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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  Lucerne is the Best - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By Dave - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I wanted a large car with a soft confy ride on all roads. Glad I bought this car. Tons of room, seating for Fit and finish is great. I had a Lexus rice burner and truly prefer the Buick Lucerne Bigger and better

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  Outstanding fit and finish - 2008 Buick Lucerne
  By Steve R - October 8 - 2:00 am

  The standard engine power is okay, but a little more would be better. The handling characteristics are better than expected, although the suspension could be a bit tighter.

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  complaint - 2010 Buick Lucerne
  By JIM - September 8 - 12:57 pm

  I get a wind noise (whistle) from drivers window. Dealer said it was design of outside mirror and cant do anything about it. Noise from engine is caused from fuel injectors according to dealer. Drives me nuts!!!! I love the car except for these two items and Im stuck with buying a brand new car with bugs they wont fix.

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  Unsatisfied - 2010 Buick Lucerne
  By Marie - September 5 - 2:56 pm

  I recently got a rental Lucerne and it is not good. The gas mileage is bad. It has too many buttons in the inside to set things how you want them. The radio system is bad. If I had to buy one I would rather walk.

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  Best car I have ever owned - 2008 Buick Lucerne
  By Ted Strickland - September 4 - 6:07 pm

  this Sep 4 2010 this car has been back to dealer for oil changes only. Its a little big for my taste for then the others were too small

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  Great car, but for drivers seat - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By tament - August 3 - 4:47 pm

  I owned this car for 3 years and absolutely loved it. The only, and I mean only, drawback was the drivers seat was a little uncomfortable. Im a big man and it just wasnt enough seat for me. The back seat was like a limo. Performance was top notch. I never had a single problem with this car. I bought it used and it had been owned by Avis rental and had 32k miles its first year. Then I bought it and put another 35k on it the next two years before opting for a new convertible. However, I did have second thoughts before trading this car because it was a gem. If you are in the market for an a+ sedan this is it.

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  Column or console - 2010 Buick Lucerne
  By den - July 26 - 6:09 pm

  Ive been very satisfied with the Lucerne. I havent noticed any noise problems on mine but I have long legs and I buy cars with column shifts. I wonder if Ricks models have had console shifts.

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  Best ever owned - 2008 Buick Lucerne
  By Peter - July 22 - 5:21 pm

  I have owned many cars from many makes but my 2008 Lucerne is the best car that I have ever owned. It rides better than any car in its price range. The handling is great for such a large car. No it does not handle like a German car but does not ride like crap over potholes either. No problems at all. The 3800 engine and automatic are among the high quality from any make. I hope to drive this car for the next 20 years.

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  My 2010 Buick Lucerne - 2010 Buick Lucerne
  By jderosa@frontier.com - July 3 - 9:13 pm

  Overall I like the Lucerne. This is my second one and prior to the Lucerne I drove the LeSabre. Prior to buying Buicks I had driven Pontiacs for 25 years. i feel that the Lucerne is a very good value for the money.

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  Love it, buying another - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By 5bucks - June 26 - 9:56 pm

  Comfort in the back seat for clients. Comfortable seats Love driving it but have to watch my speed. Its a smooth drive & you dont realize how fast you go. Nice design. Been stopped & had people comment on it.