Buick's quest to attract an increasingly younger customer base continues with an entry-level, compact sedan based on the same Delta II platform underpinning the Chevrolet Cruze.
But the 2012 Buick Verano, introduced at the Detroit Auto Show, displays more Regal DNA than Cruze. Although it's the smallest in the line-up, and the brand's first compact luxury car, the front-wheel drive Verano offers the same level of refinement and available features as its larger sibling.
Outwardly, the Verano presents a taut, sculpted appearance, with design cues such as the waterfall grille and side character lines picked up from both the LaCrosse and Regal. It's finished off nicely by eye-catching taillights, projector beam headlights and available 18-inch alloys.
The 2,685-mm wheelbase is identical to the platform-sharing Cruze, as is the interior volume; the cabin is only about 2 cubic feet smaller than the Regal's. Outwardly, the Verano is about 3 inches longer, 0.3 taller and 0.8 wider than the Cruze.
Underhood is the same 2.4-litre, inline four-cylinder engine that's found in big sister Regal, unlike the Cruze's available 1.8L or turbo 1.4L four-cylinder engines.
Output is a respectable 177 horsepower with 170 lb-ft of torque, but enthusiasts might want to hang tight until the GS version boasting a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine is available later on. Exact numbers aren't available, but it’s probably safe to assume that it will be the same 220-hp engine found in the Regal.
Buick claims the naturally aspirated Verano will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in about 8 seconds, with an estimated 6.4 L/100 km highway fuel economy.
Buick claims that the Verano is the quietest car in its segment, with a Quiet Tuning package consisting of plenty of sound-deadening materials installed in the hollow sections of the body, laminated glass, triple door seals and a headliner made with five layers of thermal acoustic material. Even the brake and fuel lines have been insulated to prevent vibration and the wheels themselves were engineered to be especially quiet.
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| Outwardly, the Verano presents a taut, sculpted appearance. (Photo: Buick) |
But the 2012 Buick Verano, introduced at the Detroit Auto Show, displays more Regal DNA than Cruze. Although it's the smallest in the line-up, and the brand's first compact luxury car, the front-wheel drive Verano offers the same level of refinement and available features as its larger sibling.
Outwardly, the Verano presents a taut, sculpted appearance, with design cues such as the waterfall grille and side character lines picked up from both the LaCrosse and Regal. It's finished off nicely by eye-catching taillights, projector beam headlights and available 18-inch alloys.
The 2,685-mm wheelbase is identical to the platform-sharing Cruze, as is the interior volume; the cabin is only about 2 cubic feet smaller than the Regal's. Outwardly, the Verano is about 3 inches longer, 0.3 taller and 0.8 wider than the Cruze.
Underhood is the same 2.4-litre, inline four-cylinder engine that's found in big sister Regal, unlike the Cruze's available 1.8L or turbo 1.4L four-cylinder engines.
Output is a respectable 177 horsepower with 170 lb-ft of torque, but enthusiasts might want to hang tight until the GS version boasting a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine is available later on. Exact numbers aren't available, but it’s probably safe to assume that it will be the same 220-hp engine found in the Regal.
Buick claims the naturally aspirated Verano will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in about 8 seconds, with an estimated 6.4 L/100 km highway fuel economy.
Buick claims that the Verano is the quietest car in its segment, with a Quiet Tuning package consisting of plenty of sound-deadening materials installed in the hollow sections of the body, laminated glass, triple door seals and a headliner made with five layers of thermal acoustic material. Even the brake and fuel lines have been insulated to prevent vibration and the wheels themselves were engineered to be especially quiet.
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| Buick claims the naturally aspirated Verano will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in about 8 seconds, with an estimated 6.4 L/100 km highway fuel economy. (Photo: Buick) |