Buick Verano

The Buick Verano is a comfort- and luxury-oriented compact sedan that was introduced for the 2012 model year. While the Verano's front-wheel drive layout and platform are shared with the Chevrolet Cruze, nearly all of its mechanical underpinnings, parts, and sheetmetal are different. Filling a slot that had been empty at Buick since the discontinuation of the Skylark many years ago, the Verano is priced in a middle ground of $23,470 up to nearly $30,000—offering a little more luxury and refinement than most other compacts while undercutting luxury-brand alternatives like the Lexus HS 250h and Acura ILX.

With conservative styling on the outside, the Verano hardly makes a strong first statement; the Buick 'ventiports' feel a little forced, as always, but the roofline and profile are pleasant to the eyes, making it appear as a larger sedan when it stands alone. Inside, there's much to warm up to, though, with well-coordinated trims and rich leather, luxury touches like a heated steering wheel and a standard voice-activated IntelliLink touch-screen connectivity system.

As part of General Motors' plan to better coordinate its global model matrix, the Verano shares much of its layout more directly with the European-market Opel Astra. For 2012, there's only one powertrain: a 180-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive. Brakes are strong four-wheel discs; and Buick's Quiet Tuning ethos brings a well-controlled ride yet surprisingly deft handling—with quick-ratio steering—compared to some cushy luxury-sedan alternatives.

In a couple of drives of the 2012 Verano, we found it to be impressively refined, with one of the quietest interiors or any compact or even mid-size sedan, plus a rear seat that's contoured for adults—although the need to compromise legroom with front-seat occupants and a somewhat narrow rear bench do reveal it as a compact. Trunk space is great, however.

The Verano was initially sold in a simplified lineup, with a stout list of standard features and just a few major option groups. IntelliLink strikes us as a connectivity interface that's simpler than MyFord Touch or Lexus' Enform, but one that accomplishes the same tasks; there's even Pandora and Stitcher streaming. The Verano quickly earned Top Safety Pick status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and it includes ten standard airbags; rear parking assist is optional.

For 2013, there's a little more excitement due; a turbocharged, 250-hp version of the Verano should bring quicker acceleration without sacrificing much refinement or fuel efficiency.