Overview & Reviews

When a carmaker reskins an existing car as a more upscale model, the result traditionally offers little to recommend it over the less expensive corporate twin. This is decidedly not the case with the Buick Verano. Although it's based on the Chevy Cruze, this entry-level Buick is bolstered with more than a few key upgrades.

In addition to more sophisticated styling and a nicer interior, the Buick Verano also boasts a larger engine, a quieter ride and the availability of luxury features not offered on the Chevy. It all comes together harmoniously, as the Verano is a good example of Buick's efforts to produce more modern and engaging vehicles that maintain the style, comfortable ride and quiet cabin expected of the brand.

Current Buick Verano
The Verano is a compact luxury sedan that comes standard with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 180 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque. It drives the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. A 250-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is also available, and it's definitely the more appealing engine as it provides much better acceleration with a minuscule fuel economy drop. Six-speed automatic and manual transmissions are available with it.

There are four trim levels: base, Convenience, Leather and Premium. Highlights of the base Verano include 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth (phone and audio streaming), a six-speaker sound system, OnStar telematics and Buick's Intellilink electronics interface and smartphone integration. The Convenience Group adds features including rear parking sensors, heated front seats, a power driver seat and a variety of driver warning systems (blind-spot, forward-collision, lane-departure and rear cross-traffic). The Leather Group adds keyless ignition and entry, a heated steering wheel,  leather upholstery and a Bose audio upgrade. Finally, the Premium Group is exclusive to the Turbo model and combines the Leather and Convenience features with a rear spoiler. A sunroof is optional on all Verano models, and a navigation system is optional on all except the base.

In reviews we've been impressed by the Buick Verano's precise steering and surprisingly athletic handling. Performance is more than adequate for daily driving, but the 2.4-liter is underwhelming for an entry-level premium sedan. The Turbo model is the better choice. One of the Verano's greatest strengths, however, is its compliant and quiet ride quality. Whether on a thousand-mile road trip or just running errands around town, the Buick Verano is pleasant for drivers and passengers alike.

The Buick Verano's handsome cabin provides room for four adults (though legroom in back is a bit tight for tall folks) and the overall fit and finish is on par with other entry-level luxury sedans. This Buick also offers leading-edge technology via its Intellilink system that allows streaming Internet radio like Pandora and Stitcher. Operation of Intellilink and other systems is intuitive thanks to a sharp, standard touchscreen and (admittedly abundant) accompanying buttons.

Used Buick Verano Models
The Verano debuted in 2012. In 2014, safety features such as forward-collision and lane-departure warning systems were added to the options lineup and heated front seats became standard on all Veranos except the base model.

User Reviews:

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  GREAT AUTOMOBILE - 2015 Buick Verano
  By howard - July 27 - 8:13 am

  I am 64", i have plenty of leg room. Beautiful riding car. Easy to read all the different things on the dashboard.plenty of trunk space. It is a very large trunk. Has the rar back up camera. Very helpful.

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  Cool compact Car - 2014 Buick Verano
  By Lane Benda - July 11 - 4:15 pm

  Good looking car for old or young. Great inside, really looks good. Nice quite ride. Good road handling. Poor MPG, but not all that bad. My av. has been getting better with more use. Large trunk for a compact car. Have 5,000 plus on car. no problems. Info ctr. is great, all new safety features are great also. I really like this car.

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  Do not overlook - 2015 Buick Verano
  By michaeldaytona - May 12 - 11:22 pm

  Car is 4 clyr. awesome gas mileage came with all the features and safety features even heated steering wheel. Care has all the lane and departure and safety features you could need, very helpful on the interstate.

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  Nice car with a few disappointments - 2012 Buick Verano
  By Dennis Lovejoy - April 4 - 8:16 pm

  There are 42,000 miles on the car. Its comfortable, very quiet, handles well, and seem to be very solid! Minor complaints are that it had a defective battery, black soot discolors the white car around the tailpipe, and the ventilation system emits a bad odor whenever it rains or the humidity is high. The Buick dealership has the car now to fix the ventilation system. If they cant fix it, its so bad, well get rid of the car.

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  Not worth it - 2015 Buick Verano
  By standonit - March 24 - 5:03 pm

  I have been driving this Verano for 3 weeks. Thankfully, it is a company car. I would never buy it. Do not try to put adults in the rear seats. There is not enough leg room. The trunk lid does not open enough. I have to bend way over to keep from hitting my head on the trunk lid...OUCH! When I adjust the steering to a comfortable level, it blocks out the temperature and fuel gauge, and the top of the speedometer. Finally, this car likes fuel for a 4cyl engine. I am averaging 26-27mpg over a combination of interstate and rural US highways. Again, thankfully, this is a company car.

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  Do not over look this model - 2015 Buick Verano
  By daytonamichael - March 22 - 9:21 pm

  This car may look small. but it has a lot going for it, 4 cylinder is perfect for Florida, since its flat and easy on the gas, navigation is easy to use, as well. Long with Lane Departure and Lane assist.

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  GMC recall letter for frontend problem - 2015 Buick Verano
  By Philip Jones - March 10 - 11:48 am

  Took car to Dealer for this recall problem ( steering wheel not centered and auto drifts to the left.)It still has the problem and even after a test drive, the auto rep said the problem was not their concern.

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  Quiet, nice, comfortable - 2013 Buick Verano
  By dbkfounder - November 11 - 8:58 am

  I have had the Verano for two years now, and have put approximately 30,000 miles. Never had a single issue. The MPG is as it is stated in the sticker, get 32 mpg on highway 70 mph. The exterior design is elegant, quality is excellent. The seats are very comfortable, and you cant find a quieter car in this size. If your do a lot of highway driving, and gas & comfort is essential, you cant go wrong with this car.

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  Nice daily driver - 2012 Buick Verano
  By creaseys - October 11 - 6:59 pm

  I bought a 2012 Verano base with 11k to drive back and forth to work and I must say I have been very pleased. First, the front seats have tons of room, which is hard to find for someone my size. I am about 62 and weigh 400lbs and I have plenty of room with the only exception being the floorboard area not having much extra space for my feet. I have noticed some reviews saying they get poor gas mileage and I cont see how thats possible. I am averaging 29.9 mpg with about 25% city driving and I am what you would call a "lead footed" driver. Plus my weight doesnt help gas mileage at all and I have been able to average 32.5 mpg driving on country roads.

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  Cant beat the value on this luxury car - 2013 Buick Verano
  By jazh - July 20 - 10:03 am

  Never thought I would own a Buick but after test driving midsize after midsize and finding significant issues with each one, I decided to try this car after reading the positive reviews. After 5 minutes in the turbo, I knew this was going to be the one. All of the bells and whistles on a turbo sedan for less than $30K out the door is just a phenomenal deal. You really have to try hard to find even minor issues on this car. Limited rear leg room is not an issue for me.