Overview & Reviews

Owned by General Motors, Buick is one of this country's oldest brands, with a rich tradition of innovation that dates back more than a century. Though long known for catering to retirement-age customers with its full-size sedans, the automaker's lineup now includes SUVs and sport sedans designed to bring younger buyers into the showrooms of Buick dealers.

The company was founded in 1903 by David Dunbar Buick, a Scottish industrialist. He built his first car in 1904; called the Model B, it had a two-cylinder engine with an advanced-for-its-time overhead-valve cylinder head design. In 1907, Buick unveiled its first four-cylinder production car, dubbed the Model D. The following year, the Flint, Michigan-based Buick Motor Company was bought by William C. Durant as part of a new company called General Motors. By 1914, all Buicks were built with six-cylinder engines and purchased primarily by upper-class professionals, thus earning the nickname "doctor's cars."

The manufacturer proved itself a trailblazer in the early 1920s when it introduced four-wheel brakes. This technology had been seen before on custom-built cars, but Buick was the first to figure out how to successfully apply it to mass-produced vehicles. Eight-cylinder Buick cars emerged in the 1930s and became immensely popular; these advanced engines received steady improvements for several years. The '30s also saw Buick's introduction of the industry's first rear turn signal to use a flasher.

Models such as the Estate Wagon and the ever-popular Roadmaster kept Buicks happily ensconced in driveways all across the nation in the 1940s. In 1948, Buick introduced Dynaflow, the first torque converter-type automatic transmission offered in U.S. passenger cars. The 1950s and 1960s witnessed Buick continuing to zoom ahead of the curve; it was among the first to offer vehicles with power brakes and steering, and 12-volt electrical systems. The marque was also behind the introduction of the first American V6 passenger car engine and introduced the Riviera personal luxury coupe in the early '60s.

On the whole, though, Buick had made its name as a manufacturer of stately land yachts such as the Electra 225. To meet the changing times, the automaker downsized its full- and midsize models during the 1970s and began offering compact and midsize sedans for the 1980s. During the latter period and into the '90s, Buick changed things up by introducing the Regal Grand National muscle car and Reatta luxury coupe and convertible. But its core product continued to be luxury sedans aimed at an older audience.

Today, Buick specializes in sedans and crossover SUVs and is modifying its philosophy in the hopes of attracting younger buyers. Luxury and class are still common themes, but newer models have European influences in their handling and ride dynamics. As such, many modern Buicks, such as the compact Verano sedan provide a more entertaining drive and more contemporary styling than people might expect from this "old" nameplate.

User Reviews:

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  WHAT THE FREAK!! - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By EVE - November 15 - 6:07 am

  OK. Single mom of 9 buys a nice "reliable" vehicle to accommodate kids to events, school, shopping, etc. Car had problems from the jump. Dealership replaced Heating/AC system faulty at purchase. Car had a few in between issues covered by warranty. OK, warranty over. Car had starting problems. Im not recession skipped, but mechanics want to get paid to diagnost problems. They say no codes appear. Towed to dealership and they "think" its fuel pump. Want MAJOR money, right? Drove vehicle out to ser station, "Go Figure"! They say not fuel pump, fuel filter rather. Started. Walmart changed air filter. Started and went home. Home, dead again. Is CRAZY a bad thing these days?

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  Not what we expected - 2004 Buick Rendezvous
  By Jonathan - November 14 - 8:05 am

  When originally shopping for our family SUV we never expected wed end up with a Buick Rendezvous. However, after seeing so many SUVs with the boring dark gray interior we finally looked at one and fell in love the with spacious interior, comfortable captain seats and smooth ride. A year into ownership we started experiencing issues. Both wheel bearings went under 60,000 miles costing $400 each. Break pads and rotors had to be changed every 6-9 months because they kept warping (another pricey repair). The handle on the rear hatch door broke as well, making it harder for my wife to close. The nail in the coffin was the transmission starting to slip at just 71,000 miles!

