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:

• 

  Owner of 03 Lasabre and 06 Lucerne - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By Julius L. Brown - March 18 - 10:59 am

  Seat belts cuts into plastic where it comes out of the holder. Should be a harden ring of plastic or metal to stop this. This has already been replaced one time and it is cuting in again. Where headliner comes to the back glass there should be a finish molding strip. I also have an 03 Buick Le Sabre which is better designed, has a valet key and a button on the door to unlock the trunk which is really nice. The 06 Lucerne is inconvient to use the fob or go in the glove compartment to unlock the trunk.

• 

  Poorest Buick I have owned since 1985 - 2003 Buick LeSabre
  By Rog665 - March 13 - 10:33 pm

  I have been purchasing Buick LeSabres since 1985. The 1999 I had had a problem with the intake manifold. When I purchased this 2003 I ask the salesman if GM had fixed the problem with the intake manifolds warping and leaking. He said they did. He lied. I just had to replace the intake manifold on this 2003. You would think that since this problem has been around for so long GM would have fixed it in production. I dont think I will every buy another GM product..

• 

  Buick Lesabre - 2005 Buick LeSabre
  By al capone - March 5 - 8:03 pm

  The buick LeSabre is a terrific car in every way, but it has too stiff of a suspension system and seats are way to hard for a comfortable ride.

• 

  Spare Tire and Jack - 2007 Buick Rendezvous
  By bob kambic - February 25 - 11:43 am

  The spare tire is impossible to put back once taken from under the auto. The spare hangs by a crank cable system similar to other GM SUVs. However, directly under the spare is both a suspension strut and a part of the frame. So the tire is in a small keyhole. I used the spare and could not get it back into the keyhole. My neighbor and I by laying on the ground under the car were able to push and pull the spare back into the key hole. They should make every GM engineer who designed this do it every day.

• 

  A piece of Junk - 2006 Buick Rendezvous
  By KimmyO - February 24 - 7:47 pm

  In the one year I have owned this lemon it has continually been in the shop. First, my best mileage is only about 12.5-13.5 mpg, no matter if I am driving around town or on the highway. Dealership says nothing is wrong and nothing they can do. Now, lets talk about the problems with this piecd of junk. The left front struts had to be replaced in the first three months. Gears in the steering mechanism were replaced in month 4. In the 6th month, the transmission went out. Month 9, the power steering unit had to be replaced. I am not a bad driver nor drive in a reckless manner. I am a 65 year old lady who does not know where to turn.

• 

  Neat car needs help - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By Brian Luedke - February 24 - 1:53 pm

  This could really be a hit for GM, but the engine problems that have affected it are not going to help. I have been having a pinging noise with the V-8. GM acknowledged there is a problem with this engine. Yet they continue to sell it. It did not make the noise when purchased, it started at about 1,000 miles. GM indicated this usually happens around 20K miles. Interesting to find out when they wanted my money they did not bother to tell me about potential problems. Now that they have my money they will only give me that they are working on the problem. Im not satisfied with their answer. Knowing they had a problem, the option should have been pulled. Poor development by GM.

• 

  Worst car I have ever owned - 1999 Buick Regal
  By Davidson Man - February 23 - 10:09 am

  I bought this car because I thought that it would last a long time. Boy was I wrong. I bought the car used at a GM dealer and it had about 16,000 miles on it. I started to have isues with the transmission just before the warranty ran out (36000) miles. To make a long story short I replaced a transmission solenoid, rack and pinion steering, and fuel pump at my expense (at various times after the warranty ran out). The headlights started getting hazey at about 60,000 miles by the time I sold the car they were almost opaque. The power rear window regulator went bad and it was going to cost $328 to buy the part. No wonder GM is in such bad shape, I wont be buying any more GM cars.

• 

  terrible hard seats - 2016 Buick Cascada
  By mike - February 18 - 11:20 pm

  seats are comfortable for the first ten minutes. had car month and a half , cant dive because tghe seat recks my back

• 

  Vibration or shake - 2006 Buick Terraza
  By Eugene J Seifert - February 7 - 10:41 am

  This van has had vibration or shake from the first mile. Buick has tried to repair. Replaced tires 3.5 times. This helps but the problem is still there. Buick says this is acceptable and that all the Terraza have it. The van has been in the shop 6 times about 5 weeks total. It has less then 5000 miles on it

• 

  My "BIG" SUV - 2006 Buick Rainier
  By jelap - February 4 - 11:31 am

  I have been a 2006 SUV Buick owner for about 7 months now. Overall I am disapointed with the performance with the V6 291hp AWD, Hits slight inclines with a lot of difficulty, have to shove into 3rd gear to climb hills. Comfort wise, it is OK for me for my medium frame and build. Not very good on gas, get about 17-18 on streets, look at the mileage before you buy and factor in your daily/weekly/monthly cost. It is a sleek sexy car for the average person, The quality of the car is "huh" OK. The doors are "very" heavy and make a lot of noise when opening and closing, I tried oiling and greasing them, but to no avail. The lift mechanism for the hydraulics, when adjusting for heavy loads, is very noisy.