2012 Buick Verano Review

Despite its commuter-car roots, the 2012 Buick Verano drives and feels more like a luxury car, which makes its starting price all the more attractive.

Parent company GM sunk big cash into developing the smash-hit Chevrolet Cruze, but wringing a Buick from the same platform seemed dubious. A Toyota Corolla with leather, after all, does not a Lexus make. But here's the difference: To begin with, the Cruze is no Corolla; this Buick is no Chevy clone, and GM's latest whack at the below-$30,000 luxury piñata could pay off.

The front-drive Verano sedan comes in Base, Convenience and Leather trims, with the Base trim level's price overlapping Chevrolet's top-of-the-line Cruze LTZ. An automatic transmission and four-cylinder engine are standard. We tested a well-equipped Verano Leather.

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Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
The vehicle may have a Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) system. Read this entire section before using the system. WARNING! SBZA does not detect vehicles rapidly approaching outside of the side ...

Antilock Brake System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that helps prevent a braking skid. When the engine is started and the vehicle begins to drive away, ABS c ...

Heated Mirrors
The vehicle may have heated mirrors: (Rear Window Defogger): Press to heat the mirrors. See “Rear Window Defogger” under Climate Control Systems  for more information. ...