Jump to content

Search the Community

Showing results for tags 'buick'.

  • Search By Tags

    Type tags separated by commas.
  • Search By Author

Content Type


Forums

  • GM-Trucks.com Original News & Product Reviews
    • General Motors Product and Industry News
    • The GM-Trucks.com Garage - Vehicle Testing & Product Reviews
    • The Newsroom Archive
    • The Garage Archive
  • Battery Electric Vehicles - 2022-2026 Ultium Platform
    • 2022-2024 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup & SUV
    • 2024 Silverado EV & Sierra EV
  • Fullsize Truck & SUV - 2019-2023 T1XX Platform
    • 2019-2023 Silverado & Sierra
    • 2020-2024 Silverado HD & Sierra HD
    • 2021-2023 Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, Yukon XL & Escalade
  • Fullsize Truck & SUV - 2014-2019 K2XX Platform
    • 2014 - 2019 Silverado & Sierra
    • 2015-2020 Suburban/Tahoe & Yukon/Yukon Denali
    • 2015-2019 Silverado HD & Sierra HD
  • Fullsize Truck & SUV - 1999-2006 GMT800 & 2007-2013 GMT900 Platforms
    • 1999-2013 Silverado & Sierra 1500
    • 2000-2014 Silverado & Sierra HD
  • Chevy Colorado & GMC Canyon
    • NEW 2023 Colorado & Canyon
    • 2015-2022 Colorado & Canyon
    • 2005-2012 Chevy Colorado & GMC Canyon
  • Classic Chevrolet / GMC Pickup Trucks
    • 1988-1999 Chevrolet & GMC C/K GMT400 Platform
    • 1973-1987 Chevrolet & GMC Square Body / Rounded Line Pickups
    • 1967-1972 Chevrolet & GMC Glamour / Action Line Pickups
    • 1960-1966 Chevrolet C/K/Apache & GMC 1000-3000 Pickups
    • 1982-2005 Chevrolet S-10/Blazer & GMC S15/Sonoma/Jimmy
    • 1969-1994 Chevrolet K5 Blazer & GMC Fullsize Jimmy
  • Marketplace
    • For Sale/Wanted
    • Member & Vendor Rating Forum
    • Member Product Reviews
  • The Lounge
    • Off-Topic
    • Future Vehicle Speculation & Spy Shots
    • Automotive Industry & Market Discussion
    • New Member Introductions
    • Meetups, Events, & Gatherings
    • GM-Trucks.com Comment Box
  • Hobbies & Lifestyle
    • Photography
    • Major League Sports, Outdoor Recreation, Firearms, Hunting, OHRV
    • Racing, Strip, & Track
    • Trailers, Hitches, & Towing
    • Garage & Home, Snow Plowing, Landscaping, & Lawn Care
    • Technology, Devices, & Gaming
    • Vehicle Buying, Financing, Incentives, & GM Card
    • Vehicle Builds
  • Technical & Advanced
    • Vehicle Appearance, Care, & Maintenance
    • Ask the GM Technician
    • Performance Engine Tuning
    • Transmission, Suspension, Transfer Case, & Axles
    • Wheels, Tires, & TPMS
    • Audio, Electronics, OnStar, MyLink, Intellilink & SiriusXM
    • How-To
  • Commercial Vehicles
    • 1980-2009 Chevrolet Kodiak and GMC Topkick
    • 1996-2018 Chevrolet Express & GMC Savana
    • 2019-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD/5500HD/6500HD
  • Black Truck Club's Topics
  • Texas Owner's Group's Topics
  • California Owner's Group's Topics
  • New England Owner's Group's Topics
  • Midwest Owner's Group's Topics
  • South Carolina Silverado Owners's Topics
  • Canadian Owners Club's Topics
  • SCUBA divers of GM-Trucks's Scuba Talk
  • Red Truck Club's Topics
  • Idaho Sierra & Silverado Owners Club's Idaho
  • Colorado Trucks's Exhaust Setups
  • Colorado Trucks's Pics of trucks
  • SEO Paint's seo color ordered
  • NorthSky Blue Club's NorthSky Blue Metallic
  • NorthSky Blue Club's Pics
  • diesel 3.0's Topics
  • MIAMI TRUCK LOVERS's YOUR FAVORITE CHERVROLET MOD?

Calendars

  • Events
  • Birthdays
  • Texas Owner's Group's Events
  • California Owner's Group's Events
  • Midwest Owner's Group's Events
  • Red Truck Club's Events

Categories

  • Articles
  • News
  • Reviews
    • Project Sierra
  • Resources

Categories

  • RPO

Product Groups

  • Premium Memberships

Blogs

There are no results to display.

There are no results to display.


Find results in...

Find results that contain...


Date Created

  • Start

    End


Last Updated

  • Start

    End


Filter by number of...

