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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  Beware of car value after purchase - 2002 Buick Regal
  By elmoblatch@yahoo.com - January 10 - 2:00 am

  The car has very little back seat room. Also, if you are financing the purchase, you better buy Gap insurance as the trade-in & private party sale values drop like a stone as soon as you drive it off the lot.

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  2002 Century Custom SE - 2002 Buick Century
  By joewill - January 8 - 2:00 am

  My first good impressions of this car have gradually degraded to disillusionment. I still like the good performance for such a small economical engine but the noise gets irritating sometimes. Not just the roar of the accelerating engine, but the whine of the drivetrain when slowing down. The smooth ride on well maintained main roads changes to choppy, bouncy and ungainly on secondary roads and the suspension bottoms out with alarming thuds on potholes. My Corolla did better. A/C vents dont adjust upward enough to remove a layer of hot air at forehead level.

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  Buick Lesabre Risks and Benefits - 2000 Buick LeSabre
  By Kern Barrow - January 5 - 2:00 am

  I really wanted to like this car but it has some annoying problems and I would suggest the purchase of a extended warranty. Problems, Power steering hose had to be replaced$150.00 Heated seats malfunction,power windows $675.00,check engine light comes on,cracked o-rings on fuel ejectors,$100,rattles in door and dash and last but not least to replace any rear lightbulb 12 nuts be removed using a special tool!

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  Excellent Performance Sedan - 1993 Buick Regal
  By golden_boy - December 31 - 2:00 am

  The 3.8L V6 this cars has offers great performance on the highway, though could use some better acceleration from a dead stop. Car is 10 years old, and there isnt one spot of rust on it, engine and tranny still run like new.

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  The Flash - 2005 Buick Park Avenue
  By K.F. - December 30 - 3:06 am

  I bought the P.A.Ultra with touring package (used) after owning a similar older Park Ave, which I grew to love. This car is a dream and the fuel injection gives it amazing power. The touring package makes handling very tight and responsive. The car is a TOTAL driving experience:great sound system, luxury comfort:walnut interior trim, leather seats, power everything, sunroof etc. It shows what American engineering can produce if it wants to. I hope the new model Buicks can carry on this fine tradition, but Id be surprised.This is a real car!

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  Great Car - Highly underated - 2000 Buick Century
  By mikeAZ - December 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Buick Century in 2/00 and, as a 40-somethings person with Lexus tastes and driving style, I was scratching my head the day after I bought this car instead. What did I do? I just bought a "Buick"! I have to say, now that my 3 year leas is up, Im going to miss this car. The leather interior, soft but powerful ride (especially up hills), and reliability as good as my last two Camrys took us on several long road trips where we kept marvelling about how this car kept selling us. We never got tired of this car or riding in it. Great job GM!

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  very good car! - 1993 Buick LeSabre
  By utoutlaw8 - December 29 - 2:00 am

  very good car,the next car I buy will be the same kind.very dependable car.

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  I loved this car - 1990 Buick Century
  By juliette - December 26 - 2:00 am

  I had this car for 6 years, and I had very little problems with it, but the key is to keep up with the oil changes, and so on. It is a cheap costing car that gets you from A to B with about a problem. If you do not car about the lack of frills, then this car is for you.

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  Buy This Car - 1996 Buick Riviera
  By Mr. Patrick - December 25 - 2:00 am

  This is one of the most comfortable cars ever made. The ride is smooth and bumps are hardly felt. Power supplied by the 3800 V6 is fast and responsive. The seats are like leather couches that hold and support the body. The car may look long but it can corner well and fuel economy is great. I have a white "Rivi" with chrome wheels and after a fresh waxing and some polish on the rims - this car turns heads!! I am completely satisfied with this GM car.

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  Awesome Engine, Decent Car - 1998 Buick Regal
  By Sebastian0622 - December 20 - 2:00 am

  I have owned my Regal for over a year. I am very happy with the performance-- straight ahead performance is great for a sedan and leaves annoying sport compacts in the dust--and also happy with comfort and powertrain reliability. There have been too many minor problems however...I wish GM would spend the extra dollars to buy higher quality interior and amenity equipment. Power window switches keep dying on me, the heated seats malfunctioned and burned the leather, the console has some sort of rubber coating that is peeling off...etc. Overall, I love my Regal but I must admit that while the stuff under the hood is bulletproof, the rest is mediocre.