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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  2004 Buick Rendezvous - 2004 Buick Rendezvous
  By mellowsong - June 15 - 12:40 pm

  I absolutely love this vehicle. It has been virtually trouble free since purchase, is extremely comfortable for me (I have a severe back injury) and has plenty of get up and go. My only complaint is gas mileage, but I knew that when I bought it. I actually get better than stated. I would recommend this to anyone.

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  Inside design - 2007 Buick Terraza
  By brenda white - June 14 - 7:13 pm

  Drives good. Cant see to back up because of the head rests. No room. Middle seats dont slide easy. No easy way to get to back seats. Very disapointed in inside design. Had a 2003 Chevy Venture. Inside design was so much better. Im very unhappy with inside design. Noise everywhere around sliding doors. Stuck with it, I guess.

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  Think Twice Before You Buy - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By 06lucerne - June 14 - 9:06 am

  Ive had my 2006 Lucerne for almost 10 months and am getting rid of it in the next week. Vibration/shimmy issues that will not stay corrected after at least seven attempts to repair and three sets of tires. Also steering wheel issue that has not been corrected and rotors had to be machined already. At a distance, it is a beautiful car but when yous start looking at the details, theyve cut too many corners. Some of the interior materials are of poor quality and some of the design details are downright shoddy. It is not what the Park Avenue was. Make sure you test drive many miles before you buy! If I could do it over, I would have bought a Toyota, Lexus or Acura.

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  Good but I would wait till GM gets it right. - 2017 Buick LaCrosse
  By Pat - June 14 - 3:30 am

  I had turned in my 2015 Impala and was looking for another sedan. I had driven the Chrysler 300 and the Lexus ES 350. My local Buick dealer let me take the Lacrosse for the weekend to give it a thorough test drive. While the car has many positive attributes, there are few major issues that kept me from buying it. First the good: The engine and transmission are a dream and provide smooth, quick, fuel efficient operation. The engine has strong exceleration and utilizes cylinder deactivation on the highway. I achieved an incredible 31 mpg highway which is very good for this size of car. The 8 speed transmission is the best I have ever driven and unlike other 8 speeds, it doesnt hunt back and forth for the right gear. It shifts so imperceptibly, there were many times I had no idea what gear I was in. Very Nice! Lastly, you can order Adaptive Cruise with an 18", 19" or 20" tire so you can get a comfortable, bump absorbing tire without having to be pushed into a package of options that includes hard riding 20" tires. Now the bad: I dont know who they are designing these front seats for but Im a small guy, 175 lbs and the seat was too narrow for my legs and thighs. Ive seen this in Cadillacs as well. Hello GM! Side seat bolsters are for THIGH SUPPORT, not to SIT ON or increase pressure on driver/front passenger legs! The bucket seat width narrows towards the seat back so much that my uppers legs were sitting directly ON the side bolsters. After 20 miles, the backs of my upper legs were hurting from the pressure. This absolutely killed the car for me which is too bad. The seat cushion itself was pretty comfy but the side bolsters were unbearable and my salesman said he had heard the same complaint from other potential customers as well. The next issue was overall quality with the car having a "cheap feel" to it. The rear, fold down seat back would not latch and lock in the upright position. The exposed, stationary latch mechanism attached to the back trunk wall (with grease all over it) was locked in the closed position so it couldnt engage with the seat back. I looked at it for several minutes trying to figure it out but could not get it to release. Looking into the trunk from the rear I saw polyester white foam stuffed in behind the trunk wall and the seat back that was coming loose and falling out. I have no idea where this foam was supposed to go or what its purpose was. The morning I was supposed to return it, the battery died and I had to charge it. Then an error light came on referring to a transmission problem. This car had only 700 miles on it and cost $43,000 +, you just shouldnt have these kinds of problems! My 15 Impala was perfect and trouble free for the duration of my 24 month lease. Its seats were wide, supportive and comfortable. The car was quiet, and had great build quality and materials. I wish I could take this advanced engine and transmission and put it in the 2017 model I ended up purchasing. The bad thing about the Impala (again, Hello GM!) is I got pushed into a 20" tire to get my adaptive cruise which I will be quickly trading out for more comfortable riding 18" tires. The 20" tires transmit every road imperfection and make for a very hard, uncomfortable ride. I know, they look very cool but to me, its not worth the sacrifice in comfort. Ive researched how the adaptive cruise works and talked to my engineering friends in the auto industry and contrary to popular belief, you can change tire sizes without any problems.

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  Great, but... - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By pso1295 - June 14 - 2:00 am

  Great SUV, but weve had problems with its computer system, which has been frustrating.

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  Buick Lucerne CXS is Wonderful - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By RDS - June 12 - 3:25 pm

  I love my CXS. I had initially bought a CXL-V6 for a weekend and was not pleased. Once I drove the CXS, I felt that it was a totally different vehicle. The 18-inch wheels, the stabilitrac suspension and the overall ride are wonderful. On the road it is a dream. I have nicknamed it "The Cruiser" which is what my grandchildren call it when they want to ride in it. It is very comfortable and I feel safe when driving it. We live at a time when the #1 thing which people discuss about a vehicle is the gas mileage. I still feel that the #1 issue should be safety. Overall, I love my CXS. It is a wonderful vehicle which I would highly recommend.

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  Nice vehicle Great Value! - 2007 Buick Rendezvous
  By Mike - June 12 - 3:01 pm

  We purchased a loaded CX in February and now have about 3000 miles on it! My wife and I are very happy with the vehicle. It has a smooth and relatively quite ride and is enjoyable to drive. The vehicle has more than adequate acceleration for most situations. We seem to get about 19 to 20 mpg overall. My wife really liked the looks of the Nissan Murano but with a $1300 discount off the list price, $5200 in rebates and $3300 of GM card credit, the bang for the buck we got with the Rendezvous was light years ahead of the Murano! We couldnt be happier!

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  Above the trend - 1997 Buick Riviera
  By turtleman - June 10 - 11:31 pm

  Got it used with 150k miles - now at 160. It is an excellent car overall. Great power, utility, and exquisite design, in and out. The inside is just pure class and comfort with out the techno junk. Still looks great as far as paint and finish very solid chassis and drivetrain. Easy and effective to modify if your looking to improve performance. Not unreasonably expensive to buy.

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  Really a good car - 2003 Buick LeSabre
  By Jimmy - June 10 - 12:55 pm

  I bought this car used 2 years ago with 37,000 miles already on it. I was a little concerned about the mileage, but it has been a really good car. I need a late model full size sedan for business and I set out to buy a Cadillac, but saw and drove the Buick and saved several thousand dollars that work as well for me as owning a Cadillac. Ive not had any problems at all with this car.

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  Critique - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By jerry - June 9 - 3:15 pm

  Had vehicle one week and it broke down, bad wiring at factory. Had it towed and problem resolved. Not happy with gas mileage. Traded a 2000 Cadillac which had same type engine. Northstar V8. Hopefully, the Buick will measure up in time, since gas prices are up.