Joined

  • Start

    End


Group


MSN


Website URL


Yahoo


Skype


Facebook


Twitter


Name


Location


Interests


Drives

  1. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 7-10-2019 The 2020 Enclave Premium and Avenir trims from Buick will up the ante this coming year. Buick is offering massage front seats in these trims. Massage seats have long been one of the benchmarks we at GM-Trucks.com look for in a vehicle that claim to be luxury vehicles. Two others are a heated steering wheel and Android Auto. “Buyers are choosing the Buick Enclave because it is everything they want in a premium crossover with its distinct styling, quality and driving dynamics,” said Phil Brook, vice president of Buick and GMC marketing. “For the 2020 model year, we’re upping the comfort with available massaging seats, bringing in a new and different look for customers with Sport Touring and enhancing our in-vehicle technology to provide more of what these customers want.” The combination of Android Auto, massage front seats, and a heated steering wheel are not available on any current Lexus, Rolls Royce, or BMW vehicle sold in America. Maybe someday they will earn our luxury designation...
  2. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 4-23-2019 The staff at GM-Trucks.com are fortunate to be included in multiple automotive media groups. Without talking too much "inside baseball," we are tuned into product releases, press releases, and new product announcements. Our daily inbox is filled with dozens of brands vying for our daily attention. This activity spikes during late winter and early spring as the annual auto show cycle is in full swing. During this busy cycle this past year up until today, GM's Buick division has been eerily silent. For example, GM's media website, which is broken down by the four individual brands, has new press releases each week. Sometimes more than one per day. The last Buick press release was written in November of 2018, over five months ago. This is unusual for Buick. We looked back and found that Buick had posted 12 press releases in 2018. Yet, in nearly half a year, none. Of course, news about automobiles and brands is not limited to the press release announcements generated by those brands. Good writers dig up stories and create other forms of content about brands and models. We did a Google search on the keyword "Buick" to see what news these writers and publications had come up with for Buick over the past couple months. The top story by date (meaning recent news is elevated to the top of the search bar) is that Buick may import another trim of an existing model to the U.S. Multiple outlets are reporting that Buick may bring is longer wheelbase trim, the "Encore GX" crossover, to the U.S. The longer wheelbase version of that model is presently an Asian-market product. We also found a few stories about Chinese-market Buicks being written by publications that have a global reach online, like Automobile. One sign that the Buick news is slim is that on the first page of "Buick" news results on Google, a paid advertisement by a Buick dealer that appeared in the auto sales section of STLToday.com appears. Click it and the link is dead. Buick's top news search results include dead links to adverts. By contrast, Cadillac has press releases on its website posted in the past week and four for this April. Then also five in March, two in February, eleven in January. We also looked at Acura's media site for a gauge on its activity. Acura has five press releases in April so far, had seven in March, including two in one day, four in February, and the trend continues at that pace in months prior. Another concerning sign is that Buick has never visited the headquarters of our local New England media group. Toyota, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Jeep, Ram, Acura, Kia, Hyundai, Honda, and many other brands appear regularly with news, new products to show off and for writers to test and photograph, and to offer technology updates and tutorials. Heck, we see tire manufactures on a regular basis. Buick is conspicuously absent. Buick had no media presentation at this year's Boston Auto show. There is no New York Auto Show (happening this past week) news posted on Buick's website. Buick has no media test fleet that we are aware of. Buick is the only mainstream or premium brand without test vehicles that we know of. Reviews can only come from test vehicles. Without them, there can be no reviews for readers at shopping sites like CarGurus, BestRide, and iSeeCars. GM-Trucks.com is a fan of the Buick brand. In our collective fleet of personal vehicles, we own a Buick. Here's to hoping the slow pace of news and announcements is not a sign of anything bad to come.
  3. Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com 6/8/2018 The Buick Encore continues on with only small packaging changes for the 2019 model year. Buick is realigning the Encore's trim levels this year, so many of the previous year's trim packages are no longer available. Check out our other "What's New For 2019" Articles Here's what's new for the 2019 Buick Encore. 2018 Options That Have Been Retired FWD Preferred II 1SD (4JU76) models AWD Preferred II 1SD (4JM76) models FWD Premium 1SN (4JV76) models AWD Premium 1SN (4JN76) models (GJ6) Black Cherry Metallic exterior color (GK2) Graphite Gray Metallic exterior color (GQM) Coastal Blue Metallic exterior color New Features, Colors & Options for 2019 (GUM) Seeker Blue Metallic exterior color (GYM) Satin Steel Gray Metallic exterior color (PCL) Safety Package II, includes (KEM) Ionizing air cleaner, (CE1) Rainsense wipers, (UD5) Front and Rear Park Assist, (UEU) Forward Collision Alert and (UFL) Lane Departure Warning (1SL models)
