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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  First Impression - 2014 Buick Encore
  By KJ - October 13 - 2:52 pm

  Just bought this used at 23k miles. Im 62" and theres plenty of room for me, front or back. For a 4 cylinder, acceleration was okay except for a slight lag. Handling is nimble with good steering response. Visibility is a problem out the back, especially with back seat passengers so learn to use the camera and side mirrors. Plenty of controls for the driver seat position, even lumbar support, but the seat was feeling a little hard after only an hour of highway driving. The main screen is bright and clear with intuitive controls. Only the driver gets an arm rest. Its odd, but there are only three vent configurations: foot, dash, and windshield. The interior has a refined appearance with a leather wrapped steering wheel and soft-touch dash. An auxiliary jack and USB are easily accessible. Plenty of storage bins and cubbies. The back seat has no air vents, but it does have pull-down drink holders. First impression: a nimble, fun-to-drive SUV that is unexpectedly roomy.

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  I finally had to let her go.... - 2005 Buick LeSabre
  By PJ DAY - October 5 - 10:45 pm

  I bought this 2005 LeSabre in Oct. 2013 from a dealer in Blue Ridge, GA. She was a 1 owner who was no longer able to drive so her husband traded the car in. I named her Betty Buick. She had just under 92,000 miles on her and was in absolutely pristine condition. Had always been garaged and I thought & was told, well maintained. Literally driven by a "little ole lady". I paid just over $8,500 for her and was glad to find her. Back in 2013 these 05 LeSabre model cars were at a premium and hard to find. Us baby boomers wanted the wide front seat instead of cramped buckets and the ride and weight of a hearse. This Buick provided that and more. Talk about a hwy driving car, this baby was built to take long trips ! However, my husband passed away and trips never happened. She was not driven too much. I had to replace the battery and then the problems with the transmission began....Just a little slip here and there and then it was any time she was asked to climb a slight incline...skip, skip, skip and it was getting worse. The engine was terrific and gas mileage out of this world but the tranny must not have been well maintained and it was going out....I also began to suspect the crankcase filter issue that is well documented on this model was a possible problem for erratic stalls that fell into no particular driving pattern. She would eventually crank back up but she could stall out at 65 mps....total loss of power....I began not to trust her even for short trips into town. So even though she looked just like she came straight off the show room floor, she needed to find a good home and I had to let her go. She only brought $3,000 on trade with 94,500 miles in on a 2014 GMC Terrain. I will miss her ride. Smooth as silk and quiet, quiet, quiet ! They do not make em like this any more unfortunately. Id have replaced the crank case filter but the transmission was just too expensive. All things being equal a fabulous car !

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  1994 Buick LeSabre Expert - 1994 Buick LeSabre
  By Babe - September 10 - 7:42 pm

  This may sound bold however, I consider myself an expert on the 1994 Buick LeSabre, please let me explain. I purchased my 1994 LeSabre Custom, BRAND NEW, back in October, 1994. I live in a suburb of Chicago and this is where my LeSabre has resided, its entire life. The car has always been adult driven, never abused and kept in the garage for the first 10 years of its life. It is September of 2015 and the car currently has 160,000 miles. Engine: The 3.8L (or 3800) is arguably the best engine that G.M. has every produced. As far as my Buick is concerned, the engine was trouble free up to 126,000 miles until it developed a few issues. These included, several things failing at approximately the same time including: Crack Position Sensor failing, brake lines rusting away, alternator malfunction and lower intake manifold gasket failure. Being a pretty good backyard mechanic, I was able to repair all of these by myself. Transmission: Absolutely trouble free. However, I did have the transmission fluid changed every 25k miles. Interior: My cars seats are still in excellent condition. The center consoles lock broke and the hinge failed. I did not fix this. The headliners glue failed and it sagged badly. To fix this I purchased a replacement headliner on eBay for $40 and two cans of spray adhesive for $20. The headliner looks brand new again. The carpeting is still in fairly good condition with me cleaning it regularly. Body: This is the where the problems exist. The rocker panels rusted out. I purchased new rocker panels on eBay for $25/ea., removed the old, rusted one and welded on the new ones. They once again look like new. The subframe is prone to failure. I base this comment on much research on the internet. My car was Ziebarted and I believe this saved my cars subframe. However, my subframe bolts were still impacted with them rusting and one snapping off in the unibody. Bis PITA to get it out! After I did get the broken bolt out, I replaced all of the bushings and bolts. Suspension: I recently replaced the front tie rods, the rear toe links, the front and rear ball joints, the front sway bar links and the bellows boots (which protect the inner tie rods and steering rack). Finally, despite this car having a few issues over the years, I still think this is one of the best cars I have ever owned. I recently gave it to my son, who drove it to college, where it is now.

