Overview & Reviews

The Buick Century is a nameplate that was produced for almost half a century. It first appeared in 1936 and ran for six years, then reappeared for four more in 1954. Both of these generations were known for having shorter bodies with V8 engines to create a performance-oriented Buick -- a descriptor that would apply to the reborn Century in 1973. As with so many cars of its time, though, fuel economy regulations and the gas shortage turned the next Buick Century into a tamer, downsized car. For the next 27 years, it would follow along this path, providing affordable, comfortable but not particularly interesting transportation for millions of Americans.

Most Recent Buick Century

The most recent Buick Century was produced from 1997-2005 in a midsize sedan body style only. Like its predecessor, it shared its platform and engine with several other General Motors vehicles, but this Century differed more in terms of styling. Its chief exterior designer said at the time of its introduction, "We purposely avoided anything that could be considered trendy" for a long shelf life. Mission accomplished, as this Century roamed the Earth for nine years in not-so-trendy anonymity.

There was only one engine offered, a 3.1-liter V6 that sent power to the front wheels. This engine initially produced 160 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque, but was upgraded to 175 hp and 195 lb-ft in 2000.

For most of its life, this Century was offered in Custom and Limited trim levels. Both came standard with six-passenger capacity, keyless entry, full power accessories and dual-zone climate control. Items like cruise control, leather upholstery, a sunroof and a power driver seat were early options on both trim levels, and later became standard on the Limited in the 2000s. To commemorate the turn of the actual century, Buick offered a Special Edition package that included a monochrome exterior and special badges.

In terms of safety, items like antilock brakes, traction control, a tire-pressure monitor, front side airbags, OnStar and an integrated child safety seat switched from being standard, optional and not available at various points through the Century's nine-year run. Make sure to examine a used example carefully to be certain that it has the safety equipment you are looking for.

A used Buick Century from this generation is a comfortable car with a very good reliability record, but it has a floaty suspension, unresponsive handling and so-so brakes. In general, most other midsize sedans are a better choice. Even related GM vehicles from Oldsmobile and Pontiac provide better driving dynamics.

Past Buick Century models

The previous Buick Century was made from 1982-'96, with a significant midlife refreshening in 1989. This was an extremely successful car, selling more than 2 million units during its lifespan. It was available in sedan, wagon and coupe body styles, the latter of which was dropped after 1993. Trim levels included Custom, Limited and Special, depending on body style and year. The sedan and coupe were capable of seating six, while the wagon had optional eight-seat capacity with a rear-facing and foldable third-row bench. The wagon could also be had with a forever-classy exterior wood grain vinyl appliqué.

By the time the 1990s rolled around, the Century's standard engine was a 2.5-liter inline-4 making 110 hp and 135 lb-ft of torque. Although horsepower didn't change, the base engine was replaced in 1992 with a 2.2-liter unit that actually lost 5 lb-ft of torque. It was later upgraded to 120 hp in 1994. Most Centurys had the optional V6 that made 160 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. (This engine was standard on the 1996 wagon.) A three-speed automatic transmission was standard, with a four-speed auto optional. A driver airbag and antilock brakes were added as standard equipment in 1994.

So what do we think of this generation of Buick Century? Well, pretty much the same as we did in its final year. "In many states, this design is just a decade away from antique car status. Buick's aging Century has been in production since 1982 and looks like it. Regular updates have barely kept it competitive, and the Century is definitely ready for the crusher. It's slotted smack in the middle of the average American's budget; however, we'd rather spend our money on something whose expiration date wasn't rapidly approaching." More than a decade later, that's still dead-on -- although no state has recognized the Century as an antique car. We can't be right every time.

User Reviews:

• 

  Excellent Value - 2003 Buick Century
  By sargeantcm - November 14 - 2:00 am

  Bought this vehicle as an ex-rental 6 months ago ($14000, 13000 miles), and its been a complete dream. Ive had to spend exactly $0.00 thus far on this car except maintenance. Excellent ride quality and more features than I probably need. This is my first Buick, and Im a third-generation customer. Ill never buy anything else now. I hear it gets alot of bad marks on styling but thats personal preference and it doesnt bother me. Ill take an understated statelier car compared to all those ugly new ones.

• 

  Let the Good Times Roll..... - 2004 Buick Century
  By Matt Long - October 22 - 2:00 am

  This car is fun to drive, extremely quiet, and smooth. I commute to Newport Beach from South Orange County, so I need a nice car to keep my sanity. However, if I need to roar into Vegas, I can cruise going 90 all the way up the 15. So there you have it.

• 

  Good car / good price - 2002 Buick Century
  By pbm - October 22 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car with 11K and now have nearly 30K. No maintenence needed except oil changes. It is very economical averaging 26+ mpg (30 on all highway driving). It is very comfortable but it is not a sports car as far as handling. I would recommend it to any family wanting good,reliable transportation that is comfortable and a little luxurious.

• 

  Glad I bought it! - 2004 Buick Century
  By J. Roy - October 14 - 2:00 am

  So far, its exceeded our expectations. Having traded a 1989 LeSab. Limited w/ over 150,000 miles on it and having no major problems, we figured wed keep the 1989 Park Ave. (over 84,000 trouble free miles) and go for the Century.

• 

  From Rent to Own - 2002 Buick Century
  By KofGeorgia - September 29 - 2:00 am

  I rented one of these old fashioned beauties and decided then and there that I wanted to own one. So far, my 2002 Century has never let me down, either on city and local roads or on interstate highways. It rides like a Buick, handles tightly, and is completely user friendly. One wonders why the folks at General Motors dont put the same conveniences into their LeSabre. For me, Ill stick with my Century. Great car!

• 

  A very reliable car - 1998 Buick Century
  By kjmilton - September 28 - 2:00 am

  It is considered an average car-and I bought it because of good price withuot high expectation on performance. But after 5 years there had been nothing wrong whatsoever, and it has very reasonable performance with an excellent GM 3.1L engine- enough power for a mid-size car. The ride is very comfortable, even more so on the back seat. With all attention on Honda/Toyota, I really think this Buick is second to none in quality.

• 

  buick beats honda - 2002 Buick Century
  By oldtimer - September 27 - 2:00 am

  Nice comfortable car to drive.

• 

  Great Car - 2000 Buick Century
  By N Hogge - September 26 - 2:00 am

  This car has a great ride and the gas mileage is even better. The 3.1 v-6 is the best engine on the market.

• 

  Great Car for the $ - 2003 Buick Century
  By J Jones - September 22 - 2:00 am

  I was skeptical about going back to an American car,but I am very pleased with the Century. The quality of this car is excellent.

• 

  Excellent car for the money! - 2003 Buick Century
  By michelemejia - September 13 - 2:00 am

  We wanted a car that drove like a Lincoln, but didnt cost a ton of money and this car is a dream to drive. Plenty of leg room. Love the passenger/driver comfort controls. Car has been excellent on gas mileage and is driven over 200 miles per day. I would purchase another one in the future.