  4. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 7-26-2018 OK, short and sweet: Ken Lingenfelter just bought this '83 Buick Wagon. (That's news, right?) Thumbs up or down? Judge it on face value, and then click this if you want to learn a bit more about it.
  5. Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com 6/5/2018 Only a few short years into this brand new model, Buick is giving some thoughtful upgrades to the 2019 Envision. A new nine-speed transmission and more powerful turbo 2.0L engine top off the long list of improvements. Buick is hoping these small changes will keep the model in buyer's consideration. Check out our other "What's New For 2019" Articles Here's what's new for the 2019 Buick Envision. 2018 Options That Have Been Retired Ebony seats with Dark Plum interior accents Midnight Amethyst Metallic exterior color Headlamps, halogen composite with automatic exterior lamp control Headlamps, articulating LPO, 19" (48.3 cm) Ultra-bright machine-faced wheels with Midnight Silver painted pockets Wheels, 19" (48.3 cm) 10-spoke aluminum with premium Manoogian Silver finish Exhaust, single-outlet stainless-steel Transmission, 6-speed automatic (1SN & 1SP) New Features, Colors & Options for 2019 Dark Galvanized leather-appointed seats with Ebony interior accents Satin Steel Gray Metallic exterior color Air cleaner, ionizing Tire Fill Alert Wireless Charging Headlamps, projector beam, high intensity discharge (HID) (1SV, 1SD and 1SL) Headlamps, Bi-LED technology (Premium and Premium II) Taillamps, LED with low-profile design Wheels, 18" (45.7 cm) 10-spoke painted aluminum (NEW DESIGN) Wheels, 18" (45.7 cm) 10-spoke polished aluminum (NEW DESIGN) Exhaust, turned down, hidden Transmission, 9-speed automatic (1SN/1SP) Small Changes In Trim & Packaging for 2019 Lighting, interior ambient, located on instrument panel and front door trim changes from Ice Blue to White LPO, 19" Ultra-bright machine-faced wheels with Midnight Silver painted pockets replaced by 19" aluminum wheels, LPO Wheels, 19" 10-spoke aluminum with premium Manoogian Silver finish replaced by 19" aluminum wheels
  6. The Vista is a wide, low coupe with no B-pillars. Automakers just love to show off concept cars without the roof support next to the driver, but they very rarely make it to production. However, if Buick did go that way it would be one of the defining style elements of the car. Under the hood of the Avista is a version of the ATS-V's twin-turbo V6. That means gobs of torque and horsepower between 450 and 500. Inside the Avista would be a modern luxury car with a sleek look. The 2017 Lexus LC 500 is not a concept car, but a production model slated for release late this year. Its looks are more polarizing. There are some that don't like Lexus' signature grill and overall look. However, when Lexus moved to this look sales of the IS and GS doubled and sales of every model that has received the new styling increased. Lexus has now passed Mercedes Benz in sales. Under the hood is a version of the V8 that powers the RC F and GS F. That means about 470 hp. Lexus is also planning to use an industry-first 10-speed automatic with shift speeds to rival a DCT. Imagine yourself shopping for a luxury performance coupe. Given the looks and what we know, which car would you prefer to own and why?
  7. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 1/11/2016 The two coolest cars form the Detroit Auto Show may well be the Buick Avista Concept and the 2017 Lexus LC 500. If the Avista becomes a production car, it will go head to head with the new Lexus luxury performance coupe. We'd like to know which would be your choice and why. The Vista is a wide, low coupe with no B-pillars. Automakers just love to show off concept cars without the roof support next to the driver, but they very rarely make it to production. However, if Buick did go that way it would be one of the defining style elements of the car. Under the hood of the Avista is a version of the ATS-V's twin-turbo V6. That means gobs of torque and horsepower between 450 and 500. Inside the Avista would be a modern luxury car with a sleek look. The 2017 Lexus LC 500 is not a concept car, but a production model slated for release late this year. Its looks are more polarizing. There are some that don't like Lexus' signature grill and overall look. However, when Lexus moved to this look sales of the IS and GS doubled and sales of every model that has received the new styling increased. Lexus has now passed Mercedes Benz in sales. Under the hood is a version of the V8 that powers the RC F and GS F. That means about 470 hp. Lexus is also planning to use an industry-first 10-speed automatic with shift speeds to rival a DCT. Imagine yourself shopping for a luxury performance coupe. Given the looks and what we know, which car would you prefer to own and why?
  8. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 1-26-2018 Buick has earned a top spot on J.D. Power’s newest rankings. The new Total Ownership Experience Rankings will list automakers based on the combined scores a brand earns on five other J.D. Power lists. The five J.D. Power studies to be included are: Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL); Customer Service Index (CSI); Initial Quality Study (IQS); Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI); and Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). Interestingly, Buick took the Mass Market award and Porsche the Luxury market award. We say “interestingly” because GM considers Buick a premium brand. Chevy would be a mass market brand to most observers. “J.D. Power has prided itself on being the voice of the automotive consumer for 50 years and we continue to examine every aspect of customers’ opinions on vehicle sales, quality and dependability, as well as dealership customer service,” said Doug Betts, Senior Vice President of Global Automotive at J.D. Power. “Addressing these areas effectively creates repeat buyers and brand advocates, so it’s important for manufacturers and dealers to listen, learn and continue to evolve with the times.” The information released by J.D. Power on this new award to Buick is thin. If more information becomes available, we will post the data as an addendum to this story. Click here for a detailed, honest video of the J.D. Power awards courtesy of Mahk.
