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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  Great minivan alternative! - 2006 Buick Rendezvous
  By luv our vous - January 5 - 8:54 pm

  We have a Cardinal Red AWD CXL, and we love it! If youre looking for an alternative to a minivan, the Rendezvous is it! We have had 2 minivans prior to this, but our children are now in college, so the Rendezvous is a perfect fit for our lives now. The AWD is wonderful to have on snow and ice, and makes a real difference in handling. Our only real complaint concerns the very tall front seat headrests. They are rather difficult to see around-you really need to turn around to see sufficiently when backing up. Other than that, the Rendezvous is very comfortable, handles and rides like a car, and is very quiet. We love it!

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  1994 Regal Limited Sedan - 1994 Buick Regal
  By Itamar2000 - January 3 - 11:48 pm

  This Regal Limited has great style and its exterior design still looks contemporary and elegant as compared to other Buick models from the same year. The interior is very well equipped. It is extremely comfortable for an average family of four members or for a college student looking for reliability and dependability. It is by no means a gas saver since it is factory equipped with a V6 3.8TL engine, but if you can afford the gas prices you wont be disappointed with its performance. Although, slightly sluggish at pick up, once you get it rolling it drives smoothly and quietly. This is the first time I own a Buick and I do not regret my decision to buy the vehicle.

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  Very surprised - 2005 Buick Terraza
  By Rob - January 3 - 8:27 pm

  I never heard of a Terraza until I found a used one on the the lot of my local Chevy dealer. The vehicle had 13,000 miles on it and was showroom new. It had everything i was looking for and I was hooked after the test drive. It rides smooth and has plenty of power. The 3.5L engine is not going to blow anyones doors off, but it cruises effortlessly at 80 mph. The interior and exterior styling are very sharp and it has plenty of standard options like dual climate control power sliding doors, power seats and a dvd player. I have not noticed any of the problems indicated in other reviews such as lack of room, power, or road noise that interferes with conversations. It rides like a Caddy!

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  Amazing SUV! - 2006 Buick Rainier
  By Holly - January 3 - 11:03 am

  This car is the best! My husband and I bought it for the room, safety features and comfort. We will be starting a family soon and this car is great. My friend bought one because she loved driving in mine so much.

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  Buick LaCrosse 2006 - 2006 Buick LaCrosse
  By LaCrosse CX - January 1 - 3:07 pm

  I enjoy my LaCrosse on the open road she gets good fuel mileage. Also very comfortable driving. No back problems with this one. Dont feel the bumps as much with this one. It is quiet inside. The coefficant drag is good in my opinion. Nice curves and good looks as well. I like the sound system you can adjust to differant types of music. good seating. Easy steering, good maintainability Not a lot of clutter under the hood. The engine could be much quieter than it is. Hope next model year this will improve. I hope for the Stabilitrac in future.

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  Great Van!! - 2006 Buick Terraza
  By Chuck McCarter - December 29 - 5:43 pm

  My wife and I have 4 young children and this is our first mini van. We looked at the other vans but kept coming back to the Buick and are very pleased with it. We have the CXL with all the options the kids love it. The engine is the 3.9 and my wife and I love the performance, its more than we expected from a mini van. The van is quiet and the longer warranty is proof to me that GM products are as good as any.

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  Car review - 2005 Buick LaCrosse
  By Randi - December 29 - 1:36 pm

  This car drives very smoothly over any bump in the road. Its great with gas. Turns very nicely, the brakes work great and it has great pick up.

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  Lexus Who? - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By 27 year old Fan - December 29 - 1:26 pm

  I spent a week in the Lucerne over the holidays. Two words: First-Class. The vehicle is large, but drives and feels like my mid-sized car. Smooth power all the way and car is so quiet that people on cellphone didnt realize I was calling from the car! The seats are so comfortable and supportive they feel like my overstuffed chair at home. Fit- and-Finish are superb. I stopped at a gas station and two total strangers commented to me on the looks of the car (both were over 40 however). My wife drives an 03 Lexus ES300. I use to refer to her car as the Smoothie Queen because its a very smooth comfortable ride. With this new Lucerne a new day has begun.

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  I like my Buick LaCrosse at 2,600 miles - 2006 Buick LaCrosse
  By Wayne Knapp - December 28 - 8:31 pm

  Smooth riding auto, like a Buick should be. Floats a little, but not too much. Handles well but not like a Saab. My best gas mileage is about 27 mpg, is a little better if I do not use the cruise control. Probably drops 1-2 mpg on cruise control. Excellent braking and smooth shifting.

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  Love This Car - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By JEFF IN TX - December 28 - 3:40 am

  I have only had the car for two weeks and absolutly love it. It has great comfort and plenty of power for me. I traded in a Lincoln town car and couldnt be happier. I would advise anyone to test drive this car if your looking for comfort and safety.