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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  Well Pleased! - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By John - June 24 - 5:53 pm

  Bought new. Classy looks, smooth and quiet ride, fun to drive. Satisfied with gas mileage, e.g., 31mpg on highway and 19.5mpg suburban driving. Blind spots at center and front roof supports. DIC extremely helpful. Dimming mirror great for night time driving. Front seat lumbar supports too high. Had to buy seat pillows for driver and front passenger seats. Rear seats slanted too sharply, making it hard to get out...especially for elderly. OnStar system easy to use. Only one repair was needed in 14 months (steering).

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  Just What We Wanted - 2016 Buick Cascada
  By Joe Sabin - June 20 - 6:30 pm

  We wanted a convertible, I wanted something fun to drive with style. I owned a Lotus Elise, but that was too small as we aged, so we were looking for something a little bit more. We looked at the Audi A3, but if it had the features of this (German company Opel) car, it cost $12K more. I didnt buy it to turn heads, but to be honest, it gets a significant amount of attention. Maybe not like the Lotus did, but its a very good looking car. Its not fast, but it handles well, I love the front end suspension that handles the vagaries of the road and stops the odd bump from pulling the steering. Very nice feature. Overall this is a great touring car with an amazingly quiet interior even with the top and windows down. Its also got super spousal support, a moderate price, and solid overall performance. Take a look, I promise you wont be disappointed...IF you are willing to keep an open mind and realize a Buick can be pretty cool.

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  SUMMERS AROUND THE BEND - 2016 Buick Cascada
  By Cal - June 20 - 1:59 pm

  It is a very solid car. It handles very well and holds the road/corners really well. It is not a high performance car, so if you want one get a mustang or camaro. The 4 cylinder turbo moves you down the road really well but your not going to use the car at a drag strip. All the controls are there in front of you and I like that it has a key to start. Im not a fan of start buttons, kind of brings back the 50s with the starter on the gas pedal. Everywhere i go people are very positive about the cars looks and should bring in lots of traffic to the dealership. Its fun to drive and thats what it should be about. Its a great go for a drive car with the top down and on those really hot days the a/c works really well and keeps you comfortable.

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  Excellent Family Sedan - 2006 Buick Lucerne
  By RC702 - June 18 - 11:40 pm

  I would recommend this car to anyone looking for a sedan, especially a family sedan. It has plenty of power with the V6, the interior is top- notch, and the rear seat room is excellent. Overall, the Lucerne is an excellent value AND a great car. This Buick is far superior to any other GM vehicle I have ever owned.

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  Great for a Tall Family - 2008 Buick Lucerne
  By Cardiomac - June 16 - 10:23 pm

  I am 64", my wife is 62", my 12 year old son is 510" and my 8 year old daughter is 5 4". Clearly, front and rear head and leg room were the most important features in our buying decision. I had never owned a Buick before but I must say that I am very pleased with this one. No other car in its class has the same mix of size, comfort and convenience. And it is so incredibly quiet! I absolutely love it. he V6 engine has plenty of power for the kind of driving I do - short commutes and the occasional interstate road trip. I got the bench front seat which really lets me stretch out on long trips.

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  2007 Lucerne CX - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By John - June 16 - 11:39 am

  Bought this car new over a year ago. Love the design, smoothness & quietness of ride. Get 18.5-20.5 mpg suburb driving and 27-31 mpg on trips. Reasonable pickup. Arrive at distant destinations rested. Somewhat difficult getting in and out, especially for elderly. Seating comfortable but non- adjustable lumbar support too high (Im 5ll")and seat seems short front to back. A 2 1/2" seat pillow corrected the lumbar problem. Roof supports create dangerous blind spots that took six - eight months to accommodate. Inside trunk release button awkwardly located. After 14000 miles, no mechanical problems.

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  Plenty of Acceleration - 2016 Buick Encore
  By Jody - June 14 - 2:48 am

  I read quite a few reviews that suggested that the Encore is a bit sluggish. Though I would not take it out on the autobahn, we were very happy with the Sport Touring trim (new for 2016) that has a slightly more powerful engine and AWD. During the test drive, I practically demanded that we take the car out on the freeway and drove several miles out of the way to do so. Im so glad I did as acceleration was more than sufficient to deal with traffic on I-95 near Philadelphia (if you know the area, you will know that is no small feat). Remember, this is a compact SUV - you dont need a 6- or 8- cylinder engine to pull this weight. In terms of interior comfort and size, I am more than impressed. There are plenty of storage options, totally flat-folding seats, and a 60/40 split bench seat that grants an extra amount of flexibility. We have a pretty good-sized dog and her accompanying crate (24"x36"x36") and we were able to get the crate into the car on the 60 side - thus keeping one seat in the back still open. Everything else has been great thus far and Buick has joined the rest of the car world by offering free maintenance for two years. All in all, we are quite pleased with the purchase.

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  2008 Buick LaCrossse - 2008 Buick LaCrosse
  By chinosteve - June 14 - 12:27 am

  I have owned Buicks for ten years (2000 Lucerne and current 2006 Lucerne CXL). Buicks have beed a preferred car in my family since 1935. The 2008 LaCrosse lives up to Buicks reputation for excellence in interior and exterior design. Handling is responsive (I have the optional ESC) performance is adequate and interior road noise is minimal even at freeway speeds. Fit and finish is outstanding.

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  Solid, dependable car - 2003 Buick Century
  By pf miller - June 10 - 6:07 am

  I traded in my 1999 Buick Century custom for this 2003 in 2004 ( 22000 miles on this one ...lease car ). Had to replace the rack and pinion in 06. A bit disappointing, but I love this car. Gives a great ride, plus good gas mileage.

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  08 CXL AWD Blue-Gold - 2008 Buick Enclave
  By rrtke - June 8 - 3:23 pm

  I didnt think I would ever go back to a GM product. We traded in an 04 Toyota Sienna. The van was very nice but between the hesitation and the run flat tires, it certainly was not perfect as some would lead you to believe. The new Enclave is fantastic. Great room, quiet, and very comfortable.