2012 Buick Verano - Concept and Drive

First Look 2012 Buick Verano
First Look 2012 Buick - Specification

Will Buick repeat its Enclave magic with the Verano? The Enclave shares its platform with the Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia. It also shares Buick-GMC dealership floors with the Acadia Denali, a premium crossover that comes with similar sticker prices. Yet GM says there's virtually no cross-shopping between the Enclave and Acadia Denali. Different customers, the company says, so Enclave sales continue to increase, four years into the product cycle.

The Cruze was supposed to be a new-age Chevrolet compact, with premium attributes at a Chevy price. Well-equipped models have pretty nice interiors and a long roster of features. Where is there room for a Buick version? North American market Chevy Cruzes even got the Z-link rear suspension (except for the fuel-miser Cruze Eco) that GM was saving just for the Buick.

The next SG trim level adds even more luxury goodies to the Verano's standard features list, but cloth seats are still standard. Luxury features added to the SG include a six-way power driver seat, heated sideview mirrors, rear park assist, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. GM estimates this model's starting price will be somewhere between $23,300 and $23,900.

In the SL trim level leather seats become standard affair. Additionally, the SL trim level adds some truly premium items such as a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, a Bose audio system, push button start, and 18-inch wheels. Notably, the HID headlights seen on the teaser car aren't a standard feature on the SL. This uplevel model will likely sticker somewhere in the range of $25,600 to $26,200.

Buyers may be more impressed with the extensive list of available features. Available features include a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, a dual-zone automatic climate control system, Bluetooth phone connectivity, push-button start, and a Bose audio system. If that weren’t enough, a new radio design incorporates OnStar’s next-generation technology, which pairs with a driver’s smartphone to read text messages aloud, and interface with apps like Pandora and Stitcher.

Specific content packages and pricing information hasn’t been released quite yet, but the Verano is expected to start at $20,900 and $21,500, when it arrives at dealers in the fourth quarter of 2011.