2012 Buick Verano
Baby Buick Makes Quiet Case As An Almost-Luxury Car It's no secret that Buick is one of the most prominent automakers in China, but the vehicle that's leading the charge in the People's Republic may come as a surprise. The top-selling car in the world's largest auto market last year was the Buick Excelle, a C-segment sedan that just so happens also to be a version of the 2012 Buick Verano that's now on sale here in the United States. The Verano has only been on sale here for a few months, but as you might expect, U.S. buyers aren't quite as excited about the latest Buick offering as our Chinese counterparts, at least not in the early going. March sales came in at a modest 2,497 units (the Excelle family scored 23,179 April sales in China), making the Verano the least-purchased Buick for that month, while April's 2,989 units were just enough to beat the Regal in Buick's sales portfolio. Do Chinese buyers know something that we don't, or does the littlest Buick just need time to win us over? Former General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz once stated that Buick, not Cadillac, was The General's true Lexus competitor, and since that time, the brand has dropped old-school rides like the Lucerne in favor of the much more modern LaCrosse, Regal, and now, the Verano. These vehicles aren't as likely to churn the butter of traditional Buick buyers, but then again, cataracts and Father Time have conspired to remove most Tri-Shield buyers from the road altogether. The trick with the Verano is to nail down exactly which vehicles this near-luxury ride competes against. The Germans are almost completely out of this discussion, since the Verano's MSRP tops out shy of where the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 start, though one could make a bit of an argument for the smaller, less-expensive A3 hatchback. Lexus doesn't have anything that starts at $23,000, though the $29,000 CT 200h hybrid is certainly similar in size. On the other hand, the Verano's price tag is clearly a step beyond that of the Chevrolet Cruze (with which the Verano shares a platform), Ford Focus, and other sub-$20K C-segment offerings. The clearest competitor is the recently introduced Acura ILX – a more luxurious example of the Honda Civic that joins the Verano in the purgatory of near-luxury white space. Our test car, painted in White Diamond Tricoat (a $495 option) arrived with an as-tested price of $28,245, including $885 for destination. This Verano came equipped with the top-tier Leather Package that adds hide-clad seats (the fronts being heated), a heated steering wheel and a nine-speaker Bose sound system, as well as an optional sunroof ($900). That's a lot of kit for a reasonable price tag, and it's important to note that even the most affordable Verano comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, a USB audio input, Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control, leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant controls and a brightly lit, seven-inch touchscreen …
Full Review
Baby Buick Makes Quiet Case As An Almost-Luxury Car It's no secret that Buick is one of the most prominent automakers in China, but the vehicle that's leading the charge in the People's Republic may come as a surprise. The top-selling car in the world's largest auto market last year was the Buick Excelle, a C-segment sedan that just so happens also to be a version of the 2012 Buick Verano that's now on sale here in the United States. The Verano has only been on sale here for a few months, but as you might expect, U.S. buyers aren't quite as excited about the latest Buick offering as our Chinese counterparts, at least not in the early going. March sales came in at a modest 2,497 units (the Excelle family scored 23,179 April sales in China), making the Verano the least-purchased Buick for that month, while April's 2,989 units were just enough to beat the Regal in Buick's sales portfolio. Do Chinese buyers know something that we don't, or does the littlest Buick just need time to win us over? Former General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz once stated that Buick, not Cadillac, was The General's true Lexus competitor, and since that time, the brand has dropped old-school rides like the Lucerne in favor of the much more modern LaCrosse, Regal, and now, the Verano. These vehicles aren't as likely to churn the butter of traditional Buick buyers, but then again, cataracts and Father Time have conspired to remove most Tri-Shield buyers from the road altogether. The trick with the Verano is to nail down exactly which vehicles this near-luxury ride competes against. The Germans are almost completely out of this discussion, since the Verano's MSRP tops out shy of where the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 start, though one could make a bit of an argument for the smaller, less-expensive A3 hatchback. Lexus doesn't have anything that starts at $23,000, though the $29,000 CT 200h hybrid is certainly similar in size. On the other hand, the Verano's price tag is clearly a step beyond that of the Chevrolet Cruze (with which the Verano shares a platform), Ford Focus, and other sub-$20K C-segment offerings. The clearest competitor is the recently introduced Acura ILX – a more luxurious example of the Honda Civic that joins the Verano in the purgatory of near-luxury white space. Our test car, painted in White Diamond Tricoat (a $495 option) arrived with an as-tested price of $28,245, including $885 for destination. This Verano came equipped with the top-tier Leather Package that adds hide-clad seats (the fronts being heated), a heated steering wheel and a nine-speaker Bose sound system, as well as an optional sunroof ($900). That's a lot of kit for a reasonable price tag, and it's important to note that even the most affordable Verano comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, a USB audio input, Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control, leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant controls and a brightly lit, seven-inch touchscreen …
Hide Full Review
Hide Full Review
Retail Price
$22,585 - $25,965
MSRP / Window Sticker Price
| Engine | 2.4L I-4 |
| MPG | Up to 21 city / 32 highway |
| Seating | 5 Passengers |
| Transmission | 6-spd auto w/OD |
| Power | 180 @ 6700 rpm |
| Drivetrain | front-wheel |
| Curb Weight | 3,300 lbs |
Smart Buy Program is powered by 