  9. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 7-20-2017 Everyone loves reading about luxury, rear-drive, 200 MPH sedans with stick shifts, and GM's Cadillac division makes the best in the world. The problem is that nobody buys them. ATS compact sports sedan sales are at a level below the Chevy Volt now, and the CTS is barely selling, with sales having dropped below 1,000 per month on average in 2017. The truth is that rear-drive means space compromises and the halo V versions of these outstanding cars can't draw buyers to the 4-cylinder automatics. Another fact is that sedans as a class of cars have jumped the shark, as most shoppers now search for crossovers. Maybe Buick has a better plan to attract premium sedan drivers to the GM fold. The new 2018 Regal GS has a slightly different formula for GM. One that is more practical for everyday use and still affords its driver more than enough performance for public roads. With 310 hp from the GM's 3.6-liter V6 engine, power is at or above that offered by most mainstream and premium models. Of course, GM names Audi and BMW in its press release comparisons, but let's all hope that this car does not attract only those (very limited) buyers. The real meat of the premium market resides with Lexus and Acura in the premium sedan marketplace. The Buick Regal GS may well pull in some of those (much more numerous) shoppers. The Regal GS will feature AWD standard. That gets many buyers who believe that real performance means driving the rear wheels on board. Not all, but Caddy's CTS-V is there for the purists. The front-drive platform the Regal uses will have more interior space due to its design. Buick is adding in sporty elements to the Regal GS In what looks to be just the right amounts. those include: -New 3.6L V-6 with 310 horsepower and 282 lb-ft of torque featuring direct injection, cylinder deactivation and stop/start technology -Standard nine-speed automatic transmission and intelligent all-wheel drive (AWD) with active twin clutch for improved vehicle control, and five-link rear suspension -GS-specific, AGR-certified, performance seats that are heated, cooled and massaging with adjustable seat and seat-back bolsters as well as thigh support -Second-generation Continuous Damping Control (CDC) capable of 500 adjustments per second and Interactive Drive Control with GS and Sport modes -Unique sport front and rear fascias, side skirts and rear spoiler -Standard 19-inch wheels -Performance brakes with Brembo front calipers -Sport-tuned exhaust system -Sport flat-bottom steering wheel and metal pedals -Available head-up display Buick's recently impressive quality scores and more modern and appealing styling will start to add back buyers. Cars like the Regal GS may be what the company needs to augment crossovers in the showrooms where shoppers looking for more than Chevy offers go to consider their options. We have not seen any GM media fleet cars for a while. If GM supplies a Regal GS to the GM-trucks' media fleet in the coming year we will provide a full review here at GM-trucks.com.
  10. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 7-3-2017 General Motors is following the industry trend of moving away from conventional gear shift levers in its vehicles. With gear shifts having lost their mechanical link to gear boxes, there is no longer any requirement to have the gear shifter be a handle one pulls or pushes. Furthermore, with paddle shifters now available on almost all types of vehicles, there is no longer a need to engage gears using the gear shift while underway (say to downshift while towing). One example of the new trend for GM is the 2018 GMC Terrain. The Terrain will use a series of buttons instead of a gear shift. Interestingly, the 2018 Chevy Equinox retains the gear selector we are familiar with. The Buick line is also moving in another direction, The 2018 Enclave Avenir will feature a gear-selection device that looks straight out of a BMW. Push-button transmissions are not new to American cars. Edsel and Packard offered push-button transmissions. These came decades after early automakers had used them on early cars.
  11. Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com 2/2/2017 Every year the "big game" draws in viewers for two reasons...the game and the commercials. This game between the Patriots and Falcons promises to be a stunner. But arn't we all looking forward to seeing the commercials too? In fact, this year's time slot costs a cool $5-million dollars and what do you know... General Motors is stepping up to the plate. So which brand does GM plan on giving exposure? Professional Grade GMC, right? Struggling Cadillac? No? What? BUICK?! I think this 2017 Buick Super Bowl Commercial Is bad because: It spends more time on celebrity instead of product The ad uses the old and stale "That's a Buick?" line that isn't catchy anymore The products are never even mentioned by name but the celebrities are A super model and a star quarterback? No one could get more creative than that? Where's the rest of the Buick lineup? Only the Cascada and Encore are shown.. the Regal, Enclave, and brand new Envision are never even seen. What do you guys and gals think? Is this a bad commercial or is my sense of humor failing me?