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  very good - 2001 Buick LeSabre
  By lon Wolfe - September 5 - 3:36 pm

  Good all around car had rust removed

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  Cosmetic problems - 2014 Buick Enclave
  By Cynthia Johnson - September 2 - 8:46 pm

  Had several issues with the cosmetics : 1. Defect on the side of the console. Had to have it replaced 2. The seal around the windshield became warped. Had to be replaced 3. The vinyl on the front door is peeling, There seems to be a thin film coating on the vinyl that is peeling. It looks like dead skin. I just continued to peel it all off. There does not appear to be any damage for discoloration underneath the film.

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  Jury is still out - 2015 Buick Regal
  By Mike Trainor - July 24 - 2:54 pm

  At only 700 miles, it is hard to judge a brand new car. So take that into consideration as you read this. And, it will be helpful to know that I was NOT shopping Buicks - at all - before I bought this. In fact, I wasnt shopping ANY car that had an MSRP more than $30K, and this Regal GS was stickered at nearly $41K. So what happened here? I had been driving a 2012 Hyundai Elantra Limited and wanted a car with more HP & torque, better handling and more tech features. First looked at the new Elantras - nope. Looked at Mazda 3s - nope. Cruze, nope. Mustang... well, not more than $30K so that was out of the question anyway. Not interested in anything Toyota had, nor Honda for that matter. Wife mentions Buick one day. BUICK??? Oh... yeah... the Verano! So, I decided on July 4 to shop them, not really expecting the dealer to be open. They were. Before I knew it, I was test driving a Regal T premium, but didnt like the interior. Saavy sales rep finds a GS out back and convinces me to drive it. Sure, why not drive a freakin $40,000 car!!! Anyway, to sum it up, I bought the thing. Not that day, but later next week. So, enough on how I got into this car, heres my summary review: Overall: 4 stars because 3 wasnt enough and theres no 3-1/2. It IS a NICE car, but some things are missing. Performance: I dont have a great basis for comparison. Last "fast car" I drove was 74 Chevelle SS with a 454 v8. But... the Regal does move and moves quickly - once you get past the turbo lag. The acceleration and power curve are quite nice after that. At slower speeds, 25 - 35 say, it can hardly get out of its own way unless you put your foot into it. Steering and road holding I think I very good - feels solid, good feedback. BMW drivers might find it dull and lumbering, but for me, it is more than adequate and would not fear driving this car 120 mph. Especially because the Brembo brakes are confidence inspiring. What kinda sucks is the tranny when you shift on your own. Im still learning where this car needs to be on the rpms, but it is SO quiet, and quick, that I didnt realize I was up to almost 4000 rpms and still in second. She didnt like that very much. in more normal driving, ahem, I found while the shifts are smooth, theres no audible feedback from the engine. keep your eye on the rpm guage!! but... see... you need your eyes on the road and your ears on the engine. other than that, shifts fine and you can toss this car around pretty well. but shes heavy. this, of course, coming from being used to a featherweight Elantra. just driving as an automatic, shifts are smooth and about where you would expect, and want, them to be, even under heavy acceleration. Comfort-Interior -- For the money, shes quite comfortable. Seats are firm(er) in the GS model which has an upgraded seat and leather package, but they fit me well. The car fits me well in fact. Im 60" and about 180 lbs. The front is a bit narrow, but I still have plenty of elbow and hip room. Seats provide thigh support right where I need it. Headroom, even with the sunroof, is fine, plenty of clearance. Someone at 250 might not fit as well. Controls are all relatively well-laid out, similar in some ways to the Elantra, so im not having any issues in finding where things are, and everything is within easy reach. except two things..... Nitpick alert! One negative about the interior design is where the window controls and outside mirror control are. In the Elantra, resting my elbow on the door grip in a comfortable spot at my side, my fingers fell right onto those, with only a slight reach forward to the mirror control. In the Regal, I have to bring my hand back almost a full hand-length and LOOK as to which button do I have, front window or back window? I also find quite annoying where the door grip is. The interior features a nice swooshy grab bar in fake metal. its okay to use when closing the door. but when opening it, the grip is a bit far forward, making an already heavy door even heavier because youre pushing it open too far forward. and heres the gotchya - there is no grip in the elbow rest part of the door, no place for your hand. Cheap, GM, very cheap. As noted, this car is quiet. In fact, Ive never been in a quieter car save for a fun little drive in an 80s vintage Rolls Royce. But also noted, thats a negative when it comes to hearing the engine, or exhaust. Visibility is mostly okay, but out the back and over the shoulder are tougher. The B pillar is pretty wide... youll quickly learn to use, and appreciate, the blind spot warning in the mirrors. Rear is smallish and narrow, but hardly an obstacle. The Mazda 3 hatchback was much, much worse. As to instrumentation, well, theres a learning curve there, but its all there if you want it, including oil temp and pressure, friction bubble (wha???), and a whole mess of other stuff. Not the easiest to use and could stand a bit more ability to customize, but I find it complete, easy to read. ###

