The boom of crossovers, SUVs and pickup trucks has been busy taking casualties, mostly compact cars and sedans. The most recent casualty on the General Motors front is Buick’s compact, luxury sedan: the Buick Verano.
The Buick Verano entered North America in 2011 as a 2012 model, aimed at buyers looking for a small, fuel-efficient vehicle with luxury appointments not found in the Chevrolet Cruze. Remember, 2012 was a different time. Recession ran deep, and gasoline prices were choking purse strings.
Now, Buick says it will say goodbye to the Verano after one generation, and we’re here to ask if it’s short-sighted strategy, or smart planning.
Buick reaffirms its decision by pointing to slumping Verano sales, and consumers stepping into the similarly loaded Encore compact crossover. The brand says the Encore has become the brand’s true entry level vehicle now.
The Verano was never a bad car, and it sold quite well during it first few model years. Despite leaving North America, the Verano will soldier on in China, where it will also gain a hatchback variant via Opel Astra K.
So, what say you? Is the decision a good one? Or should the Verano have stuck around? Vote in our poll, and talk to us below.
Comments
I already said it elsewhere on this site, that Verano was (and still is) the best selling Buick sedan in Canada.
I rented it once (with the standard 2.4 L engine), and it left a very good impression.
Obviously, however, Canada is a small market for Buick, so, I guess, Canadian preferences didn’t matter for GM while making this Verano termination decision in North America.
Yes.
It was a good looking, nicely appointed, well optioned, nice driving small car.
Not many cars like it out there.
I rented one, and the only complaint was that it was a little tight inside, especially the back seat. Performance was underwhelming. The last generation Cruze seemed more satisfying. This could have been corrected with an entirely different variant based on the new Cruze.
The car also seems like a ladies car and not masculine at all. But the market seems to be permanently shifting, and cars are not in vogue as before. Crossovers are so much more efficient and versatile, and gas will be cheap for years to come so there doesn’t seem to be a need to sit in a small, low sedan anymore.
If you look at the lineup, you see a size blur with Regal and the LaCrosse. I like a trim mid-size car but not a full size, so we’ll see how well the next gen Regal looks.
Yes. Judging by the Astra, there could’ve been a 2nd-generation Verano with a hatchback, both with a GS variant, as we see in China. That could’ve gone a ways with attracting younger buyers… All gone in favor of banking on Bolt sales.
The Buick Verano didn’t sell poorly as it sold 2070 units in May which is superior to Cadillac’s ATS (1630) and CTS (1082); but the Verano is disappointing when compared with the Chevrolet Cruze which sold 16,671 units over the same period, although one would have like to seen what if the design team that did work on the Avista concept car could have updated the frumpish looking Verano before cancellation.
Yes for a car in this price class 2070 is a very disappointing number.
As for the ATS and CTS they cost two and three times as much and deliver much more profit at low volumes so they can live on that and generally make even more money than a volume model.
The Verano needs to be sold in number closer to 72,000 units per year not 27,000 units per year.
When looking at and comparing numbers here you need to rationalize them with the volume and profit per unit to really give an honest assessment.
Yes, I will miss it. I am a Verano owner and I LOVE my car. The Verano is a fantastic car, I traded my 2008 Cadillac CTS4 for it and never regretted that decision. The Buick is a far superior car in quality, comfort, handling and all around economy. It’s a shame we will never see a second generation of a truly awesome car.
Way to screw up Caddy marketing…
😉
Sorry but it’s true. My CTS had so many electrical glitches or quirks and fluid leaks in the 18 months that I owned it, I couldn’t wait to get rid of it. Not to mention that the moonroof had so much wind noise, I always had to check that it wasn’t still open. And it rode like a lumber wagon compared to my Buick.
i have 2 – a 2012 and a 2015 for my daughters. obviously, the 2015 was desired because the 2012 was liked by both girls. the 2012 has been great. as noted quieter, less recalls and problems than my wife’s ATS. my wife won’t get another Cadillac, back to BMW, but the daughters would get another Verano. Actually, guess they won’t.
I’ve talked to a number of folks who’ve owned them, and they loved them. A bit sad to see the Verano go.
well it was a nice car but not a great car. Lets face it the Cruze was nearly as good and a much better value. Hence they sold then in numbers well in the six figures while the Buick struggled to reach 27K units.
