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:

• 

  Really nice vehicle ... but - 2016 Buick Encore
  By Kent - June 9 - 1:44 am

  I came real close to buying a Buick Encore. I really like the styling and trim. And, the size is perfect for me. I do question the 1.4L engine. Turbo chargers do not favorably impress me. Just something else to go wrong. I finally took one for a test drive. Did not seem to be as spunky as my 2.0L 2000 Tracker but maybe I could get used to it. The Tracker is 17 years old now. I bought it new in November of 1999. I really do need a new vehicle now. Sadly, I had to walk away from the Encore because of the dark tinted glass. I am older now, dont see as well as when I was young. Always have had some trouble seeing at night. It gets worse when you get older. You will understand that later. Tinted glass is a real pain for me. I dont care if people can see in. I need to be able to see out, in every direction, front, back, and sides. That is what is important and the Encore fails in that respect. The Encore does not seem to be available without the dark tinted glass in the back. That seems to be the case with most of the new SUVs. Even the front glass is a bit dark for me. I guess I am going to have to keep on driving my 1994 and 2000 4WD Trackers. They go in the deep snow and on the ice. And they can pull your boat and trailer out of the water at the lake shore. The Encore cant even pull a small trailer. And they call it a SUV. I dont know that AWD would be as good. My Trackers do have very light tinted glass. Dont even need that but it is tolerable. Clear glass would be better. I know the dark tinted glass is only in the rear but it reduces the available light throughout the interior of the vehicle. I really need a new car but I cant find anything acceptable to me. Everything has dark tinted glass and they all seem to have way too many buttons on the dash. I cant drive and read the operators manual at the same time. I dont text and drive. I like to be able to find the controls by touch. I dont want to have to look for them. I have to keep my mind on the road. I dont want distractions. This is all insane. Aftermarket tint is readily available for all car windows. Why do the automobile manufacturers have to force tinted glass on all of us? It definitely is a serious safety hazard.

• 

  Looks good, but not a Park Avenue - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By Ed Sheehy - June 6 - 8:32 pm

  I bought this car to replace my wifes 99 Park Avenue (the best car that we ever owned). It looks wonderful (red w/ tan leather). The 3.8 is a solid performer. However, there is a fair amount of torque steer on acceleration. Over the highway, it does not seem to have the stability that the Park Avenue had. The biggest issue is the flimsiness of the interior door panels-they creak any time that you pull on them. Also the seat belt guides have become worn where the seat belts have sliced into them. It is hardly noticeable but it should not happen! To make matters worse, the parts needed to correct this are on "nationwide back order". I guess it is more common than the dealer wants to tell me!

• 

  Best of Show - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By P.Spector - June 6 - 1:46 am

  Have had Buicks for about 12 yrs and this is by far the best one I have had, It is everything that is advertised. It is quiet, easy to drive and I feel great at its wheel.

• 

  Dissappointed - 2007 Buick LaCrosse
  By JohnB - June 2 - 6:09 pm

  This car has many nice features, but I am very dissappointed it dosent have memory seats, rain sensing wipers, heat/ac temp. control on steering wheel, and no rear seat heat/ac ducts on a $33000. vehicle. I also miss the heads up display on my previous Buick. This car will have a short time in my garage for these reasons only.

• 

  Great American Car - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By Dave - June 2 - 9:30 am

  Beautifuly built car with the quality I have come to expect with Buick. Fun to drive and plenty of power with the V6. It has the ride of a much more expensive car and great handling. Minimal road noise and good sound system.

• 

  A Lucerne experience - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By Susan Lasker - June 1 - 1:56 pm

  This car is a wonderful riding car. I have just 6000 miles on it and no problems with the quality or performance. GM hit a bulls eye on this one. It is comfortable for long rides such as 1500 miles to Florida in Jan. 2006. Its fun to drive and found it easy to learn how to use the new gadgets. The car has lots of pep especially for a 6 cylinder. Its quiet and smooth riding. I have seen lots of people stare at the car and admiring it. I think that there is no question that this car is worth every dollar.

• 

  Tremendous Value - 2007 Buick Rendezvous
  By Mike - June 1 - 9:25 am

  We were looking to replace one of our SUVs with a vehicle that provided better gas mileage without sacrificing cargo capacity. My wife did not want a minivan or a car as a replacement. She enjoys the driving position that an SUV provides. Like most buyers, we initially looked at the offerings from the imports. Friends of ours went through the same process about a year ago and ended up buying a 2006 Rendezvous. Both he and his wife highly recommended it. After test driving a 2007 Rendezvous we became a believer. With the current rebate we ended up buying a fully loaded CXL for the price of a stripped down import. If ride, roominess and mileage are important consider the Rendezvous.

• 

  I love my "Flying Sofa" (CXS) - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By Christian Bellingrat - May 29 - 3:58 pm

  This is a great car to drive, very very quiet, great sound quality with the XM radio, CD, and IPOD. The car offers a lot of space, even in the back, I love the styling. Turn by turn navigation is great. My wife titled the car "Flying Sofa" as riding it is like sitting in your living room. This car replaced a 2003 Mercedes ML350.

• 

  This Century is nice - 1996 Buick Century
  By Jayson - May 28 - 9:34 pm

  This car is great. Extremely nice suspension, handles good, drives nice. Close to 200,000 miles and the engine and tranny are real good. Great cruise control. And the body is excellent also.

• 

  Drove several - 2010 Buick LaCrosse
  By MrJones - May 26 - 8:13 pm

  Drove the CXL and CXS models at Buick event at local mall. The car looks great in person and the backseat is HUGE. The interior is on par with any Acura TL or Lexus ES and the rear seat blows both away. There wasnt a hint of cost cutting inside the car and every surface and control knob felt substantial. The 3L engine felt adequate during the test drive.