  12. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 11-14-2016 Buick topped Cadillac, and all other GM divisions in the just-released J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study. The study measures how satisfied owners are following the purchase experience. In the study, Buick was found to have the highest score among "mass-market" brands. However, Buick's score of 809 topped Cadillac's 807. Buick tied Mercedes-Benz in the study. Chevy and GMC also scored very high. In the mass-market segment, GM had three of the four top spots. See more here at the J.D. Power site.
  13. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 10-21-2016 General Motors announced today that its Buick division sales have reached one million units. That is a huge number, but Buick is only selling slowly in the U.S. market. So where are the sales coming from? Every GM-Trucks.com fan knows it is China. We were amazed to discover that GM now sells five times more Buicks in China than in the U.S. In roughly the same time frame GM sold about 2.3 million cars in the U.S. in total (including all brands). That means that GM's China business is roughly half of its U.S sales now. What is most interesting is that GM is growing its sales by about 23% in china. Here in the U.S. GM (and most brands) have relatively flat sales. With GM now importing the Envision crossover to the U.S. from China the company's present and future seemed closely tied to its success in that country. Being fans of GM, it a positive thing that the company is now the number two automaker in that market and seems headed for long term success there and in the home market as well.
  14. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 9-27-2016 The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released the results of its safety testing of the Buick Envision. The results prove that the Chinese-built Buick is just as tough as any American-built crossover its size. The new Envision scored Good on every crash test. When equipped with its optional forward crash prevention system, it earns the Top Safety Pick Plus designation. The Envision was the first Chinese-built vehicle tested by the Institute.
  15. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 9-16-2016 The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has tested the Buick Envision, but not yet released its results. We spotted this image in an IIHS tweet today on the subject of photography. The new Envision is a 5-passenger, compact crossover that Buick (GM) builds in China. It will compete with vehicles like the Mazda CX-5 and Lexus NX-200t. Although Volvo presently manufactures a vehicle in China for sale in the U.S. market, the Buick Envision could be the first relatively high volume vehicle sold in America that is made in China. Do you think where it is built will have any difference in its safety? Sound off below in the comments, but you better hurry. IIHS has already loaded the blank Envision template on its site, and as the image shows, testing is well underway or complete.
  16. https://buickdriveforyourstudents.com/ Buick says schools need way to fund elective programs and this is a "dynamic" way to do it. The program is also labeled as a resume builder for the teens. While the effort is noble, I can't help but feel that kids pitching their best friend's mom an Enclave for after-school cash seems a teeny bit weird. What do you think? “Schools are always seeking dynamic opportunities to support their extracurricular activities and elective programs,” said Keller (Texas) Independent School District Director of Athletics Bob DeJonge. “It provides an opportunity for the students to build their resume with relevant work experience and for the community to demonstrate support for the school.” “Drive for Your Students” joins Buick’s celebration of academics and achievement, which includes the Buick Achievers Scholarship Program. To date, Buick Achievers, funded by the General Motors Foundation, has provided nearly $28 million in scholarships to students across the U.S. Buick also is a partner of the NCAA and supports achievement in college sports.
  17. By Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com 9/12/2014 Buick is expanding a fundraising opportunity it is offering to local schools. "Drive for Your Students" is a test drive initiative that pairs local dealerships with local high schools. The premise is pretty simple. The High School host the event, students work it, and Buick provides the cars. The school earns $10 per test drive for the first 100 drives. After that the donation doubles, to $20, up to $10,000 in total. https://buickdriveforyourstudents.com/ Buick says schools need way to fund elective programs and this is a "dynamic" way to do it. The program is also labeled as a resume builder for the teens. While the effort is noble, I can't help but feel that kids pitching their best friend's mom an Enclave for after-school cash seems a teeny bit weird. What do you think? “Schools are always seeking dynamic opportunities to support their extracurricular activities and elective programs,” said Keller (Texas) Independent School District Director of Athletics Bob DeJonge. “It provides an opportunity for the students to build their resume with relevant work experience and for the community to demonstrate support for the school.” “Drive for Your Students” joins Buick’s celebration of academics and achievement, which includes the Buick Achievers Scholarship Program. To date, Buick Achievers, funded by the General Motors Foundation, has provided nearly $28 million in scholarships to students across the U.S. Buick also is a partner of the NCAA and supports achievement in college sports.
