2001 Buick Century Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Buick's lowest-priced midsize car shares its basic platform with the Regal, which targets a younger audience. A 3.1-liter V6 is Century's sole engine. Automatic transmission, traction control, a tire-pressure monitor, and ABS are standard. Custom and up-trim Limited models are offered, both with a front bench seat for 6-passenger capacity; bucket seats aren't offered. Exclusive to Limited are leather upholstery and a side airbag for the driver. General Motors' OnStar assistance system is standard on Limited, optional on Custom.

Competition

Perennial Best Buys Honda Accord and Toyota Camry continue to shine with refinement, model diversity, and comfort. Both come in coupe and sedan forms, offer economic 4-cylinder or sporty V6 power, have room for four adults, and are reasonably priced.

Recommended models include the smooth Chevrolet Impala, the import-flavored Chevy Malibu, the sporty Nissan Maxima, surprising Olds Intrigue, and the good-looking Pontiac Grand Prix. All come with V6 power, offer lots of standard equipment, and have pleasing road manners that will suit a variety of driving styles. We've also added the Ford Taurus and clone Mercury Sable to our Recommended list.

News

Though Century and Regal are basically the same car, the entry-level midsize again outsold its premium sister by more than 2 to 1 in calendar 2000. However, Century's 143,000 sales represented a 9-percent drop from the 1999 tally, allowing the full-size LeSabre to reclaim its traditional title as the best-selling Buick.

Century won't see any major mechanical or features changes before model-year 2004. At that point, it will be redesigned along with Regal on General Motors' forthcoming front-wheel-drive "Mid Lux" platform. No specifics are available, but Century will remain basically a lower-priced Regal with somewhat more conservative looks and character.

2001 Buick Century Road Test

Pros	Cons

Ride	Steering feel

	Handling

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

Custom/Limited	Class Average
4	4.9

V6 well-suited here, furnishing good standing-start scoot and adequate passing power helped by smooth gear changes and rapid downshifts.

Fuel Economy

Custom/Limited	Class Average
5	5.4

Averaged 19.4-21.4 mpg in our tests.

Ride Quality

Custom/Limited	Class Average
6	5.3

Soft suspension absorbs bumps impressively well, but Century tends to bound and wallow over dips and crests at highway speeds.

Steering/Handling/Braking

Custom/Limited	Class Average
4	5.1

Pronounced body lean, limited grip in fast turns. Low-effort steering lacks precision and road feel, but makes low-speed maneuvers easy. Brakes are adequate, but pedal feel is too soft; front end dives in severe stops.

Quietness

Custom/Limited	Class Average
6	5.2

Engine is noisy in hard acceleration, otherwise smooth. Wind rush well managed. Road noise especially low.

Controls

Custom/Limited	Class Average
5	6

Just a speedometer, fuel and coolant gauges, but easy to read. Dashboard light that warns of low tire pressure is a thoughtful touch. Climate controls interfere with center passenger's knees.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Custom/Limited	Class Average
5	5.5

Good head and leg room, but standard cloth seats lack support. Limited's firmer leather seats are more comfortable. Both lack side support in turns.

Room/Comfort (rear)

Custom/Limited	Class Average
4	4.1

Good room, but cushion is soft and low, and too narrow for comfortable 3-adult seating.

Cargo Room

Custom/Limited	Class Average
5	4.5

Wide, flat-floor trunk. But loading/unloading requires stretching over a large bumper-level shelf.

Value within Class

Custom/Limited	Class Average
6	5.8

A well-thought-out sedan with a no-surprises formula that's proved appealing to conservative buyers. As such, it's worth a look.

Total Score

Custom/Limited	Class Average
50	51.8

Scores for all Midsize Cars

Low Score		39
Average Score		51
High Score		65

2001 Buick Century Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 07/07/2000

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

Custom 4-door sedan	$20,020	$18,318	$610

Limited 4-door sedan	$22,991	$21,037	$610

Pricing Key: Retail prices listed with each report are set by the vehicle's manufacturer. These figures appear on each car's federally mandated window sticker. Most price lists also include dealer-invoice prices. Dealer-invoice prices are what the dealer pays the manufacturer for the car and its factory-installed options. The destination charge is not included in the suggested-retail or dealer-invoice price and must be added to the cost of the vehicle. Car companies change prices frequently throughout the year. If the prices published do not match those on the vehicle's window sticker, the manufacturer has probably altered the price recently.

