2012 Buick Verano – Not too shabby at all!

This may seem anachronistic, but to succeed in the luxury and semi-luxury car category, you have to market an entry-level compact model. It helps increase your total number of clients and introduce them to the brand so that, one day, they might upgrade to a more luxurious model.

Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all use this strategy. In the case of the first two, the A4 and 3-Series models are their top sellers, while the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is hot on the heels of the E-Class. Now it’s Buick’s turn to adopt this same policy. Far be it for me to compare the Verano to these German cars; I simply wanted to point out the fact that Buick is adopting a similar policy.

• Also: 2013 Buick Verano Turbo: The fun of 70 extra horses

This isn’t Buick’s first foray into the compact category. In 1961, this division launched the Special while Oldsmobile and Pontiac marketed the F-85 and Tempest, respectively. Meanwhile, Chevrolet’s Corvair tried to win over the same category of buyers. Then, in the 1980’s, Buick offered a new compact – the Skylark – but it was a poorly disguised version of a Pontiac Grand Am with a cheap passenger compartment, a wheezing engine and similarly questionable handling. Moreover, the shape was unremarkable and the passenger compartment was a disaster. In short, it was a flop. This division eked out its existence by marketing disappointing models in an attempt to win over buyers with ultra-soft suspensions, steering that provided no feedback whatsoever, and inferior soundproofing.

Buick’s revival

But that’s all history now. Since the arrival of the Enclave in the mid-90s, all new Buick models feature a nicer design, improved assembly and better materials. They still emphasize comfort, but their handling is much improved. They are a far cry from the boats Buick offered not so long ago.

The Verano (which means “summer” in Spanish) is a compact sedan whose dimensions are similar to those of a BMW 3-Series – and yet it seems to be built a lot better in all areas. Has GM has learned from its mistakes?

Critical of its origins

Shared platforms have been all the rage for quite some time already. During the Verano’s launch at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2011, it took a lot of criticism about the fact that it shares its Delta platform with the Chevrolet Cruze and Orlando. However, just because this platform is used on a relatively economical compact is no reason to call its quality into question. In fact, this platform helped the Cruze win the prestigious World Touring Championship (WTC) title.

Basically, despite the fact that it is used on other models and despite its rear torsion bar suspension, this very rigid platform is just fine – at least as far as I’m concerned. Its rigidity creates better-than-average handling while helping improve soundproofing in the passenger compartment.

The Verano inherits the Buick Regal’s engine, a 180-hp 2.4-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine paired with a six-speed manumatic gearbox will purr under the hood. A few months down the road, a turbo version with a 2.0-litre 220-hp engine will be made available. In addition to the automatic, a six-speed manual will also be offered.

Silence, comfort and handling

The recent arrivals of the LaCrosse and Regal demonstrated that comfort, handling and fun are possible in a Buick. The new Verano is no exception. First of all, the engineers put a lot of effort into insulating the passenger compartment from the outside with the help of various insulating materials including a soundproofing liquid applied to the platform and body. Of course, the very rigid body also reduces noise.

They didn’t forget about luxury either, and this compact’s passenger compartment is very well-equipped. What’s more, during the launch, we drove this Buick more than 350 km along a road with its fair share of tight corners, and the seats turned out to be comfortable, providing adequate lateral support.

At the risk of sounding blasphemous, during the test drive, I couldn’t help but think of the new Volkswagen Passat, which is just as quiet and offers similarly competent handling. Although the its suspension isn’t particularly firm, this car is very neutral in turns, without any roll or pitching. Moreover, its disc brakes are powerful and progressive. However, note that while the roads we drove on were often punctuated with tight turns, they were smooth as silk. Thus, we’ll have to drive the Verano on more bumpy roads to see if this first impression holds true.

At first glance, the Verano sedan strikes you with its elegant shape. It stands out a lot more than the Regal, for example, which is too plain for many people’s tastes. A little like the Enclave SUV, the Verano turns heads. Add to that an engine that can propel the car from 0-100 km/hr in 8 seconds and surprisingly efficient handling, and you have a very interesting product!

In addition, as is the current trend, this division is offering a reasonably advanced Bose audio system on this model. Furthermore, in order to maximize you musical choice, there’s the Pandora and Stitcher internet radio systems to help your audio search.

In fact, the Buick’s primary hurdle in Canada will be raising consumer awareness about the Verano. While it’s dominant in China and enjoying spectacular growth in the United States, this brand is still an afterthought in our market. In Canada, we still associate Buick with people who smoke pipes and wear hats. Perhaps the Verano’s slogan should be “Out of my way, old man!”