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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  08 Super Value with Lousy Fuel Economy - 2008 Buick Lucerne
  By kgm - January 28 - 3:58 pm

  Got a great deal on a leftover new Super ($31.7k out the door) when my 07 DTS was pulled ahead by GM. Ride has softened somewhat with break-in, but the magnetic ride control is still firmer than in my DTS. Knew I would have to replace the standard Bridgestone tires in order to make the ride acceptable. Replaced tires with Goodyear Assurance Comfortreds (235/55/18) which adds about 1/2 inch to the tires diameter and about 1/4 inch to the cars ride height. The tires made a big difference when compared to the hard riding and noisy Bridgestones. The car, at 2,600 miles, gets about 18 mpg combined vs. 20 mpg with the DTS. This may be due to the performance tuning and the final drive ratio.

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  Luxo-cruiser that can gallop - 2008 Buick Lucerne
  By skyhawk - January 12 - 5:18 pm

  Currently own 7 vehicles and decided it was time to update my people hauler a 97 Park Avenue. Picked the car up in Texas and followed my brother (a current Lexus and Volvo and prior Mercedes owner) and his quote "I love it, the most awesome car I have ever driven". A good friend who is a SCCA licensed instructor drove and quote Man this is a Vette with a back seat. My impression: The V8 fumbles just enough without being intrusive,interior is spacious and eye appealing and I have yet to find the body roll or the brake fade the "reviewer" mentions. Comparing to another friends Bimmer 5 series it is quicker, quiter, and handles as well. CXS a luxo-cruiser that can gallop.

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  Uncomfortable - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By bob hudson - January 3 - 7:33 am

  The car gives 28 miles per gallon. The seats are very uncomfortable. We have to use cushions to drive it. Cant see the speedometer in the daytime. It should be brighter (still a nice car). Trunk could be bigger

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  Great Performance, Comfort, and Value - 2008 Buick Lucerne
  By E D P - January 1 - 9:36 am

  I bought the Lucerne CXS after shopping higher end cars (Mercedes, Jag) and feel that I got a better car for about half the price. The NorthStar V8 engine is smooth and has more power than you could ever need. I get 19mpg town/26mpg hwy. The magnetic ride control suspension and 18" wheels make for tight, sporty handling around town and a smooth, sure footed ride on the Interstate. The interior is incredibly quiet, well laid out, and the materials are soft. The leather bucket seats are the most comfortable seats Ive ever been in and between the seat adjustments and tilt/telescoping steering wheel the car is able to be adjusted to comfortably accommodate both me, Im 61", and my wife, 53".

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  Lucerne is worthy of return to American - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By jsieks - December 20 - 10:16 pm

  MY Lucerne is beautiful! The styling is exquisite, color [sagemist] is an eyecatcher. The response,when pressing the accelerator, is very satisfying. The average mileage fuel consumption is about 20 [city and highway]. That is about 5 mpg less than the stated mileage on the new car window. GM has pressed the right buttons when producing this car.

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  Love my Lucerne! - 2008 Buick Lucerne
  By Fussy in Oregon - December 18 - 8:26 pm

  In 06 we traded in a high mileage Park Avenue for a Chev Malibu which I regretted from day one. This year that car was traded in for a Lucerne and all is well again! The fit and finish, quietness and comfort are even better than the old Park Ave. It is solid and so very inviting to drive.

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  Buick Lucerne - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By robtgd52 - December 16 - 11:52 am

  Excellent car. Why would anyone buy an export car when we can buy this car. Ive had many cars in the past and this is by far the best Ive ever owned. This is the car GM should of built years ago, they wouldnt be in the mess theyre in.

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  Buick Lucerne - 2008 Buick Lucerne
  By Ted Strickland - December 6 - 10:12 am

  This car is far & away the best car I have ever owned, so far so good! The only fault is the speedometer is hard to read in daylight, and the visors have no extensions and Im told none are available. Its too bad GM had to wait this long to build this type of quality in a car.

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  Poor Seat Comfort - 2008 Buick Lucerne
  By Richard Smith - November 30 - 8:01 pm

  I am a 30 year Buick owner. Lucerne - the seat design engineer must have been an idiot or it is the first seat he has designed. The padding on each side of the seat is totally insufficient. Furthermore, the side of the seat is too high which results in the seat bottoming on the side of the seat frame, making a totally poor comfort. Otherwise, I am totally satisfied with my Lucerne CXL.

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  Concerns - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By David - November 10 - 12:19 am

  Overall the car is good but there are some concerns. When I drive beyond 50 mph the car starts to fishtail the steering increases in play and is not as responsive. The car lacks basic performance and sounds like the transmission struggles when accelerating. The car is very comfortable and smooth but this should not be at the expense of basic performance.