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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  Good to see Buick being relevant! - 2013 Buick Enclave
  By 4262 - April 10 - 1:08 pm

  My wife and I were in search of a 7-passenger vehicle and searched high and low. In the end, the refreshed Enclave offered everything we were looking for.

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  75,000 miles and counting... - 2011 Buick LaCrosse
  By longmiledriver - April 10 - 8:03 am

  My 2011 model is not listed in Edmunds, an obvious oversite - Mine is a automatic FWD 3.6v engine/transmission - not the AWL. I drive about 50k per year - I have not had any issues at all. I purchased with 23.5 k Miles - had a weather strip replaced at purchase time. At 65 mph, I get about 29mpg, at 72 mph, about 26mpg. So far, I have not had to replace a thing. I did have engine light turn on- I am in harsh weather, and the sensor for misfire of a cylinder is really sensitive - this happened only once - I reset it and havent seen it in 15k miles sense.

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  Trunk Release - 2012 Buick LaCrosse
  By blueridgebest - April 8 - 6:21 pm

  Im generally happy with the LaCrosse but there is one major annoyance, there is no trunk release inside the car. Yes, you can open the trunk with the remote but this is not always convenient i.e., if Im in the garage and my keys are in the house (not close by). Why would GM exclude the inside the vehicle trunk release - really bad decision.

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  First car and boy do I miss it - 1996 Buick Regal
  By dperry25 - April 3 - 12:59 pm

  My father bought this car back in 2005 with around 90,000 miles or so. We had to have the transmission rebuilt by AAMCO because some little piece inside of it broke and it had trouble starting and going into reverse. the AAMCO tech said the problem is so rare he guarantees it wont happen again. And it did not! not only that, but we never had any more issues out of the car. It was turned over to me in 2011 with 122k. At 130k, I lost control of the car while making a turn and slid into a curb at 55 mph. The cars frame had twisted and the car was totaled. I shed a few tears when I heard this. What a great car. Was looking for another...but hard to find, everyone who has one loves it!

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  Reliable Comfortable Ride - 1995 Buick LeSabre
  By crowbarcharlie - March 29 - 11:04 pm

  I acquired the 95 limited last year from my dad and at first I was skeptical about driving a 17 year old car with 125,000 miles. At 138,000 miles last week the brake lines, front wheel brake pads and rotors, and a stabilizer bar were replaced. In its lifetime there havent been any big money issues. A water pump, spark plug wires/ plugs, and passenger climate control have been fixed. The fuel economy is decent. I have gotten 28+mpg on interstate trips with a fully packed car. I get ~16mpg with city only driving. It has been a reliable car for me.

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  buick lacrosse offers great value - 2013 Buick LaCrosse
  By dlf8 - March 26 - 3:48 pm

  I bought a 2013 Lacrosse in August and have been very pleased. It came with the E-Assist, 4 cylinder and usually get 20 to 21 miles per gallon in town and 38 to 40 miles per gallon on the road. It has plenty of power and the hybrid gives you a boost in horsepower when needed. I am 6 ft 3 and have plenty of room in the front and also as a passenger in the back seat. The automobile is very quite and solidly built. I bought the model with leather interior, heads up display, heated seats, and the warning system on the mirrors that let you know if a car is in your "blind spot". This is a quality automobile and Buick has done an excellent job. Would definitely buy this automobile again.

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  Better than my 530i - 2013 Buick LaCrosse
  By josephy - March 25 - 4:15 pm

  We bought our 2013 Buick LaCrosse Touring about three weeks ago and have put about a thousand miles on it. Engine is crazy smooth. Transmission is slick. Interior is just perfect. The car is super quiet. The ride is supple, although Im really enjoying sport mode, which instantly stiffens the ride. Electronics are going to take a while to master, for sure, but the Harmon Kardon sound system is incredible. Dont forget to set Surround Sound. Back seat is second to none. Trunk space is decent and the fold down seats have already come in handy. Our color is Summit White. Gotta get it special order, but worth the wait. Heated steering wheel is cool and the HUD is a nice feature.

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  so far so good... - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By dpgull - March 22 - 10:38 pm

  well dispite all the horror stories I read about a few major issues, I decided to take the plunge and buy a very well equipped 2008 CXL (everything but the folding mirrors, 110volt outlet and articulating headlights). It was a 1 owner car that was dealer maintained and I had access to all the service records. It seems the original owner had already addressed the steering (full replacement) and strut issue, and at 80,000 miles it runs tighter and quieter than the Mercedes M Class it replaced. Also I got an excellent price for the car well below book value. I did purchase a 3/36,000 extended warranty through my credit union which covers all major component, so if that wave plate goes...

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  Had to trade Ol Bessie in... - 2006 Buick Rendezvous
  By emmygirl - March 22 - 5:17 am

  I wanted so badly for the SUV to perform up to my expectations, and it did... for a while. Bought my 2006 in 2008 with 48k miles on it. High, but I got a great deal. The ride was always smooth and quiet, styling was great in the front and inside- the hatchback styled rear is terrible, and the split panelling on some models- ugh! Horrendous. Sadly over 4 years the wiring went out underneath the car which made it stop... mid drive. I replaced the radiator, there were yearly replacements to a wheel bearing, and my fuel level indicator crapped out so I regularly ran out of gas. Finally the A/C drain hose pretty much ruined my interior with mold and I finally had to trade it in.

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  Honeymoon is over. Still working on the marriage - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By grnmama - March 21 - 9:00 pm

  Bought 2008 Enclave CLX new. Have since had warranty replacement/repair of GPS (twice), water pump, sunroof leak, and various small things. Many interior trim pieces broke, were glued on in service, only to fall off later. When the warranty was up we started to have steering problems. Found out it was the rack and pinion steering failing at 75,000 miles, a known design flaw for this platform. I have tried to contact our service rep at the dealership and have not had a return call twice. Had it repaired elsewhere. Too bad this didnt happen before we bought the 2013 Buick LaCrosse 3 months ago!!! Would like a GM representative to contact us.