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  premium hmmm....? - 2015 Buick Encore
  By Margo Ritter - July 24 - 12:59 pm

  There is no in car garage door opener, so you have to carry one. Infotainment GPS too confusing with way, way too many options and menus to try and remember how to use. Over 36 teeny tiny icons to try and see to mark your map, how many does a person need? Just looking for one with a red plus for doctors office, a small house, a tree, a gas pump, so many useless ones. No remote for the rear hatch when you hands are full, why did they do away with that? No grab handle on the passenger front column to take a hold of when getting in and out, just a stupid little handle over your head. Who reaches over their head to get in or out? Also gone is the grab handle from the passenger door to take a hold of to close door. We went from a beautiful Enclave to a smaller Buick. Didnt need the big size any more. Hoping that it was basically the same, just smaller. Not so and theres more road noise. Just wish they had looked at the Enclave and kept all the good features.

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  Buicks Version of the Opel Insigna - 2015 Buick Regal
  By Jeff - July 12 - 8:09 pm

  This is a GM large European sports sedan it rides stiff and controlled like a Euro sedan should. I dont sit in the back, but it looks cramped. This is a way better car than my 2006 SAAB 2.0LT 6M. Larger, heavier and has a much higher level interior quality. Overall a very well balanced car for the $ refined and pretty fast. Twin Scroll turbo and 6 speed auto are well matched can feel the gears in smooth shifts. My opinion GM still makes the best automatics.

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  Cool compact Car - 2014 Buick Verano
  By Lane Benda - July 11 - 4:15 pm

  Good looking car for old or young. Great inside, really looks good. Nice quite ride. Good road handling. Poor MPG, but not all that bad. My av. has been getting better with more use. Large trunk for a compact car. Have 5,000 plus on car. no problems. Info ctr. is great, all new safety features are great also. I really like this car.

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  Nice car with a few disappointments - 2012 Buick Verano
  By Dennis Lovejoy - April 4 - 8:16 pm

  There are 42,000 miles on the car. Its comfortable, very quiet, handles well, and seem to be very solid! Minor complaints are that it had a defective battery, black soot discolors the white car around the tailpipe, and the ventilation system emits a bad odor whenever it rains or the humidity is high. The Buick dealership has the car now to fix the ventilation system. If they cant fix it, its so bad, well get rid of the car.