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:

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  Best kept secret on the road. - 2004 Buick Century
  By dschultz - June 4 - 1:44 pm

  I used this car for as comuter car. I have 100k on the car now, never missed a beat. One set of tires and front brakes is all I have done. Way quieter than a Camry and 30+ mpg. It is the best car I have ever owned. Would highly recommend the Buick to anyone who wants miles of trouble free service and great gas mileage for a larger car.

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  Awesome car for the price! - 1998 Buick Century
  By jessica - May 15 - 10:11 pm

  I purchased this car with 75,000 miles on it. Since then I have put 43k on it myself, and now have 118k miles on it. The only things I have done to this car so far is brakes and oil changes. This car has never broken down on me! Which means a lot because I have driven some lemons and had constant problems in the past. I have never had any mechanical issues except the heater-- at 115k it would only blow on high. The gas mileage isnt the greatest for it being a car, but other than that, very smooth ride, exceptionally reliable, the car looks brand new and I only paid $4,000 for it used. Well worth the value!

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  Dependability with nice style - 2002 Buick Century
  By mimi - May 1 - 2:48 pm

  Dependable car for the money. Drives like a sports car. Good passing car, also has nice style and integrity.

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  Dependability plus - 1997 Buick Century
  By Bignorm - April 25 - 8:18 am

  Owned this car for 10 years and still looks and drives great. Had to replace intake gasket and ABS module, $1,000 repairs a couple of years ago. Put on aftermarket wheels 6 yrs ago and Reggata II tires. Just had the car detailed. The cloth seats had picked up a couple cups of coffee. I had the seats pulled for thorough cleaning, pulled the carpet and cleaned, tefloned the outside. I like the good seating and do not like leather. The car looks and runs like new, looking to run it at least 2 more years. Consistant 20mpg back and forth to work in city traffic.

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  2005 Buick Century Special Edition - 2005 Buick Century
  By George from KC. - March 17 - 3:05 pm

  This car has been an excellent performing car. The Special Edition Package sets it off. The leather interior, dual automatic temperature controls, and chrome wheels are great and generally found only in more expensive automobiles. Never a reliability problem. Mileage runs 23- 25 city and 30-32 highway. May not do quite that well with an ethanol mix, but still close.

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  Stans Report - 1997 Buick Century
  By Stan - January 24 - 8:39 pm

  This car has been very reliable, and very economical to operate. I now have 62284 original miles on it. I buy new ones when I reach 60000....This car delivers 35, yes 35 miles per gallon on the highway--really hard for me to believe also. It is in pristine condition. A good wash job is all that is needed to put her back on the showroom floor. The ride is very smooth, as it must be that special something Buick has done with its suspension.

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  Great car - 2003 Buick Century
  By sherman - January 7 - 2:16 pm

  Excellent mileage, excellent ride. I have had no problems with this car. Oil has been changed at 3000 mile intervals

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  Great Car! - 2004 Buick Century
  By Scott22 - December 30 - 8:15 am

  Ive owned my 2004 Century for 5 months and Im very pleased. I intended on purchasing a Honda Accord and stumbled onto this Buick so I gave it a test drive. I was truly surprised, The comfort, quiet and ride quality both in town and on the highway is unlike anything Ive experienced. The biggest surprise is the gas millage, I ve experienced near 28 MPG in town and over 34 on the highway. This is better than the Accords 4 cylinder. The depreciation was double that of the Honda and subsequently over half the cost for the same year vehicle. It was a easy decision, Im very pleased with the car and expect many years of satisfied driving. I highly recommend a late model Century.

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  Its excellent for college student - 1998 Buick Century
  By Garrick - December 1 - 12:18 pm

  This car has been my main source of transportation and it has been easy to maintain my service. Parts are cheaper than others. Comfortable drive on the highway. I have had a couple of check engine lights come however, it was for a reason such as spark plugs needing to be change. When I purchased the car it had 144,000 miles now it has 183000. Still drives good w/o noise, rattling or nothing. When I brought it i put new shocks and struts and engine mounts & transmission mounts. Thats all. Did regular service such as oil change and throttle body service, change air filter, oil filter after oil change but thats all.

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  Buick Century - 2001 Buick Century
  By J. Hawk - September 7 - 3:10 pm

  This has been the best and most dependable vehicle I have ever owned. After almost 6 years of ownership, I have not had any mechanical problems. The only defect has been a window motor. I plan to purchase another Buick as a result of my experience with this car.