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2013 Buick Verano Turbo vs. 2013 Acura ILX 2.4

Michael Harley — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Acura, Buick, Luxury, Comparisons

Answering The $30,000 Entry-Level Luxury Question

Twenty years ago, a comparison between an entry-level Buick and Acura would have matched a Skylark against an Integra.

Twenty years ago, a comparison between an entry-level Buick and its Acura equivalent would have matched a Skylark against an Integra. The unfair battle would have resulted in the compact American's defeat in nearly every measurable category, as the Japanese competitor was arguably at the height of its powers.

Yet the automotive industry has flipped, twisted and merged itself through more than just a recession over the past two decades - it's morphed into a whole different ballgame. Pitting a Buick against an Acura makes perfect sense today, as both automakers are peddling new entry-level models designed to scoop up buyers seeking premium features, luxury appointments and fuel efficiency in a reasonably priced compact sedan package.

Today's battle is between the Verano and the ILX. Instead of wringing out the base models and setting ourselves up for a day-long yawnfest, we chose the most powerful and dynamic variants of each, configuring them with six-speed manual transmissions to liven the pace. This unquestionably made our behind-the-wheel excursion more interesting, but we soon realized that our enthusiast-oriented decision would introduce a whole new set of headaches.

Continue reading 2013 Buick Verano Turbo vs. 2013 Acura ILX 2.4

2013 Buick Verano Turbo vs. 2013 Acura ILX 2.4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Buick Verano Turbo

Seyth Miersma — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Buick, New Car Reviews

Not Luxury. Not Sport. Not Buick. Not Bad.

Those of you who still think of the Buick Verano as some sort of callously badge-engineered, gussied up version of the Chevrolet Cruze ("Why would anyone spend that much money on Buick's Cruze?" you may have been heard to mutter) have got the wrong idea. Entirely. Even in its most modest form, the Verano turns out to be a sedan that is feature-rich, insulated from wind and road noise in proper luxury car fashion, pretty good to drive and not bad to look at in the new school of high-nosed pedestrian-impact-regulated fashion. In a less modest form then, one that attaches the word "Turbo" to the moniker and plops a force-fed 2.0-liter four-cylinder under the hood, the Verano is downright interesting.

Of course, "interesting" is rarely a descriptor that fills one with lust - and so it goes with this example. There are two competing forces within this near-premium subcompact sedan, and the balance struck between them must resonate with any potential customer before the Verano Turbo can become a serious purchase consideration.

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2013 Buick Verano Turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick Verano to go turbo-only for 2014?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Buick, Rumormill, Luxury

If VIN tags recently posted online prove accurate, the 2014 Buick Verano may be getting a new base engine. Presently the Verano makes use of GM's 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine in non-turbo trim; 2014 documentation appears to indicate that GM's entry-level luxury compact will instead feature a 1.6-liter turbocharged mill.

If this is the same engine seen in Europe, GM Inside News suggests it may offer 192 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque - useful improvements over the larger naturally aspirated mill's 180 hp and 171 lb-ft. More importantly, the downsized engine would likely improve on the Verano's current fuel mileage estimates of 21 city and 31 highway.

We like the Verano in both of its current iterations, but the 1.6 turbo engine sounds like a worthwhile upgrade if this reports turns out to be true. Plus, if more performance is your bag, baby, there's always the Verano's optional 2.0 turbo engine with an impressive 250 horsepower and 260 lb-ft from just 2.0 liters of displacement.

Buick Verano to go turbo-only for 2014? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Buick Verano Turbo [w/video]

Michael Harley — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Buick, First Drives, Luxury

Look Who Just Raised The Bar In The Compact Entry-Level Luxury Segment

We first slid behind the wheel of the Buick Verano, the American automaker's entrant in the $25,000 compact luxury segment, one year ago in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest. After motoring through scenic Oregon, we boarded our flight back home quite impressed with the small four-door. In our First Drive review, we mentioned that the General Motors offering had "exceeded our expectations" and that its combination of features and appointments "made a compelling argument for itself."

Our one gripe, however, was aimed at the Verano's standard naturally aspirated (NA) four-cylinder engine. With 180 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque, we found its performance rather lethargic in the 3,300-pound sedan. As we noted, "The power from the 2.4-liter was adequate, but much of its steam was lost above legal speeds when attempting two-lane passing maneuvers."

For 2013, Buick has handily addressed the power deficit by fitting its sedan with GM's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder - an action that packs another 70 horses under the hood. Of course, there were other upgrades and enhancements to accompany the additional muscle.

We just spent a day in the heart of the Bluegrass State, on the other side of the country, putting the 2013 Buick Verano Turbo through its paces. Fall is a near-perfect time to visit Kentucky, and the Buick proved to be an excellent companion for touring the land of horses, tobacco and those wonderful bourbon distilleries.

Continue reading 2013 Buick Verano Turbo [w/video]

2013 Buick Verano Turbo [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Buick Verano Turbo priced from $29,990*

Steven J. Ewing — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:56:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Buick, GM

The 2013 Buick Verano Turbo goes on sale this fall and General Motors has just announced that the boosted sedan will be priced from $29,990 (*including $885 for destination).

That base price gets you niceties like IntelliLink, a Bose audio system, heated leather seats, and a whole host of safety features including a rearview camera, blind spot alert and cross-traffic alert. A six-speed manual transmission is available as a no-cost option (hurrah!), and the only other available upgrades are a sunroof and navigation.

For comparison's sake, a similarly equipped Verano with the naturally aspirated 2.4-liter engine costs $26,850, including destination.

Under the hood of the Verano Turbo is GM's 2.0-liter forced-induction four that we've sampled in the larger Regal, good for 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The EPA just recently released fuel economy figures for the Verano Turbo, and the baby Buick is estimated to achieve 20/31 miles per gallon (city/highway).

Scroll down for the official pricing release.

Continue reading 2013 Buick Verano Turbo priced from $29,990*

2013 Buick Verano Turbo priced from $29,990* originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Buick Verano Turbo rated at 31 mpg highway

Zach Bowman — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Buick, Luxury

The Environmental Protection Agency has released official fuel economy ratings for the 2013 Buick Verano Turbo. When equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual gearbox, the sedan returns 20 miles per gallon in the city and 31 mpg highway. More importantly, it manages 24 mpg combined. Those figures put it at exactly 1 mpg behind the base model's naturally-aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder and its six-speed automatic in every category.

The Verano Turbo also ties the larger Regal GS with the same drivetrain in city and combined mileage, but loses out to its bigger brother on the highway front by 1 mpg. That's despite the fact that that the Regal Turbo tips the scales at a full 371 pounds heavier than the forced-induction Verano. The slimmer waistline on the Verano does pay dividends in the 0-60 sprint, however. The smaller Buick clicks off the run in 6.2 seconds, a full half-second quicker than the Regal GS.

2013 Buick Verano Turbo rated at 31 mpg highway originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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