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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  Outstanding Car - 2005 Buick Century
  By Jeff Everman - August 13 - 10:13 pm

  This vehicle is one of the very best cars that I have purchased and I highly recommend it to anyone!

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  A New Kind of Buick - 2005 Buick LaCrosse
  By BadgerBuick - August 11 - 11:46 pm

  An outstanding vehicle in performance, quality and styling. The CSX model is a Buick that should appeal to all kinds of drivers. Young people that drove mine loved it and wished that they could have one. Buick has to change the focus of its advertising, stressing the performance and styling of the LaCrosse. It looks a lot better than the Honda, Nissan and Toyota "luxury" clones. These all look alike, exterior and interior. There seems to be more of a difference between owner and "expert" evaluations for the LaCrosse than for most other cars. Owners love it, "experts" rate it so-so. The experts must have an image of the "average age of 65" Buick owner embedded in their mind.

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  Car of the Year - 2005 Buick LaCrosse
  By John Henry Doakes - August 11 - 11:07 pm

  Im disappointed in mileage, in town and on the road. Car has not loosened up yet, but hope it will do better than 16 mph.

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  2005 Terraza - 2005 Buick Terraza
  By Ken - August 11 - 5:46 pm

  This is my 1st minivan. I bought it so my 5 (soon to be 7) grandchildren could fit. I was impressed by the price, compared to Mercury & Chrysler, it was about $5,000 less. The car is very quiet (no need to shout so the people in the 3rd row can hear). The ride is super smooth, even in the 3rd row. All the seating is comfortable with plenty of leg room. I sat in all the rear seats before buying it, and was impressed by the passenger comfort (my sons & daughter are very tall, and they liked it). I wouldnt have bought the DVD at extra cost, but now Im glad its there...and my grandchildren are even happier. OnStar is a great necessity, especially for emergencies.

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  So far, sooooo Good - 2010 Buick LaCrosse
  By John - August 10 - 5:00 pm

  OK, its only been a week. So far, 23 mpg in mixed driving. This car holds the pavement excellently, The seats are VERY comfortable, all the controls are plainly labeled and easy to use, which makes the touch screen very easy to use. Car is very quiet, but the Goodyear Eagles arent, transmitting road noise to the cabin from the pavement. All the materials in and on the car are top notch, and have a high quality feel to them.

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  Our Allure CX - 2005 Buick LaCrosse
  By N. Popovic - August 10 - 4:43 pm

  Great value, design and style, evolution and improvement comparing to earlier Buicks. Being 37, I found this one much more appealing to younger drivers but still with the famous smooth ride and Buick quality and reliability. Superb ride and build quality, style, quietness and handling, car has enough power with good old 3.8L engine and expected fuel economy and better brakes and suspension. Long story short - really great car!

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  Love Buicks - 2005 Buick LeSabre
  By J. Steele - August 10 - 12:41 am

  After happily owning a Buick Century since 1998, I am now the proud owner of a new LeSabre. The ride and interior comfort are incredible and the gas mileage has been extremely impressive so far. It will be difficult not to run the mileage up on this car! Almost forgot about the sleek exterior styling - I like finding my car in the parking lot.

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  Ds review - 2005 Buick LaCrosse
  By Donn - August 8 - 2:56 pm

  I love this new car. The only item with a problem was a brake sensor recall. I am not completely satisfied as the brakes still seem to grab and are not as smooth as I would like although they do stop well.

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  Enjoying my new Rendezvous - 2005 Buick Rendezvous
  By tablescape - August 8 - 11:07 am

  I am very happy with my new utlra Rendezvous. I am glad I have the bigger engine and the heads up display. I was surprised by how much I like the extras like the heads up and XM radio. The radio controls on the steering wheel and the display of the station on the windshield let me change the stations and keep my eyes on the road. My daughter loves the back seat radio with headsets. The mirrors are big and were a little hard to get used to but they are very helpful especially how they tilt down for parking. I am very careful in drivethru windows.

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  Summer Ride - 2006 Buick Terraza
  By Lester Wright - August 6 - 1:11 pm

  Rides very well under all conditions. The feel is more like a large luxury automobile. The comments from other drivers are all very positive to I am going to buy one. I found that on long trips my back did hurt or my body felt tired at all. I would recommend this van to any looking to buy a van.