Buick, GMC's premier brand, has always been known for its stylish and luxurious sedan models. Buick is one of the oldest auto brands in the world, and it brings distinction to this title. Currently, Buick offers four sedan models in several different trims. The four current sedan models are: the 2012 Buick Verano, the 2012 Buick Regal, the 2011 Buick Lucerne, and the 2012 Buick LaCrosse, with the LaCrosse being Buick's all-time leading full-size sedan model. Although Buick is known for its fu... (full review continues below)
Buick, GMC's premier brand, has always been known for its stylish and luxurious sedan models. Buick is one of the oldest auto brands in the world, and it brings distinction to this title. Currently, Buick offers four sedan models in several different trims. The four current sedan models are: the 2012 Buick Verano, the 2012 Buick Regal, the 2011 Buick Lucerne, and the 2012 Buick LaCrosse, with the LaCrosse being Buick's all-time leading full-size sedan model. Although Buick is known for its full-size models, it did begin offering mid-size and compact models by the 1980s. Since then, Buick has been offering all types of models, including minivans, SUVs, and a few performance cars and luxury coupes.
The 2012 Buick Verano has an MSRP of $22,585. It's known as a cost-efficient, well-rounded entry model. The Verano has a dedicated consumer base and fuel economy ratings of 21 mpg city/32 mpg highway. It comes in three trim levels, including the base. The other two trims levels are "Convenience Group 2" and the "Leather Group." As the most luxurious, the Leather Group has a starting MSRP of $25,965. For the 2012 year, the Verano sedan features a new, larger 2.4-liter engine that creates 180 horsepower. The Verano competes with such vehicles as the Toyota Camry and the Nissan Altima.
The 2012 Buick Regal receives some fantastic upgrades from the somewhat disappointing 2011 model. Features for this sedan include Sporty handling, good fuel economy, plenty of technology and comfort features, and an upscale cabin. The 2012 Regal comes in a huge number of variants, including the base trim, Premium 1, Premium 1 Turbo, Premium 2, Premium 2 Turbo, Premium 3 Turbo, and GS. The base MSRP for these vehicles ranges from $27,055- $34,835. The base Regal competes with the Chrysler 200 and the Dodge Avenger.
The 2011 Buick Lucerne was, by all accounts, one of Buick's least popular and worst-selling vehicles. It had its last model year in 2011, and is available in CX Sedan, CXL Sedan, CXL Premium Sedan, and Super Sedan trims, ranging from around $30k- $44.5k. The good news is, dealers will be offering huge incentives to remove these vehicles from their lots this year. It's not that the Lucerne was missing delightful features or a roomy interior, however. The Lucerne certainly has its good points. Its main issue is that it sits on a very dated platform, and the auto world is ready to move onto bigger and better vehicles.
The 2012 Buick LaCrosse sedan, which comes with a hybrid powertrain this year, comes in several trim levels, including: the base (starting around $30k), the Convenience Group, the Leather Group, the Premium I Group, the Premium II Group, the Premium III Group, and the Touring Group (which starts around $38k). This luxury Buick sedan competes well within its segment against vehicles such as the Acura TL, the Hyundai Genesis, and the Ford Taurus(based on its base model). It has plenty of great features, including elegant styling, a quiet ride, AWD, and excellent fuel economy thanks to its new hybrid motor.