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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  One Very Fine Car - 2005 Buick LaCrosse
  By Orman Surina - June 16 - 7:02 pm

  We are extremely pleased with our new LaCrosse.The cabin is whisper quiet, handling is precise, body and interior fit is excellent. All controls on the dash are well placed and easy to operate. Buick is going world class!

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  From an SUV to a "Minivan" - 2005 Buick Terraza
  By Tom - June 16 - 4:34 pm

  I have have my 2005 Buick Terraza CLX FWD for about a month. The only drawback is that it is underpowered for a vehicle that is intended to be loaded up with people and gear. The styling inside and out is well liked by me and everyone who sees it for the first time. I have had strangers stop me and tell me that they really like the appearance of the Terraza! The sliding doors are invaluable! Get the remote start up feature, I absolutely love it. The seats are much more comfortable than my Chevy Trailblazer. If only I could have that engine in this vehicle! The interior is the best and classiest of all of the new crossover sport vans as these are being called (Chevy, Pontiac, Saturn).

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  Great Value - 2005 Buick LaCrosse
  By cozumel retreat - June 16 - 9:11 am

  Very comfortable and quiet, I bought the CXL and have been very pleased thus far. Fit and finish is excellent. Great price if you get the Smart Buy rebate (dont forget to pay it off asap if you think you are going to exceed the mileage limits), drive out was $20,450 on a sticker of $28,000.

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  Terraza CXL - 2005 Buick Terraza
  By A. Moore - June 14 - 3:43 pm

  We looked at the Chevy version of this van also and by the time you put all of the options on it that the CXL had, the price was at least as much. A Buick Century was our first new car and we loved it for 8 years but needed the extra room. Our Buick dealer has a wonderful service department and thats what eventually sold us on it.

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  No More Cadillacs - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By Marty - June 14 - 7:10 am

  This car is driven mostly by my wife. Almost every day she comments on how much she enjoys it. This car has every conceivable option you would ever need. Otion out any of its competition and the price difference will amaze you. The interior is spacious; the truck is huge. The Lucerne should be on everyones test drive radar. May be the best GM vehicle we have ever owned.

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  The SUV we L-O-V-E to drive - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By Smiley T. Papenfus - June 12 - 3:59 am

  As a 6 3" 51 yr old I have never enjoyed driving any vehicle more than the Rainier - when my wife goes out I want to come along just for the enjoyable experience of driving this most comfortable and quiet SUV again - well done Buick - you almost get a 10. This 5 seater with ample luggage space is perfect for our family of 4 - I frequently carry large trunk size cases. As a conservative driver Im pleasantly surprised with our reasonable town mileage. I can honestly highly recommend this luxury SUV - if you dont want to pay an Escalade price, but want a handsome prestigious SUV - look no further than the Buick Rainier - I love this vehicle .

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  LaCrosse - 2005 Buick LaCrosse
  By Epr7339 - June 10 - 10:08 am

  I am a 19 year old male. This is the 2nd Buick that I have owned. The car is just alright. I think that the mileage is really bad! I dont find the seats to be good on long trips. The car never shifts right when going down hills. It feels like it is up shifting and down shifting on its own. The dealer told me that they did a software update on it to fix it. The fix works most of the time. If I had to do it all over I would not buy this car. This car is nice in a lot of way but also needs work in a a lot of areas as well.

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  Too many problems! - 2000 Buick Century
  By Century 2000 - June 9 - 6:14 pm

  This car has a lot of problems. On top of that, the dealership in my area has difficulty fixing them. It seems GM cant repair its own cars! Example: this car has had three alignments and the steering wheel remains crooked -- even when the road is flat. Road crown exaggerates it quite a bit. The transmission was serviced for a TSB regarding hard shifting/shuddering gears. The transmission still has problems with harsh shifts and chugging motions at times, even interstate speeds somewhat disconcerting. This car has developed a lot of creaks and rattles. The rear door panels are loose and vibrate noticeably. My next car will be more reliable -- like a ten year old Kia Sephia.

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  Sporty but sleek looking - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By brandes - June 9 - 5:06 pm

  I have a lot of people say it looks like a sporty but sleek SUV. When I stop for a red light, some people give the thumbs up sign. Not the redundant SUVs you see on the road. You also get alot of extras for the money you spend.

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  We love our Rainier - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By Z - June 9 - 12:13 pm

  Quiet, powerful and comfortable style. Our Rainier is powered by a 5.3 V8 and gets 18 average MPG. Compared to other brands, we are happy with the Rainiers gas mileage. It handles very well.