  18. One vehicle that debuted immediately prior to the show was the 2017 Chevrolet Sonic. Chevys littlest hatch has ditched the large headlights in favor of very Camaro-inspired cues. It seems the era of grafting overly large headlights and grilles onto small cars might be coming to a close. Frankly the smaller, more aggressive headlights and thinner grille suit the Sonic much more. The updates go beyond skin-deep, as the Sonic gets some of the latest GM technology, such as the latest version of the Chevy MyLink infotainment system, featured on the available seven-inch touchscreen, and thats just the tip of the tech iceberg. Theres also available gear such as 4G LTE access with Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, rear park assist, and rear view camera. Under the hood, the standard engine continues to be a 1.8-liter inline-4 or the available 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-4, which makes 138 horsepower. Output from either engine is sent to the front wheels through either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. The RS trim is the one you see above, with menacing black wheels and revised lower front fascia. It makes the Sonic one hot-hatch runabout! Speaking of runabouts, the Buick Encore was another stout, utilitarian vehicle that went under the knife for the 2017 model year. It features sharper headlights, and the move away from the large slatted grille of older Buicks. The new grille still has the Buick "slats" but are thinner and meant to be a more subtle design cue. This new looks has a more sporting appearance, and from the looks of things, less of an emphasis on the two-tone look of the 2012-2016 Encore. The result is a very clean look that clearly positions the Encore for a younger demographic. Inside, the cabin improvements have centered on a rearrangement of the infotainment, climate, and audio controls. The large 8-inch touch screen for Buicks IntelliLink is no longer perched high up on the dash, but is rather now in the center stack, right at the drivers fingertips. As such, redundant controls can be reduced, and the system has a simplistic set of tactile controls similar to that of the new Chevrolet Camaro. The Encore goes on sale in the fall of this year, and will be available with one of five trim levels: Base, Sport Touring, Convenience, Leather, and Premium models. Most trims will be available with the 1.4-liter turbo-four, which will include stop-start technology. The Encore also comes standard with Buicks exclusive QuietTuning technology, and features Bose active noise cancellation. The Encore will also be available with safety tech such as forward collision warning, lane departure warning, rear park assist, and blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. It is a lot of safety tech to pack into a compact SUV, proving that the Encore boasts style and substance! Last up is the GMC Terrain Nightfall Edition-the latest GMC vehicle to receive this treatment. The Nightfall Edition is basically Murdered Out, which is to say, the excessive use of dark colors in place of the typical chrome found on GMCs models. To learn more about this vehicle and others, we spoke to GM Product Manager Jeff Giacobbe. "With this edition," explained Giacobbe, "It plats into GMCs bold styling, Especially the Terrain. One of the most important parts of a Terrain buyers purchase decision is styling. With the 2016 and previous models there has been a fair amount of chrome on that vehicle so we decided to take it in another direction, so for 2017 we decided to take it down a notch with the chrome." According to Giacobbe, this led directly to the decision to offer the Nightfall Edition for the terrain. "With Terrain," explained, "We've never done this black look. We've gotten a lot of positive feedback, so we're excited to get it out on the market and see how it does." According to GMC, the Nightfall Edition models are intended to appeal to more youthful buyers, as opposed to the more mature and well-heeled Denali buyers. The Nightfall Edition will be available on the SLE-2 and SLT trims of the Terrain and available in one of four colors (Onyx Black, Summit White, Graphite Gray, and Crimson Red). But the conversation was not limited to the latest edition of the Terrain, but also potential future special editions, including even a more off-road-oriented version of the Terrain. "One area we've been looking at," continued Giacobbe, "Is what can we do in terms of off-road capability. We explored this with the Acadia All-Terrain Edition. Its got the appearance elements, but also the hardware to back it up with the advanced all-wheel drive system, including the twin-system." "In the compact SUV space," he continued, "You could say Jeep right now is the front runner, they have several products. That's an area that we see that we can excel at. Its on our horizon for us to up our game. The Acadia All Terrain is a great first step, but well explore this for other vehicles." So will we see a Terrain All-Terrain (if that's what they call it)? It sure sounds like it- only time will tell!
  19. George Kennedy Contributor, GM-Trucks.com 3/28/16 The New York International Auto Show plays a unique role in the auto show circuit. When compared to Geneva or Detroit auto shows, NYIAS is not as large and doesnt always have the big-ticket debuts. But for the American market, it is the last major auto show before the 2017 model year vehicles arrive in large numbers, and so it is the last show for automakers to finalize their lineups for the upcoming year. With that in mind, NYIAS is one of the most important shows of the year. One vehicle that debuted immediately prior to the show was the 2017 Chevrolet Sonic. Chevys littlest hatch has ditched the large headlights in favor of very Camaro-inspired cues. It seems the era of grafting overly large headlights and grilles onto small cars might be coming to a close. Frankly the smaller, more aggressive headlights and thinner grille suit the Sonic much more. The updates go beyond skin-deep, as the Sonic gets some of the latest GM technology, such as the latest version of the Chevy MyLink infotainment system, featured on the available seven-inch touchscreen, and thats just the tip of the