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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  love this suv - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By tbrown001 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  i have had this suv for 1 1/2 yrs.i love it and so does my family

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  Very good car - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By KPH - September 16 - 1:32 pm

  My wife and I find this to be a very good car. It is roomy, comfortable, and classy-looking. I cant understand why certain consumer magazines dont give this a thumbs up. I liked the fact that someone from the GM shop floor rang me to see how I liked it. This is a great American car - were proud to have it.

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  We Are Really Enjoying This Vehicle! - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By GoPhillies - September 15 - 3:23 pm

  Waited until we had owned for a year before writing a review. Our Enclave is the nicest vehicle Ive ever owned. My first American car (75 Chevy Monte Carlo) was also my last because it was junk. Bought my first import new (87 Honda Accord), have disparaged American cars since. Then I had the Enclave Experience. What a great American car! I was actually proud to be able to buy and recommend an American car. We use it primarily for long trips, and have spent 10 hours on the road in absolute comfort. We have small kids and the entertainment system (Bose, w/satellite and DVD) keeps everyone happy. Six adults fit easily. Its beautiful, and even strangers complement it. Get one.

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  FUN - 1990 Buick Reatta
  By outkast - September 14 - 7:36 pm

  When I first saw my car listed I was kind of skeptical. I have always thought of buick as making reliable cars but cars for an older generation. I usually look at them and say "that looks like a really nice car but it is just not my style." But, when I saw my car I immediately fill in love with it. The styling was way ahead of its time and is still not dated it reminds me of a sports car you would see on a dealers lot today. I have had this car for over a year and have had ZERO problems with it. Which I think is pretty good considering age. It was built to last.

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  Great car - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By June - September 13 - 3:43 pm

  I turned in my leased Town Car and opted for a change after 10 years of driving Lincolns. The Lucerne has surprised me with its comfort and performance. It really competes well with the Town Car. I took all the options except the sunroof, and opted for the bucket seats in front. The V8 will get up and go on demand! Handles really well. It is a fun car to drive and gets a look over everywhere I go. I took it to Goodyear for its first oil change and it created quite an interest in employees and customers alike.

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  IM LOVING IT - 1994 Buick LeSabre
  By brandon 25 - September 11 - 4:48 pm

  I bought this car for one thousand dollars Ive had it of nine months no problem at all I gotta say one of the best cars Ive ever driven I wish I would of knew how good this car was before I bought my Ford in 2005 I never would of bought it. Driving my Buick is like driving on clouds.

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  Great car.....efficient - 1990 Buick LeSabre
  By Rudiger - September 10 - 8:22 pm

  I bought this car to replace my malibu and save some money. Man, Im glad I did. This car is great! I recently drove it about a 1000 miles on a trip. With the trunk loaded with suitcases and what not and the backseat loaded with stuff I still got 30-32 MPG on the highway going 70 MPH! Thats good for a 20 year old car. The ride is smooth, comfortable and its quite in the inside. This is quite and efficient machine. I had a problem with it stalling. I replaced plugs, wires, fuel filter, ignition module and coil and turns out it was the computer. An easy $40 fix. Now it runs like a champ. Im glad I did all that. It only adds to the efficiency.

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  Loving it so far - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By LI Driver - September 10 - 12:39 pm

  After 4 minivans, I had to have a vehicle that offered more comfort and style, but still offered a roomy third row for my teen/tween-aged kids. But I did not want anything as big (and costly) as a Sequoia. The Enclave fits the bill perfectly. It is roomy and comfortable to ride in. So far, performance has been great. I read the criticism about the transmission being slow to downshift, but I havent noticed anything significant. MPG was another concern, but on a recent trip, I got over 21 mpg (obviously highway). For a vehicle this size, I cant complain. If you are looking for a crossover that combines lots of room with style and comfort, check out the Enclave.

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  Great car for the whole family - 2010 Buick Enclave
  By GC - September 9 - 11:38 pm

  We really love our new Buick Enclave. It is a really comfortable and quiet ride. The DVD player with Wireless headphones is great. We can listen to music while the kids are watching a movie. The inside of this SUV is almost as roomy as a minivan. The Kids can actually stand up in the back. There is still room for storage in the trunk with the third row seats up.

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  Buy American...Toy/Honda are vanilla. - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By snoop - September 9 - 10:40 am

  Toyota and Honda are not the best in this market. I looked at the Lexus and the Accura and they did not provide the same number of benefits to justify their added costs. I really like the styling of the Buick much better than its competitors. As far as the power is concerned. It is more than enough. It is a crossover vehicle not a sprint car. If you hate minivans, but want enough room for your family with all the modern creature comforts like xenon lights, nav, 2 dvds, xm leather, 2 sunroofs, in a really solid vehicle. I feel the Buick is the best choice. I am only 40 something, I didnt think I would ever own a Buick. Friends, neighbors cant believe how nice this car is!