Paolino

I wonder what the 2.5 in the Verano will be like for 2013.

I can see that since Paul is STILL the cute one. Wow... took me a minute...

Improvement. Definitely more aggressive. Still not a fan.

Wow... 101" wide... that'll trump the XTS by far. Toyota wins!

Remote start.

I wouldn't go that far. The LaCrosse could stand a small refresh... I think projector headlights should be standard and they DEFINITELY need to upgrade the color palette for Buick to include some richer looking colors. The car still looks gorgeous on the road. The interior could use a mild refresh... I've never been a fan of the gauge font/layout. I think the Canadian version is nicer. I like the Regal/Verano's gauges more although prefer the numbers be illuminated in white like they currently are in the LaCrosse (blue in the Verano/Regal) Love the seat patterns... like the idea of some more exotic colors. The choccachino color in the Verano is nice--maybe they should extend it to the LaCrosse as well.

Midnight Blue Metallic has been offered on the LaCrosse before and it's replacing the Majestic Blue Metallic that was available on the 2011 Regal, which I preferred more honestly. You're right though, the mission of this car is clear and I do believe it'll sell.

Yeah, that "Choccachino" color scheme is very rich looking. Like something you'd find for 2,500 calories on a Starbucks menu.

I like the midnight blue metallic more or less. I LOVED the Majestic Blue Metallic they had on the 2011 Regal that they got rid of. Loved the Slatestone Metallic that was on the last LaX. Would like to see some other colors offered on the Buicks.

If they throw in a nice blue color, even without waiting for the 2.5L, I could see this as a daily commuter.

Congrats ocn... it's beautiful. I LOVE blue cars... wish the Verano came in blue!

Without going into super-luxury, Audi and Alfa.

Happy Birthday!

You don't think people would eat up a 40mpg Verano? I think people would love a premium car with great features and awesome fuel economy.

I have wondered for years why Honda hasn't stepped up with 6-speeds. The new Odyssey has an available 6-speed... even if they have to buy other brands, wouldn't it be more beneficial to have a 6-speed in their cars for competitive reasons?

Damn. I'd love one of these in dark blue. I'm tempted by the mid-level trim...

Love it!

What I am getting at is the quality of Hyundai 20 years ago is not equal to the quality of Hyundai today. That needs to be taken into consideration.

The side impact reports for the Regal and Optima are the same. So now can we move on to long term durability? They may crash the same but the public preception will be different if they compare. Most people go by how things sound and feel vs how they rate. As for long term that is to be determind. Based on the past GM cars and Hyundai I would give GM an edge here. They may not all look pretty but many are still on the road 25 years later in the harshest weather areas of out country. When was the last time you saw a 20 year old Hyundai in the midwest? I mean even one that is just park in a drive way disabled? Now how many Corisca, Lumina's, Baretta's, GM H bodies etc to you still see rolling along? I have have several friends dump they Hyundais well before the warranty was out as they were just having too many issues with non warranty parts. Two lone dumped them for used HHR's and could not have been happier. Hyundia has improved over the early years but they do save cost in many areas and it does catch up with the cars. GM cut corners in the past with paint and interior. THey did invest well in drivetrains and the old cars show this as the interior looks like crap but the car keep on running and running with little issues. Well, only have experience with just the one, but I'm driving a Sonata with almost 90K miles on it now and the only problem it's ever been taken in for was the compressor went. I can't tell you how many "little" things the Lucerne has had to go back for in its 55K miles... including its most recent one, cables dangling by the rear wheels under the car on the driver side because a clip broke.

Congrats! Enjoy... MAJOR jealousy here!

Happy Birthday man!

While I agree with you that it'd make sense for all of those things to bring down the numbers, the Malibu with a non-direct injected 2.4 gets 22/33, and weighs over 3400 lbs. The Verano will have a DI 2.4 (which as I understand improves fuel economy and power slightly while reducing emissions), and weighs less at 3300lbs, so the numbers are perplexing.

I completely agree. New Buicks aren't anywhere near the floatiness of the older ones. The Regal handles nicely while the ride is not intrusive. Some say the LaCrosse is still too soft, but I like it. I think the Verano will feel solid and confident on the road. 180hp as a base engine in the little thing will definitely give it some scoot... with the turbo, the HiPer strut and a few tweaks, it may be damn near fun.

Price maybe, but the audience is completely different. You have a premium compact vs. your average family sedan. Different sizes, different equipment, etc.

I'd say good.