tech iceberg. Theres also available gear such as 4G LTE access with Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, rear park assist, and rear view camera. Under the hood, the standard engine continues to be a 1.8-liter inline-4 or the available 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-4, which makes 138 horsepower. Output from either engine is sent to the front wheels through either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. The RS trim is the one you see above, with menacing black wheels and revised lower front fascia. It makes the Sonic one hot-hatch runabout! Speaking of runabouts, the Buick Encore was another stout, utilitarian vehicle that went under the knife for the 2017 model year. It features sharper headlights, and the move away from the large slatted grille of older Buicks. The new grille still has the Buick "slats" but are thinner and meant to be a more subtle design cue. This new looks has a more sporting appearance, and from the looks of things, less of an emphasis on the two-tone look of the 2012-2016 Encore. The result is a very clean look that clearly positions the Encore for a younger demographic. Inside, the cabin improvements have centered on a rearrangement of the infotainment, climate, and audio controls. The large 8-inch touch screen for Buicks IntelliLink is no longer perched high up on the dash, but is rather now in the center stack, right at the drivers fingertips. As such, redundant controls can be reduced, and the system has a simplistic set of tactile controls similar to that of the new Chevrolet Camaro. The Encore goes on sale in the fall of this year, and will be available with one of five trim levels: Base, Sport Touring, Convenience, Leather, and Premium models. Most trims will be available with the 1.4-liter turbo-four, which will include stop-start technology. The Encore also comes standard with Buicks exclusive QuietTuning technology, and features Bose active noise cancellation. The Encore will also be available with safety tech such as forward collision warning, lane departure warning, rear park assist, and blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. It is a lot of safety tech to pack into a compact SUV, proving that the Encore boasts style and substance! Last up is the GMC Terrain Nightfall Edition-the latest GMC vehicle to receive this treatment. The Nightfall Edition is basically Murdered Out, which is to say, the excessive use of dark colors in place of the typical chrome found on GMCs models. To learn more about this vehicle and others, we spoke to GM Product Manager Jeff Giacobbe. "With this edition," explained Giacobbe, "It plats into GMCs bold styling, Especially the Terrain. One of the most important parts of a Terrain buyers purchase decision is styling. With the 2016 and previous models there has been a fair amount of chrome on that vehicle so we decided to take it in another direction, so for 2017 we decided to take it down a notch with the chrome." According to Giacobbe, this led directly to the decision to offer the Nightfall Edition for the terrain. "With Terrain," explained, "We've never done this black look. We've gotten a lot of positive feedback, so we're excited to get it out on the market and see how it does." According to GMC, the Nightfall Edition models are intended to appeal to more youthful buyers, as opposed to the more mature and well-heeled Denali buyers. The Nightfall Edition will be available on the SLE-2 and SLT trims of the Terrain and available in one of four colors (Onyx Black, Summit White, Graphite Gray, and Crimson Red). But the conversation was not limited to the latest edition of the Terrain, but also potential future special editions, including even a more off-road-oriented version of the Terrain. "One area we've been looking at," continued Giacobbe, "Is what can we do in terms of off-road capability. We explored this with the Acadia All-Terrain Edition. Its got the appearance elements, but also the hardware to back it up with the advanced all-wheel drive system, including the twin-system." "In the compact SUV space," he continued, "You could say Jeep right now is the front runner, they have several products. That's an area that we see that we can excel at. Its on our horizon for us to up our game. The Acadia All Terrain is a great first step, but well explore this for other vehicles." So will we see a Terrain All-Terrain (if that's what they call it)? It sure sounds like it- only time will tell!
  20. Buick cannot decide on if the Envision is a 2016 model or 2017. On its information page, it calls it both. We do know it will go on sale in the middle of 2016. The Envision will have nearly identical dimensions to the Acura RDX, Audi Q5, and Lincoln MKC. Interestingly, Buick does not list the Lexus NX as a competitor, despite the Lexus having the second most sales in the segment. Could this perhaps mean that a Cadillac version of the Envision is coming soon? In addition to matching the dimensions of the competitors in the premium compact crossover segment, Buick is also matching the engine specifications almost exactly. Like all the top sellers in the segment, it will use a 2.0-liter turbo with 252 hp. This will mean that the Envision should match the fuel economy of the other competitors, most of whom use premium unleaded fuel. On the Buick specification sheet is mentions the fuel type, saying "Premium recommended, but not required." That alone will save owners about 10% on fuel costs. If there is any doubt which model Buick is modeling the Envision after let us share a few specifications: Lexus NX 200t Buick Envision Length 182.3" 183.7" Width 73.6" 72.4" Height 64.8" 66.8" Weight 4047 lb 4050 lb Torque 258 ft-lb 260 ft-lb According to the Detroit News General Motors will import the new Envision from China. This could be why the Envision does not have the same dimensions as any other GM crossover.
