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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  Survived a tornado - 1994 Buick LeSabre
  By fireman mike - November 17 - 12:44 am

  Purchased in March of 03 from a private party with 35,000 miles on it. It now has 65,000 on it. With a family of 5, we purchased this to run our errands and into school (live on a acreage) and to keep miles off our SUV. Having put over 30,000 miles on it in a year and a half, I would rate this car as very dependable and economical. Quiet ride with plenty of power for a 6 cyl. and a roomy interior with a good size trunk for groceries, etc. Nothing fancy on the inside. All the safety features and power options that make life simpler. Just recently the mode buttons of the HVAC system have begun to act erratic. This vehicle survived the May tornadoes, when my house did not!

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  Buick Riviera Longtime Owner - 1996 Buick Riviera
  By mkdeloach - November 16 - 5:22 pm

  I owned and drove my Buick Riviera from 1996 thru 2004 and never had any major problems from it whatsoever. My complaints would be 3. After 3 years of owning it, the front hood paint began to peel/rust and though it should have been under warranty, GM wouldnt do anything about it. 2nd thing was the heated seat quit working after 2nd winter, it was $500 to repair so I didnt fix it. 3rd thing was the CD player had a problem. Those 3 things aside, I only had to do the regular maintenance (tuning, belt changes, oil, etc.) and I drove it 164000 miles and believe I could still drive it another 100000 but moved to city and need smaller car. Awesome car! I would buy another, if it were smaller!

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  Buick Terraza - 2005 Buick Terraza
  By Joe G - November 14 - 5:46 pm

  Buick,s Terraza is basically a re- packaged Olds Silouette.although they boosted horse power by 15 It translates to an almost unnoticable power increase. The ride is firmer and markedly quieter.The instrumentation shows nicer than that of the Olds,with new chrome added,which by the way is much in abundance throughout the vehiclethe over head "rail"system for storage and dvd is done well the dvd screen is 1 inch smaller than Oldsand must be loaded at the screen a set back for those with children to small to do it themselves,the split fold down rear seat is a good additionas is the opt of XM radio ,navagation system not available at this time.new nose is stylish but still dosent pass for SUV

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  salesman - 2005 Buick Century
  By romo)69 - November 13 - 2:24 pm

  Best car around for the money, you cant find a better value at this price. The car will outlast its competitors.

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  Hints for improvement - 2005 Buick Century
  By QRM - November 13 - 11:05 am

  I like the car in general. I most specifically do not like the lights- on/lights-off games, however. I am not senile. I want to turn the headlights on when I want them on, and off when I want them off. I want the interior lights on if and only if I open a door, or if I turn them on. At least, let these features be programmable.

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  Nicer than I thought..... - 2004 Buick Rendezvous
  By John Thorsen - November 13 - 2:00 am

  After 2 minivans (villager and then a sienna), we were ready for a more grown up yet functional car. The rendezvous sold us ultimately due to the 3rd row seat, and the interior room. We had read the reviews here first before deciding, and found the reviews to all be correct. My wife and I love it, the kids think it is cool. It was great in the winter, felt sturdy and "tank like" in a good way. My wife felt secure in it driving in snow and other bad weather, yet it is not too big that it is clumsy or hard to drive. Turning radius and parking is great (our Sienna was HORRIBLE in this department).

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  Buick Rainier is a HIT - 2004 Buick Rainier
  By L. Dennis - November 11 - 11:14 pm

  Driven right off the bat to our vacation spot. Handled well, comfortable to ride in, unlike other SUVs which seem like a truck ride. Easy, easy easy to get in and out. Even elderly can manage and kids. We love our Ranier. Planned to buy something smaller, this is perfect.

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  Buick Verano great car - 2013 Buick Verano
  By Brent Davis - November 11 - 3:07 am

  The Buick Verano is one of GM’s more affordable luxury cars with a base price of $20,000. This Buick attracts a lot of younger people that want luxury car features at an affordable price. The Verano is a sporty car, but also a great family vehicle. The upgraded package can includes leather heated seats, a 9 speaker Bose audio system, heated steering wheel, electric seats, rear backup camera and a push to start ignition. While the basic package is well-received, the upgrades are worth the extra money. These upgrades can bring the price to over $25,000. The 2013 Buick Verano comes with two different engine sizes. The base engine is a 4 cylinder 2.4 L able to produce 180 horsepower at 6,700 RPM’s. For a sportier feel the upgraded engine is a 4 cylinder 2.0 L with a turbo for and extra boost of 250 horsepower at 5,300 RPM’s. With a base engine, I noticed that you barley have to hit the gas for the engine to get up in speed. The Verano only comes with a 6 speed automatic transmission that shifts very smoothly through gears. Even know you might think the smaller the engine the better gas mileage, this isn’t true. Buick has put an eco-friendly engine in the Verano. Both models come with a fuel tank capacity size of 15.6 gallons. The fuel economy is rated at 21 miles per gallon in the city and 30 to 32 miles per gallon on the highway. I drive 30 miles round trip 6 days out of the week and have noticed excellent gas mileage. Safety and security features are another great aspect of this car. The Buick Verano includes a driver and passenger airbags. There are also rear side-impact airbags and overhead airbags, for a total of 10, that make passengers feel safe in case of an accident or if the car was to roll over. Other people may wonder if the Verano is secure in weather related conditions. I would say yes, because it is equipped with traction control, ABS brakes and break assist. The Verano is front wheel drive which helps in snow because the weight of the engine is in the front pushing the tires down to grip the surface. In a crash test, the Verano tested 5 out of 5 stars for its excellent safety features. The car also comes with security features such as a panic alarm, 4 door locks and immobilizer which will prevent the wrong key from going in the ignition to keep thieves away from stealing the vehicle. Safety, security and high tech features are why I would suggest a Buick Verano to anyone that is looking for a reliable car to get them to point A and B and back. The only con I had with this car is its limited backseat room which is not that big of a problem. Overall I would rate the 2013 Buick Verano an 8 out of 10 stars.

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  Rayonier - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By bruceslade - November 10 - 4:19 pm

  It is a sweet ride. My wifes car.. she loves it for its handling, ease to enter & exit (especially for aging parents)and appearance. Navigation system was a must for her traveling. We had no intention of getting XM radio, once we tried it we never turned it off.

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  Buick - 2003 Buick Rendezvous
  By klos - November 9 - 4:00 pm

  Vehicle is versatile - big enough for people and sports gear and can still fit into any parking space. Fun w/ surprisingly positive fuel economy. I have been nothing but pleased with this vehicle and with my selling dealer. Although I bought and have 0% for 5 years, I will probably purchase another Rendezvous before they stop making them!