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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  disappoinetd - 2006 Buick Terraza
  By maj - November 17 - 2:00 am

  purchased certified used from a gm dealer. I dont believe carfax or this vehicle was poorly built from the beginning. I thought I covered all of the basic when first time buying used. From the noise, lose and squeaky steering wheel, radio can never be turn off manual, feel like the van will fall apart of bumpy roads, purchased a new battery 3 days after purchase, left window squeaks and sitting on pins and needles.

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  Still love it. - 2005 Buick LaCrosse
  By Rob W. - November 17 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car new for my birthday in 2005 and saw it come off the car carrier. It is the best auto I have ever owned. I have just replaced orig. battery as I felt I needed to do so in S. FL and it will be six y.o. in Dec. It rides as tight and quietly as the day I took it and no repairs to date. Only a battery and two tires. If it ever wears out I will be another Buick. I do not understand American love of foreign cars when you can buy this luxury from GM for a lot less.

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  unstoppable - 1993 Buick Skylark
  By mickey - November 16 - 2:00 am

  I love this car I bought it for $900.00 and it is running strong. We just had a small mishap with the fan. Other than that I couldnt ask for anything more cozy and smooth riding.

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  Indestructible - 1990 Buick Skylark
  By Larkson - November 16 - 2:00 am

  The best first car I could have imagined. Sure it may not be winning any car shows but it was for just that reason that it was such a great first car. I put on 50,000 cruel miles in about 3 years with no major mechanical errors. Kind of a small backseat but 5 high schoolers can fit in with only minor squeezing. Overall a great first car and uber comfortable.

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  I never thought I would buy a Buick - 2011 Buick Enclave
  By 2left - November 15 - 2:00 am

  Pros: comfort, ride, quietness, styling, space, utility Cons: gas mileage, needs tighter steering, better visibility out the back. Summary: I had test drove Pilot, MDX, RX350, Sorento, VeraCruz, SantaFe, Highlander, Acadia, Traverse and Edge. For the size, comfort, range, performance, convenience and price, the Enclave stood out among its competiton IMO) - this selection was not only a surprise to me but those who know me as well - particularly since I have been a Honda/Acura person for many years. The Enclave is a very nice car and if I had to do it over again, I would purchase it again.

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  Auto transmission hard shifting - 2010 Buick Enclave
  By Don Ferrari - November 14 - 2:00 am

  Auto trans has a hard shift from 1st to 2nd and or 2nd to 3rd. This occurs most of the time. I expected the shift to be smooth all the time, especially in a vehicle the cost of an Enclave. This problem is anoying to me. Otherwise I like the car. Dealer CSR said its nornal for that vehicle. I thought the shifting would improve over time with more milage,but its still the same. After 70 years plus of making auto trans you would think GM could get it right. Would not buy another Enclave due to this problem.

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  Stylish,but.................. - 2011 Buick Regal
  By DT - November 14 - 2:00 am

  I have driven this car for 3 months and almost 3,000 miles. Interior and exterior quality is outstanding as is the performance. However, I have found the new Regal to ride harshly on most streets, the gas mileage averages around 22 mpg overall and has not hit 30mpg on the highway. It rides smoothly on the interstate.

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  VERY impressed - 2010 Buick LaCrosse
  By blcunningham - November 14 - 2:00 am

  I could consider myself Buicks target buyer, im under 40 and my last car was a Lexus. I drive a ton of freeway miles each year, i look for a comfortable car that above all is smooth and quiet. The Buick has managed to impress me on all fronts, a very solid car that has remained that way after 45k miles. It makes me feel good driving a American car again.

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  Great Crossover - 2010 Buick Enclave
  By Ruk - November 12 - 2:00 am

  My wife wanted out of her Odyssey minivan so we started looking at crossovers. The Enclave has more features than most other crossovers at a great price. The ride is smooth and comfortable. All of the controls are easy to use and intuitive. Sliding second row seats are a nice touch and allow easy access for our 3 kids and friends. GPS takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, its easy to use. Gas mileage is poor, but we knew that going in. Overall, not as much storage room with 3rd row up as the minivan, but my wife is much happier, so Im happier. Very pleased with this purchase.

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  Starship Buick - 2010 Buick LaCrosse
  By Uncle Walt - November 12 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my LaCrosse for five months and havent found fault with it yet. I traded in a BMW 528i and feel like Ive traded up. The LaCrosse has so many features the BMW didnt have. Living in the South, I like the remote start on hot days and the cooled seats and the rear sunshade. The interior is well designed and functional. I love the high tech "gadgets": the heads up display, the hard drive, the Nav display, the articulating headlights and so on. The exterior is just right. I have had more compliments on this car than any Ive owned. Just the other day, a lady was loading her groceries next to me and said "if you want to sell this car, I want to be first in line!". Great car!