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  Still loving it - 2003 Buick Century
  By MB - November 13 - 2:52 pm

  I bought this car new in 12/02 and it has been great. A few bumps in the beginning repairwise but it was covered under warranty. I have not had any problem in the past 5 years. I drive 100 miles RT for work and it is a great ride. Good gas mileage (33 mph hwy) and dependable.

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  bulletproof - 2003 Buick Regal
  By fast black - November 11 - 6:31 pm

  This car is bulletproof. I dont know if I will live long enough to wear out the motor. Really this is one tough car.

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  My "Views" - 2009 Buick Lucerne
  By Opadave - November 11 - 5:12 pm

  After having this vehicle for about a month, it rides like a dream, except it "wont get out of its own way. There are several concerns that are certainly safety issues. The passenger side headrest virtually blocks the drivers view when trying to see through the rear side window. Front pillar/outside mirror combo on drivers side creates blind spot. Message center display is difficult to see when wearing polarized sunglasses. Same conditions probably exist with all models of this design.

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  2000 Buick Regal 4 Dr GS Sprchgd Sedan - 2000 Buick Regal
  By Duane Nesset - November 10 - 10:53 pm

  I just turned over 200,000 miles today. I bought it slightly used with 4000 miles in late 2000. It has been my commute car for years. I started using synthetic motor oil at 75,000 miles. I use Mobil 1 EP in it. Mileage on long highway drives goes over 25 MPG. It left me on the road only twice. Once with a blown water pump three years ago and more recently, something with the supercharger and I had to cut away the tangled belts and limp to a repair station with no power steering. It is still very sporty and and responsive. Suspension was replaced about 4 years ago. Very reliable over all and now will see it running towards the 300K mark.

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  problem after problem - 1998 Buick LeSabre
  By 1998 buick Lesabre - November 10 - 5:57 pm

  Dealership told me whole engine was blown replaced re built engine for 2,000 dollars. tire rods, brakes, sway bar links and now as of today at 133,00 miles my positioner shaftsensor is out still dont know cost..adding on to that bushings and bearings and possible engiine mount due to transmission..i love this car with all my heart but put in as much money as the same price i actually paid for it..unless u know about cars i would not recommend this car to anybody unless u are willing to put that much time and money into this car

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  LaCrosse LaCrosse - 2007 Buick LaCrosse
  By marymaep - November 9 - 10:27 am

  brought this car with 31,000 from a dealership. with about 40,000 miles it had to be taken in for some sort of air conditioning problem. it stunk when you turned it on. yuck. now im seeming to have a problem turning on the dang car but could be a minor problem. all in all ive been pretty happy with my buick lacrosse besides those things.

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  1st Class all the way - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By Yellow Jacket Fan - November 9 - 9:58 am

  I was growing tired of my Ford Explorer, even though it was only 4 years old. It was starting to cost me money in repairs, and it was becoming a rattle trap. I wanted an upscale vehicle that would seat at least 7 passengers comfortably for hauling kids, but that would still seat adults comfortably in all 3 rows, and would still have some cargo room with the 3rd row up. I didn’t want a mini-van, so I thought I would be stuck with a large SUV like a Suburban or an Expedition, but then I found the Enclave. Looks great, drives great, rides great, and has nice appointments inside and out. I have 6000 miles on it, and have not had a single issue with looks or performance.

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  The whole package at a great price - 2010 Buick LaCrosse
  By Greg Williams - November 8 - 9:23 pm

  Just took delivery of my carbon black CXS with chrome plated wheels and I love it. Im a former Infiniti and BMW owner and I can tell you that the handling and suspension are very solid, even better than I anticipated. The 3.6L engine has plenty of pep and I have found the shifting to be smooth. The seats are very comfortable and the quality of the leather is excellent. If you are into high tech, you will love the entertainment and nav system, blue- tooth entry, remote start, back up camera, and hands-free calling. I also ordered the heads up display, which is one of my favorite features and is completely adjustable in location, intensity, and screen features.