I would let this ride and just see what Buick will have to replace this as Buick is not abandoning the small car segment but they are abandoning the slow performing low profit Verano.
Now for all those posting here that love this car and are upset it was canceled. Let see a show of hands who really bought one?
I bought one and when I was shopping for my car, the Verano was a much better value and was way better equipped than the Cruze (any trim level).
But how much incentive or discount did you get. We need full disclosure here.
We looked at one and it was better equipped but it was a much higher price than the Cruze in any trim out the door. Even with incentive. That is less than the Diesel.
I didn’t buy new, I bought used. The Verano is supposed to be priced higher than the Cruze (when bought new), so I don’t see the validity of the price comparison. The only reason I was even considering Cruze is because beside my CTS I had historically bought Chevy. It’s difficult to explain to someone who has not owned a Verano or a Buick for that matter, why it is a better car, it just is. The Buick Quiet Tuning and suspension alone are enough to make me never consider a Chevy again. So that’s why I say it’s the better value, you’re getting a better overall vehicle experience for your money.
time to move on CUVs and kill off the sedans…..sedans are too low and cramped and sedans these days have bad visibility…I sat in the 2015- Chrysler 200 and it had thick pillars and bad visibility and than I sat in the ATS and it was a tuna can….CUVs are better than sedans.
Better? by what metrics?
Better pricing. In this segment most people shop price and will take the model that is a little less or the one they are loyal to.
Buick has little loyalty right now and the Cruze under cut the price most of the time when there were no incentives. Then even the old Cruze got bigger incentives as they closed it out too.
Lets face it the car was squeezed between a Cruse that sold many times more models and the Regal that was only a little more and a much better car. It is time to let Buick do something that would blend in better.
“CUVs are better than sedans” seems like quite a blanket statement…
For my own blanket statement of a rebuttal, CUVs generally cost more to buy than a comparable sized sedan, have higher insurance rates, worse fuel economy, and handle worse due to higher center of gravity. Despite the rugged coolness factor that most people that buy these things think it radiates, all I ever see is a child toting suburban soccer-mobile, and they are no more capable of going off-road or towing than a sedan. BTW: You cite two examples of sedans that you take issues with, what are specific CUVs that are “better” than those sedans, and why? Many vehicles these days have awful visibility, not just sedans…Ever driven an Equinox?
First the Coupes are disappearing. Now some sedans are going down.
The CUV is the new king and the king is lame as hell.
Ain’t that the truth. I wouldn’t even be as upset if most CUVs weren’t simply minivans offered in different sizes and regular rear doors. It wouldn’t be so bad if CUVs actually handled like a smaller vehicle. In that respect, the Germans are the only ones who do CUVs correctly.
Then again, I saw a Toyota ad describing the RAV-4 as a SUV. In fact, too many people use SUV and CUV interchangeably. I think CUVs are riding on consumer’s associations of ‘SUV and CUVs’ with ruggedness, utility and especially fun. This could all change once there becomes a clearer definition of what these utility vehicles actually are, and which category each nameplate falls into.
Curtnik, you got it. Most ppl think that they own a SUV when they actually have a CUV (which is basically a minivan/station wagon mixed together)…the term CUV and SUV are used too interchangeably as you mentioned.
With lux brands adding new smaller and cheaper models it seems like a new gen Cruze-based Verano would be a good for buick. It’s a big jump from a Cruze to an ATS, and might make a CLA or BMW 2 series more appealing.
Exactly. The Verano could’ve been there to compete with the CLA/A3, so Cadillac can square up directly against the 2 Series. All it needed was more refinement.
My Verano is a great car. To discontinue this great car is short sighted because gas prices are sure to go up again. The 2nd generation would have been perfect because the it would have been lighter and had a more fuel efficient motor. The current generation is perfect except for the mediocre fuel economy and heavy weight, not to mention that the current body has had no face lift or interior redesign in five years!
It was a nice little car, sad to see it go.
there is no point in sedans anymore…just go with appealing CUVs.
A majority of autos sold are sedans and this will never change. Certainly SUVs are popular, but I don’t believe we are seeing a long term shift.
I’m disappointed that GM would be so short sighted. I am guessing the goal is to prop up Regal, which experienced a sales decrease upon Verano introduction.
