Overview & Reviews

The Buick Lucerne was the last sedan of what we'd call traditional Buick design. Without a doubt, this front-wheel-drive, full-size car put passenger comfort as its top priority. Seating was spacious and luxurious front and rear, and Buick's "Quiet Tuning" measures, which covered everything from the thickness of the carpet padding to the design of the windshield wipers, made the Lucerne one of the quieter cars on the market. Soft suspension tuning provided a plush, absorbent ride.

Although this Buick's coddling nature was a strong attribute, consumers looking at used full-size sedans should be aware that the Lucerne has numerous faults, the main ones being a lack of desirable luxury features, sloppy handling, unimpressive V6 acceleration, subpar brakes and a dated four-speed automatic transmission. Traditional Buick buyers may be willing to overlook these faults, but otherwise we think used luxury sedan shoppers can do better with other, more highly regarded choices such as the Hyundai Genesis or Toyota Avalon.

Most Recent Buick Lucerne
The Buick Lucerne full-size sedan was produced from 2006 through 2011. Trim levels initially consisted of the CX, CXL and CXS. Powering the CX and CXL was an underwhelming 3.8-liter V6 good for just 197 horsepower. The more desirable CXS came with a 275-hp, 4.6-liter V8 that was optional for the CXL. The 4.6 could move the big sedan to 60 mph in a respectable 7.7 seconds.

The base CX was well equipped with alloy wheels, full power accessories (including driver seat), a CD player and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls among its standard features. The CXL added larger wheels, rain-sensing wipers, leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control and an MP3-capable stereo with an auxiliary audio jack. The CXS featured driver-seat memory, a Harman Kardon audio system, satellite radio, 18-inch wheels and a Magnetic Ride Control suspension.

The Lucerne was essentially unchanged its sophomore year, while '08 saw the debut of the Super (which replaced the CXS and offered a more powerful 292-hp V8) as well as the adoption of modern technologies such as lane departure and blind-spot warning systems.

For 2009, the 3.8-liter V6 was finally retired as the Lucerne got a new 227-hp (219 hp in California-emissions states) 3.9-liter V6. That year also saw the addition of Bluetooth connectivity. The following two years brought minor styling and equipment updates, though the final year saw stability control become standard across the board.

Mostly unchanged throughout the years, the Lucerne's cabin has a clean design with solid materials and simple, well-organized controls. Unfortunately, there are some cheaper plastics thrown into the mix, and build quality can be inconsistent.

Though the CXS and Super boast adaptive "Magnetic Ride Control" shock absorbers (that automatically firm up the suspension when the car is pushed on a curvy road), the Lucerne still won't appeal to demanding drivers. However, its comfortable cruising demeanor was hard not to like on long road trips. Braking was not one of the Lucerne's strong points, as testing revealed stopping distances that were the longest in the full-size sedan class.

User Reviews:

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  Great value - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By jp - December 20 - 7:10 am

  Rides like a dream, quiet and comfortable. Luxury car for less money that our past Cadillacs or Lexus.

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  Got a lemon - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By mike - December 17 - 4:09 pm

  Puchased 31 of October. Week later antifreeze spilled all over the road. Brought back for service. They replaced thermostat and gasket. Found gas pedal and steering wheel vibrates like a cell phone in vibration mode when going uphill. Four times in dealership, no result. Still vibrates. Dealer replaced motor mounts 2 times. Finaly he gave up and indicated that this is design of the car and nothing can be done. My foot going numb after 2 hours of driving. Going to return this car under lemon law. Very disapointed with Buick. Never buy Buick again!

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  Quality Control At Buick Lacking - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By Ralph Lechner - December 15 - 7:07 pm

  Shortly after taking possesion of our Lucerne, we noticed that the headliner in the front right section was sagging. Dealer inspected the problem and said the headliner had to be replaced since the warp in the headliner could not be repaired. It was also noticed that the headliner felt had "raw",or frayed, and exposed edges both in the front and rear. Certainly, not a very finished look. To replace the headliner the dealership had to remove and replace the front windshield to enable them to get the new headliner into to car.

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  Buy Real American Cars - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By R.G. Dumont - December 15 - 2:39 pm

  Great auto. I get 32+ mpg with great comfort and security. Why buy foreign? More value than competion.

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  My Lucerne - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By jtsummers - December 14 - 5:17 am

  This is the best car I ever owned and I have owned a lot in my 77 years.

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  Lucerne is my choice over Avalon & Azera - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By Robert Forgue - December 10 - 4:38 pm

  If a quiet comfortable ride is priority one, Lucerne CX will exceed expectations! Built on the same platform as Cadillac DTS it isolates the driver from minor road problems, while Avy & Azera do not! The Buick engineers have found the perfect balance between ride comfort and control in the CX model. For those who favor control over comfort the CXL has 17" tires and a firmer suspension yet delivers a great ride that is not harsh. Auto Level is standard(all models) and enhances the ride with any kind of load. The engine and transmission smootly deliver performance as needed,quietly and without a hint of the hesitation mentioned in other new cars. Highway mileage is 30 MPG

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  I love my Lucerne CXS! - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By Marcia - December 9 - 10:35 am

  I absolutely love my Lucerne CXS! Great ride for passengers! Day after day the Lucerne provides a comfortable and pleasing ride. If I do not drive it every day, I miss "Sophie" and she misses me! : ) This truly is an unexpected love affair with my car. I am a past multiple (14years) Chrysler mini-van Mom and was protesting my husbands strong encouragement for the purchase of the Lucerne CXS. (He recalled my delight when sitting in one at the Detroit & Grand Rapids Auto Shows) I continually receive favorable comments and inquiries from friends and complete strangers. (all ages/gender)

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  What a car - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By ibrealfast - December 9 - 5:48 am

  I absolutly love the car! Its great looking and handles like a dream in the mountains. Gas milage is wonderful for a car this size ( over 20 in town and over 30 on the road) and I dont baby it. I did put red line oil products in it like i do everything I drive but the car is in my opinion just great. Ive had 6 Caddys (Devilles) and this car will not only beat them in a race but I think its more comfortable and is aproximately $20,000 msrp cheaper, so how good is that? What a value!

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  New Buick - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By vt boy - December 7 - 4:54 am

  I replaced an E class Mercedes with a Buick Lucerne due to the poor reliability of the Mercedes. The Buick drives as well as the Mercedes with on road mileage almost as good. Only two features of the Buick bother me, the rather large turning circle, and the total lack of style of the rear of the car. Other than that, I am very satisfied with the car.

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  Great road car - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By Fred Latshaw - December 7 - 4:16 am

  This is a great road car, fun to drive and very quiet inside. The seats are very comfortable. Not much left to wish for in a car of this price range. A lot of bang for your buck.