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2012 Buick Verano

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This is the real thing. Not the Chinese version, but the one that we will be getting in the US.

It is basically a sedan version of the European Opel Astra. It is NOT a re badged Chevy Cruze.

It seems OK, except for all that wood!
the Chinese version doesn’t have it. And the Opel Astra doesn’t either.

What is up with this old idea of wood trim in a compact sedan.
This is 2011 ( 2012 model year), and such vulgar looking trim has nothing to do with conveying the idea of luxury.
And there is so much of it! Even the door handles are covered with it!

Let’s hope that, by the time it reaches production, that assy trim is replaced by something else.

Anything….

Conversation 17 comments

  4. LOL @ assy trim, and its a bonafide perfect description! Thanks! This car is rotten already. I thought GM was finding it's way…oops, wrong turn GM.

  5. GM is losing it's way before it can find it's own ass…or assy trim. Um GM had stake in Daewoo right? Wasn't a Daewoo rebadged as a Suzuki call a SUZUKI VERONA? This poor BUICK VERANO needs an interior change and a freaking NAME CHANGE. Are you marketing people at GM this stupid? Well, I guess so. And my tax dollars bailed you GM idiots out.

  6. Trim looks terrible, and it has THE SAME DAMN IP as EVERY GM vehicle.

    How boring. You can drive a Buick, or a Cruze and not really tell a difference because of the IP.

    This is what our tax dollars did? Why can't they take a page from Ford?

  7. If the wood is real, then it's fine. but there is no excuse for using fake woodgrain like Toyota does. It would be smart for Buick to offer this with a larger nav screen. This interior screams Cruze.

    Buick should also think about offering AWD standard to make this mechanically different than the Cobalt. There aren't enough functional reasons to consider this, and the Buick name still doesn't resonate with most luxury buyers under the age of 60.

  8. just like all you haters have been proves wrong with the eclave, lacrosse and regal – the sales numbers will tell the tale.

    now – just because a car isn't YOUR TASTE, doesn't mean you have to spew hatred for the car. The fact is, except for the polarizing rear chrome trim, there is nothing to "HATE" on this care – whether or not you love it is a different story.

    you people act like, every car that you don't absolutely love is a freakin abomination like the Pontiac Ass-tek – when you KNOW that these cars are not the case.

  9. But who's going to pay a premium for an economy car like this? This has to be more expensive than the Cruze, which tops out at about $26K. Why pay for this when you can move up to the next size for basically the same money?

  10. I hope everybody here can see than, besinde the MKZ (which is only a Fusion with chrome), this Buick LOOKS different and more upscale than the Cruze, and feels luxury. Nothing we can look at is shared with the Chevrolet car. And if you don't know, the TSX from Acura is nothing more than the European Accord with more equipment… If it is good for Honda, it is good for GM!

  11. If it is good enough for Honda it's good for GM.

    SURE! But the Honda is a Honda, the cruz is a Korean and part German freak fest. This thing is an Opel. All are GM divisions I guess, but kinda watered down when it gets here. The TSX (at least the 1st gen) was an incredible car for it's class. Big difference between incredible and "pretty good for GM".

  12. "And if you don't know, the TSX from Acura is nothing more than the European Accord with more equipment… If it is good for Honda, it is good for GM!"

    Agreed, and if it were working for Honda I'd say that it would potentially work for GM. Except, it's NOT working for Acura. The current TSX is not a homerun success.

    I think that the lesson that automakers need to learn is, start with your luxury brands first. Then the lower brands can get the platform a year or two later. It rarely works the other way around. Luxury car buyers are generally smart enough to notice that a tarted up economy car doesn't make an authentic luxury car.

  13. Okay.

    It just looks so dowdy. I'm not sure what it is about the proportions (the A-pillar window, the high grill/hood, the a$$-end of the car), but it just don't look right.

  14. "now – just because a car isn't YOUR TASTE, doesn't mean you have to spew hatred for the car."

    Just because you have a irrational woody for GM doesn't mean you have to spew love for the car.

  15. To: January 6, 2011 12:03 PM

    The TSX is beating its sales goals every single year it has been on the market. Huge failure? I think not.

    First off, this rebadged Opel/Cruze doesn't even compete with the TSX, the Regal does. The TSX is a better vehicle than the Regal in nearly every single aspect from value, performance, price, and standard equipment.

  16. Wood done badly is am abomination. In fact usually that "wood" is just plastic disguised as wood. If they use real wood, don't go with the burled walnut look and use a matte finish instead of that glassy plastic looking stuff it might be OK.

    Boats (yachts) are covered in wood on the inside. Sometimes it looks good sometimes not. At any rate wood is supposed to convey luxury. I don't agree just giving you the marketing blurb.

    I don't see youger buyers going for wood though.

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