Is Buick a Luxury Car?

Buick vehicles are luxury automobiles positioned above GM’s mainstream brands, such as Chevrolet, but below the most luxurious Cadillac nameplate.
Written by Jacqulyn Graber
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
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Buick is a premium automobile brand that advertises its vehicles as “luxury cars built with luxury features.” While Buicks aren’t quite as luxurious as GM’s flagship brand, Cadillac, the cars are still positioned above GM's mainstream brands, such as Chevrolet. 
Buick was founded in 1899 and was among the first American automobile brands. In fact, it was the brand that founded its parent company, General Motors (GM), in 1908. Today, Buick is marketed as a premium automobile brand, selling luxury vehicles to what The Detroit News has dubbed “the successful executive with a family.”
Whether you’re in the market for an
Enclave
, an
Envision
, or an
Encore
, you can find the best
Buick car insurance cost
with a little help from
Jerry
—a reliable licensed insurance broker that’s an absolute expert on all things Buick.
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Is Buick a luxury car?

Yes—Buick’s premium automobiles are marketed as luxury vehicles. Interestingly, however, Buick isn’t the most luxurious brand offered by GM, Buick’s parent company. Instead, Buick’s cars are positioned between the mainstream brands like
Chevrolet
and the most luxurious automaker,
Cadillac

What makes a luxury car?

Before we begin profiling Buick’s current lineup of luxury vehicles, let’s talk about the features that make luxury vehicle brands—well—more luxurious than the competition. 
Luxury vehicle brands don’t have to meet specific qualifications to identify as such, but there are some basic features they must have in order to stand up to the competition.
  • Performance features such as more powerful engines, standard all-wheel drivetrains, and upgraded suspensions
  • Comfort and style features like premium leather, more spacious cabins, heated and power-adjusted seats, chrome accents, and ambient lighting
  • Advanced technology features like top-of-the-line audio systems, telematics, and the newest safety features on the market
Of course, many affordable vehicles might boast some of these features—especially if you spring for an upper trim level—but none will truly be able to hold a candle to the ride quality, refined interiors, and futuristic tech capabilities of a luxury car.

Is Buick a good luxury brand?

Whether you consider Buick a desirable luxury brand really depends on what you’re looking for in a vehicle. You’ll find that Buick’s SUVs are upscale and refined, with well-crafted interiors and straightforward infotainment systems.
When it comes to reliability, car expert RepairPal offers Buick a Reliability Rating of 3.5 out of 5.0, ranking the make 13th out of 32 car brands. Unfortunately, Buicks don’t receive EPA ratings as high as some of the brand’s primary competitors.
Another important note? GM positions Buick between mainstream vehicles and Cadillac, its flagship luxury brand. For this reason, you may not find Buicks to be quite as luxurious as Cadillacs and their primary competitors, such as
Lexus
and
Acura
. However, they are slightly more affordable.
The final thing to consider: As of 2022, Buick only produces SUVs, which means those in the market for luxury coupes or sedans must either shop used or look elsewhere.

The best Buick luxury cars

As of 2022, Buick offers a small lineup of SUVs: the Encore, the
Encore GX
, the Envision, and the Enclave. Let’s take a closer look at each.

Buick Encore 

The 2022 Buick Encore is a small SUV (in fact, it’s one of the smallest crossovers on the market) with an incredibly affordable starting price of $27,295. Only one trim is available—the Preferred trim—but you’ll get to choose between front- or all-wheel drive. 
The exterior boasts an upscale appearance thanks to some brand-appropriate curvaceous sheet metal, while the interior offers a comfortable ride experience for four adults.
Under the hood, you’ll find a 155-hp, turbocharged, 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine. It's certainly peppy enough but won’t offer a very sporty experience. Rest assured, however, that your ride will be extremely comfortable thanks to a quality suspension that keeps you from noticing the road’s bumps and grooves.
A touchscreen infotainment system comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but more advanced entertainment-focused tech is slim. Available safety tech does earn the Encore a 5/5 star overall safety rating from NHTSA. 
All in all, you’ll find that the Encore offers similar features—and price points—to mainstream competitors.
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Buick Encore GX

If you prioritize luxury over affordability, then we recommend you take a look at the 2022 Buick Encore GX. Not only is it slightly larger than the regular Encore, but it offers more modern features, more diverse trim levels, and better engine options.
The Encore GX trims are priced as follows:
  • Preferred
    : $27,095
  • Select: $28,445
  • Essence: $31,620 
Choose between two turbocharged three-cylinder engines: a 1.2-liter that develops 137 horsepower or a slightly more powerful 1.3-liter that produces 155 horsepower. The former pairs with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while the latter uses a nine-speed automatic transmission. You can also choose between front-wheel and all-wheel drive.
Inside the quiet cabin, you’ll find a host of standard features including but not limited to:
  • Leather upholstery
  • Heated seats
  • Automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
  • Lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
  • Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • Mobile Wi-Fi hotspot
The Encore GX definitely feels more luxurious than your run-of-the-mill crossover—and does an okay job at competing with more luxury options while remaining comparatively affordable.

Buick Envision 

The mid-range 2022 Envision boasts Buick’s gorgeously sculpted exterior styling and a quiet comfortable ride, with a valuable starting MSRP of $34,345.
Of course, if you want to take advantage of the Envision’s most luxurious features, you’ll have to spring for the top-of-the-line Avenir, which starts at $42,620. 
Standard Avenir features include:
  • A heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel
  • 10.2-inch diagonal Buick infotainment system with a color touchscreen
  • Navigation
  • Diamond-perforated leather seats
  • Wood-toned accents
  • A signature grille 
  • 20-inch aluminum wheels with pearl nickel finish 
You’ll find the same powertrain on every trim: a 228-hp, turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and your choice of front- or all-wheel drive. 
The Envision is certainly a step up from mainstream offerings, though it won’t beat out its more expensive luxury competitors. 

Buick Enclave

At the very top of the Buick lineup is the 2022 Enclave, a three-row crossover SUV with a starting price of $44,095. Compared to smaller Buick SUVs, the Enclave offers the most luxurious look and features but remains well-priced.
Powered by a  3.6-liter V-6 engine, the Enclave produces 310 horsepower via front- or all-wheel drive and an unobtrusive nine-speed automatic transmission. You’ll go from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, which is pretty impressive for a full-size SUV.
The inside is roomy and comfortable—plus, it’s outfitted with plenty of high-class features like wood trimmings, sunshades for the optional panoramic roof, and even best-in-class cargo space.
The Enclave's user-friendly 8.0-inch IntelliLink touchscreen infotainment system comes standard with a host of features, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and an onboard WiFi hotspot.
Passengers can charge their personal devices thanks to USB ports in all three rows, while navigation with real-time traffic and weather updates, as well as a wireless charging pad, is optional.

How to save on car insurance for your Buick

If you purchase a Buick, you’ll enjoy luxurious features at a valuable price point—and that’s exactly what you should look for in a car insurance policy! 
If you want to save money on car insurance, the Jerry app is a good place to start. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry can even help you cancel your old policy.
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FAQs

No. Though Buick markets itself as producing premium luxury vehicles, the brand is intentionally positioned in between GM’s mainstream brands like Chevrolet and its flagship luxury brand, Cadillac.
No. Because Buicks aren’t quite as luxurious as brands like Cadillac, Audi, and Lexus, you’ll find that the brand's SUVs are far more affordable.
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