  21. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 1/21/2016 Cars have jumped the shark, and no automaker could be more happy about that than General Motors. GM's car sales have been slowing while its truck, SUV and crossover sales have been going straight up. To date, GM's crossovers, in general, have been true to the old GM formula - sold by weight. GM's offerings in every class are bigger and heavier than the competition. For example, the biggest sales category now is compact crossovers the size of the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Yet, Chevy enters this mix with the Equinox, which is larger and heavier by far, and which does not come close to matching the fuel economy of these two segment leaders. In the premium compact segment, the leaders are the Audi Q5 and Lexus NX 200t. General Motors has had nothing to sell against these high-volume premium vehicles. Until now. Welcome, the 2017 Buick Envision. Buick cannot decide on if the Envision is a 2016 model or 2017. On its information page, it calls it both. We do know it will go on sale in the middle of 2016. The Envision will have nearly identical dimensions to the Acura RDX, Audi Q5, and Lincoln MKC. Interestingly, Buick does not list the Lexus NX as a competitor, despite the Lexus having the second most sales in the segment. Could this perhaps mean that a Cadillac version of the Envision is coming soon? In addition to matching the dimensions of the competitors in the premium compact crossover segment, Buick is also matching the engine specifications almost exactly. Like all the top sellers in the segment, it will use a 2.0-liter turbo with 252 hp. This will mean that the Envision should match the fuel economy of the other competitors, most of whom use premium unleaded fuel. On the Buick specification sheet is mentions the fuel type, saying "Premium recommended, but not required." That alone will save owners about 10% on fuel costs. If there is any doubt which model Buick is modeling the Envision after let us share a few specifications: Lexus NX 200t Buick Envision Length 182.3" 183.7" Width 73.6" 72.4" Height 64.8" 66.8" Weight 4047 lb 4050 lb Torque 258 ft-lb 260 ft-lb According to the Detroit News General Motors will import the new Envision from China. This could be why the Envision does not have the same dimensions as any other GM crossover.
  22. European brands reviewed by fan-boy writers often emphasize a "Base-price" but then they actually test a far more expensive version of the vehicle. Heated seats, backup cameras and nav systems on many European brand's cars come bundled with so much other content that "base price" is meaningless. The Cascada may or may not be a vehicle that lights your fire. Of course we'd all like a convertible Camaro 2SS, but that car is in another price category. Setting aside our own model preferences for a moment, isn't always refreshing when GM goes head to head with the Euro brands and shows them up? The Corvette, Camaro, and SS have done that with the performance vehicles from the continent. Now GM is taking on the bulk of the sales from these companies. Bravo.
  23. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 9/24/2015 As an auto enthusiast who reads pretty much every automotive publication, one of my biggest pet-peeves is that the magazines hate to compare "premium" brands with the "lesser" brands. Based on my own testing, and from a careful look at quality surveys from a variety of sources, what used to be called a luxury brand is no longer the case. That is why I loved the infographic GM created for the 2016 Cascada convertible comparing it to the Audi A3 cabriolet. European brands reviewed by fan-boy writers often emphasize a "Base-price" but then they actually test a far more expensive version of the vehicle. Heated seats, backup cameras and nav systems on many European brand's cars come bundled with so much other content that "base price" is meaningless. The Cascada may or may not be a vehicle that lights your fire. Of course we'd all like a convertible Camaro 2SS, but that car is in another price category. Setting aside our own model preferences for a moment, isn't always refreshing when GM goes head to head with the Euro brands and shows them up? The Corvette, Camaro, and SS have done that with the performance vehicles from the continent. Now GM is taking on the bulk of the sales from these companies. Bravo.
  24. We had to look twice to notice it, but the big change is the addition of a new horizontal element running across the top half of the grill. The shape is more upright, like all modern cars. This is most likely due to pedestrian impact standards driving the design. Buick is also adding colors to the new grill insignia. Buick says the new Lacrosse will have a new chassis that is lighter, yet stronger and will also feature a new rear suspension. The body is to be more contoured (sculpted) and inside the emphasis will be on quietness.
  25. John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 9/22/2015 Playing off the looks of the Avenir concept vehicle, the all-new 2017 Lacrosse from Buick will be the first of the brand's vehicles to have the new grill treatment. For comparison, we have the current Lacrosse in this image: We had to look twice to notice it, but the big change is the addition of a new horizontal element running across the top half of the grill. The shape is more upright, like all modern cars. This is most likely due to pedestrian impact standards driving the design. Buick is also adding colors to the new grill insignia. Buick says the new Lacrosse will have a new chassis that is lighter, yet stronger and will also feature a new rear suspension. The body is to be more contoured (sculpted) and inside the emphasis will be on quietness.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.