Why not build Envision here and import Verano from the People’s Republic? Just an idea? Also, Opel needs a Jetta rival.
I really kinda hoped they’d introduced a more ‘fun’ version of the car. Visually speaking.
How can China keep getting a small-midsize sedan and we don’t? It seems like everything is better with the new/Chinese version. It would be foolish not to sell it here.
I have a 2012 and think Buick is making a big mistake here by dropping it. Lots of people want a -car-…. not a CUV/SUV. Buick got the ride and handling right in a small car. I also respectfully disagree with those say the Cruze is a better value. It has the typical underwhelming hard plastic cheap interior that all Chevy’s seem to have these days. A second generation with a facelift to match the other recently updated vehicles in their line, a little more power with better gas mileage to go along with it and a GS option was all it needed. The ride, handling and interior were already there and pretty nice for an entry-level Buick. So GM: go ahead and keep up your trend to accommodate and cater to the Chinese market. We’ll see you in the bankruptcy afterlife: AGAIN. All of the talent that pulled you out of it must have moved on I guess.
One thing I really liked about the Verano was you had the option to order it in a manual transmission. Unfortunately, that won’t be possible on the Encore.
I’m actually pretty annoyed by the decision to axe the Verano. I was under the impression that it was selling decently for a car of its type and age, and I would think that even though sedans aren’t selling like hotcakes these days, that having a small one like this would be a good thing for Buick. Not all of us like cuv’s. The second gen car looks very premium compared to the current model. The car exists, just bring it to us! It’s really too bad, seems like the kind of car that would be perfect for my wife, who likes small sedans, and will most definitely not be interested in the new and enlarged Regal.
sedans have gone fat and boring and almost fastback like…sedans are a shrink segment….CUVs don’t have to be stubby looking heavy weights that are hard to drive….its possible that the verano will be replaced by a sleek looking CUV.
Overall, I believe this is a very short-sighted decision by GM. While the smaller SUV’s may have improved fuel efficiency to a certain extent, they still can not match that of the Verano and other smaller sedans and the time will come sooner rather than later when gas prices will soar and fuel efficiency will once again be fashionable. It’s inevitable since our commodities market has been turned into a casino by policy makers (in year 2000) for the sole benefit of investment banks and hedge funds. if you need any evidence of this, just look at the doubling of the price of oil in just two months earlier this year (mid February to early May).
I have a 2014 Verano with the 2.0 and a manual it is the only one my dealer has ever seen. I live in W.KY which is not poducnk but neither is it a large city. My wife and I love this car it goes like stink and gets good mileage. The car looks great beats driving a plain looking Chevy Cruze, the Buick warrant is better and it is not a cuv. The Buick Regal GS is larger but a whole lot more money and the Verano is just as fast from 0-60 and for what I paid for mine I would buy another one in a minute. It is a shame that GM is riding the wave and forgetting that the customer is always right. There are loyal Verano buyers out there who love here cars and will buy more, or would buy the new model they are selling in China. They also have a new Verano GS… oh well GM’s loss will be someone else s gain…RFHjr
I thought I’d follow up because I just reached 1 year of ownership with my 2012 Buick Verano. I purchased it used with 44,000 miles on the clock. At the current mileage of 58,000, the car still rides exceptionally well and just as quietly as when I purchased it. All interior component show absolutely no wear; attesting the the high quality of materials Buick used in this car: No sagging seats, no warped or squeaking trim, and all components work perfectly, including the climate control, power windows, locks, Intellilink and the auto sensors for humidity, rear defrost and lighting. The car has needed no warranty work and maintenance has been limited to oil and filter changes. Oil consumption is about 1/2 quart per 4,000 miles on GM Dexos synthetic blend. I really like this car. It’s an excellent entry level Buick.
I have the 2013 Verano T and I love this car. I would put it up against a BMW, Acura or Audi. It’s a shame that it was never marketed properly. Anyone who would get in this car and feel the power and luxury would be impressed. Spend $600 for a tune and this thing really flies! Maybe the Cascada will replace it but without a 2.0 turbo, I’ll never consider it.
If sales volumes are low, I don’t see why the 2nd gen couldn’t just be imported from China like the Envision. It seems like most Buick models will be imported from Opel, China or Korea soon anyway.
My mom owned a 2012 verano and just bought another one in 2016! Keep the Verano! It is great!