Compact Dimensions

The Verano measures a smidge larger than the Cruze, with which it shares the same wheelbase. The Buick's footprint falls between the shrink-wrapped Lexus IS 250 and larger Acura TSX, but its styling feels more anonymous than either. I found the nose too stubby, the tail forgettable and the whole of it laced with too much chrome. It's not bad, but neither is it as compelling as the larger Buick LaCrosse.

You can see the Cruze in its profile, but the Verano isn't a rebadge job. Buick cues abound: a waterfall grille, blue headlight tint and fake hood louvers. Eighteen-inch alloy wheels are standard, and the whole of it looks sufficiently different. Casual onlookers won't invoke its Chevrolet sibling, but you can compare the two here.

    See also:

    Starting the Engine
    Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral). The engine will not start in any other position. To restart the engine when the vehicle is already moving, use N (Neutral) only. Notice: Do n ...

    Multi-Band Antenna
    The multi-band antenna is on the roof of the vehicle. The antenna is used for the AM-FM radio, OnStar, the XM Satellite Radio Service System, and GPS (Global Positioning System), if the vehicle ha ...

    Luggage Carrier
    CAUTION: If you try to carry something on top of your vehicle that is longer or wider than the luggage carrier — like paneling, plywood, a mattress and so forth — the wind can catch it as y ...