-end intakes, and ski-slope swoop of the roof line. Very much like a mini Urus. 

The rest? Er, not so much. As any car-crazy 12-year will tell you, the Lambo SUV comes with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 packing a mighty 789 horseys. Pedal to the metal, it’ll hit 60 from standstill in just 3.4 seconds. 

By comparison, the too-cute Envista makes do with a – wait for it – 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder good for a meager 137 hp. There are Toro ride-on mowers with more muscle. 

Hit the gas hard and you’ll see 0-to-60 mph in a lethargic, get-out-and-push 9.0 seconds. Glaciers move faster.

Yet there is one key metric where the Buick absolutely slam-dunks the Lambo. And that’s price.

Where the Rambo-Lambo kicks off at an eye-watering $252,000, you can drive off the lot in a brand new Envista Preferred from $26,095. 

Even the all-bells-whistles Envista Avenir flagship, with fancy perforated leather seats, 19-inch alloys, and something called a black-ice chrome grille, you’ll only pay a piffling $31,295. That’s $220,705 less than the Lamborghini.

The point here is that during my week spent piloting this cement-colored  Envista Sport Touring, $29,495 or $31,855 nicely-loaded, that cool styling meant that, while I was indeed driving a cheapo econobox, it never once felt like it. 

In fact a couple of times, friends commented “wow, nice car”, or “good-looking ride”. Another shared the usual “Can’t believe that’s a Buick?” no doubt remembering his uncle Waldo’s tank-like ’92 Roadmaster.

OK, that value sticker does mean there are one or two compromises. 

The biggest is no doubt that meagre power output. These days, 137 horseys is, as we Brits like to say, a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic. 

While it’s never an issue cruising around town, head out on to the highway and the little tri-cylinder always feels as if it needs a shot of Red Bull. 

It’s the couple of seconds it takes for the teeny turbo to spool up and deliver its boost. It’s kind of like taking a deep breath before sprinting across the road. 

That said, it is something you do get used to. In my week with the little Envista, I did a drive across state on two-lane Highway 70 over to West Palm. 

At times it was all end-to-end 18-wheelers, and passing them called for a full-focus plan of action. See the (long) gap ahead, mash the accelerator, don’t lift, or breathe, and commit. Talk about a thrill. 

But the Buick’s precise, nicely-weighted steering, confident handling and firm, yet supple ride makes this cute-ute a surprisingly fun ride. 

Nice, responsive six-speed automatic too, which is so much better than the usual droning CVT transmission you get in this class. 

As for the other compromise? The Envista only comes with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive not even an option. Not a problem here in the Sunshine State, but if you plan on heading to Buffalo in January, it might be.

Inside, and behind that thick, flat-bottomed helm, the Envista feels far more upscale and classy than its bargain sticker suggests. Especially when gazing at the lovely, curved-glass 19-inch display.

There’s room here for four, five at a push, in this surprisingly spacious cabin. And despite that ski-slope roofline, headroom in the back is not an issue. Just don’t go looking for a rear seat armrest. Costs have to be cut somehow.

Space for ‘stuff’ is also pretty plentiful, with just over 20 cubic feet with the 60/4-split rear seat in place, and 42 with the seat folded flat. And there’s a nice, big rear tailgate for easy loading.

With so few stylish yet affordable compact crossover SUVs on the market, this Envista is a real stand-out, despite its so-so power and performance. 

I enjoyed it thoroughly and enjoyed just taking-in that rakish design every time I saw it. A Lamborghini Urus, it’s definitely not. But with the right squint…