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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  Fantastic luxury family car. - 2009 Buick Enclave
  By chris - January 25 - 3:48 pm

  I bought this car so myself and our family could travel comfortably and this meets that standard completely - Coming from a subaru outback the fuel economy downgrade is considerable however - this car is fun, very big and makes traveling with kids easy. - I highly reccomend to anyone looking for a luxury SUV - I test drove the X5 and other luxury vehicles and they did not have all the features as the enclave plus they were more money. The only downside to this vehicle is you dont get the 15k bmw or mercedes logo - however you do get many more useful features.

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  Great NEW American Car - 2010 Buick LaCrosse
  By Dick - January 24 - 9:06 pm

  Traded in a 2005 Cadillac STS with Northstar V8 and a $58k sticker. My new 2010 LaCrosse CSX is $20k less and every bit as good with better build quality and, option-for-option, the better of the two. Really, really nice outside and inside--better than BMW (3 or 5), Acura and Lexus (GS or ES). ONLY complaint is no all-wheel drive on CSX model--dont understand. Can highly recommend this car--way to go Buick and GM!!

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  The engine Buick Century Custom stinks! - 2002 Buick Century
  By Sixinc - January 23 - 10:06 pm

  I bought this car from a deal in June 2007 at 52000 miles. I am now in the process of flusing out oil from the radiator that came from the engine. There is at least 1/2 pint oil in the coolant reservior. Service Engine soon ligh comes on all the time, tire low light is always on, check coolant light never goes off. The tires, coolant and engine have all been serviced. My mechanic discovered that the engine oil leaked into the coolant. The engine will freeze soon if I dont replace it soon.

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  Started Off Bad, Ended Up Great! - 1997 Buick Regal
  By Kevin Hoffman - January 21 - 11:53 pm

  I bought my Regal GS used with 58,000 miles. I chose the GS over the LS because of its sharper handling. Less than a month after my purchase, the supercharger went bad and the car wouldnt start! But it was repaired in less than a week. Shortly after, the front passenger footwell began filling with water after a hard rain. It took the dealership two weeks to remedy that problem. But from then on I had no problems. The cars accelleration is great and ride comfort is excellent. Fuel ecomony with the supercharger isnt great, but could be worse. The stereo system has great sound. Leather seats held up very well. Despite my problems, I would still reccomend the Regal,

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  Its a Beast - 1993 Buick Regal
  By BrandNew - January 21 - 11:47 pm

  Bought from the dealer, Carfax reported only one owner - A little old lady. !993 with no rust new tires and 72,000 miles. The suspension is amazingly smooth. I personally like the way it floats. The new cars dont even come close to the comfort of the Regal. At first the dash was weird, but controls have a nice lay-out. Performance with the 3.8 liter V6 is excellent. It will leave black marks down the road. Interstate driving is a breeze and power is there when you need it. The transmission is just as smooth as the right. Overall its a boat, but still a blast to drive.

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  Not an old guys car anymore - 2007 Buick Lucerne
  By The CarGuy in WV - January 20 - 9:31 pm

  I purched my 2007 Lucerne CXL in Dec. of 09. Im 39 years old & I love the car. Its built on the Cadillac DTS platform and is only 4 inches less than the DTS. Im only able to get 15 mpg out of the 197 HP V6 in the city and havent really had it out on the open road to check the highway milage. I love that when its cold outside and you start the car with the remote start, the heated seats and the rear defogger come on. Thats a great idea that GM had when designing the car. The ride is great, its a little floaty compared to my 2007 Toyota Avalon Limited, but thats comparing apples to oranges.The Avalon has 265 HP and gets 18 city and 30 hwy. I was hoping to get the same from the Buick. Oh well

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  Great Car for a Great Price!!! - 2010 Buick LaCrosse
  By Kevin W. - January 19 - 12:16 pm

  This car is amazing in all aspects. The ride is smooth and quiet and the car handles great in the city. The interior of the car has great, easy to use feature that are very luxurious. Overall, this is a great car and very reliable.

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  A head turner - 2010 Buick LaCrosse
  By bossyone - January 19 - 9:42 am

  I purchased my jewel red Lacrosse in December. I like the car inside and out. It has enough room for me and my family, I like the sporty look and the comfortable ride. Buick, you outdid yourselves on this one. Run for cover Lexus!

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  Be Afraid... - 2006 Buick Terraza
  By tampa-fl - January 18 - 1:27 pm

  This was an emergency purchase (with Buick Rendevous trade-in...another GM horror story) for 2008 family summer trips. DVD system a plus with four kids averaged 26 MPG highway driving...very comfortable seats. Lack of seating flexibility (no fold-down 3rd row seats, and 2nd row seats dont slide forward) a major minus. Removing 2nd/3rd row seats is hernia territory. Repairs in 18 months ownership: (1) replaced front stabilizer links ($270) (2) reprogram PCM to address extended crank time, Bulletin #05-06-04-076B ($90). Still fighting Dealer on the flickering headlamps & interior lights, Bulletin #05-06-03-003C, that may require either replacement voltage regulator or alternator (ouch)

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  Lacrosse takes the Cake! - 2010 Buick LaCrosse
  By RJP - January 16 - 6:23 pm

  Lacrosee is a great vehicle! Looked at many and only stopped by the Buick dealer to check it out after viewing an ad on TV and looking at some on-line reviews perhaps interestingly was on my way to re-visit the Jag dealer when I literally dragged my wife and daughter into the Buick Dealership I had checked a number of other cars including the Jag, Audi, Lexus and Acura, along with Volkwagen and the Chevy Malibu, to name a few. Overall, the Lacrosse beat all hands down, especially in terms of the bang for the buck!