NA = price note available, NC = no charge.

Rebates and Incentives

There are no rebates or incentives at this time.

Consumer Guide®'s Rebates and Incentives represent a summary of national manufacturer programs available. Regional restrictions may apply, and offerings may vary by model. For a complete list of Rebate & Incentive programs click here.

Standard Equipment

Custom

Powertrain

3.1-liter V6 engine, 4-speed automatic transmission, traction control.

Safety

Dual front airbags, antilock brakes, daytime running lights, emergency inside trunk release.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Air conditioning w/dual-zone manual climate control, interior air filter, power steering, tilt steering wheel, cloth reclining front split bench seat, front storage armrest, cupholders, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM radio, digital clock, rear defogger, variable intermittent wipers, visor mirrors, map lights, remote decklid release, automatic headlights.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Theft-deterrent system, cornering lights, tire-pressure monitor, 205/70R15 tires, wheel covers.

Limited adds to Custom:

Safety

Driver-side side airbag.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Variable-assist power steering, leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, OnStar System w/one year service (roadside assistance, emergency services; other services available), leather upholstery, 6-way power driver seat, AM/FM/cassette, heated power mirrors, illuminated visor mirrors, rear courtesy/reading lights, floormats.

Optional Equipment

Major Packages	Retail Price	Invoice Price
Premium Pkg. 1SB
Custom	$605	$520
Cruise control, AM/FM/cassette, heated power mirrors, rear window antenna, cargo net, floormats.

Special Edition Pkg. 1SC
Custom	$2,011	$1,729
Premium Pkg. 1SB plus OnStar System w/one year service (roadside assistance, emergency services; other services available), 6-way power driver seat, AM/FM/cassette w/automatic tone control, steering-wheel radio controls, illuminated visor mirrors, chrome wheel covers.

Special Edition Pkg. 1SD
Custom	$2,311	$1,987
Special Edition Pkg. 1SC plus alloy wheels.

Luxury Pkg. 1SF
Limited	$745	$641
Dual-zone automatic climate control, 6-way power passenger seat, automatic day/night rearview and driver side mirrors.

Special Edition Pkg. 1SG
Limited	$2,550	$2,193
Luxury Pkg. 1SF plus AM/FM/cassette/CD player, upgraded speakers, steering-wheel radio controls, split folding rear seat, alloy wheels.

Comfort and Convenience Features
Split folding rear seat
Custom, Limited	$275	$237
Includes armrest, cupholders. Custom requires option pkg.

6-way power driver seat
Custom	$350	$301
Requires Premium Pkg. 1SB.

6-way power passenger seat
Custom, Limited	$350	$301
Custom requires option pkg.

Cruise control
Custom	$235	$202


Power sunroof
Limited	$795	$684


AM/FM/cassette
Custom	$195	$168


AM/FM/cassette/CD player
Custom w/Pkg. 1SB	$305	$262
Custom w/Pkg. 1SC/D, Limited	$280	$241
Includes steering-wheel radio controls.

Concert Sound III speakers
Limited	$395	$340
Requires option pkg., AM/FM/cassette/CD player.

Steering-wheel radio controls
Custom	$130	$112


Appearance and Miscellaneous
Alloy wheels
Limited	$375	$323


205/70R15 whitewall tires
Custom, Limited	$150	$129


Engine-block heater
Custom, Limited	$35	$30

2001 Buick Century Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

Specification	Buick Century 4-door sedan

Wheelbase, in.	109.0

Overall Length, in.	194.6

Overall Width, in.	72.7

Overall Height, in.	56.6

Curb Weight, lbs.	3368

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	16.7

Standard Payload, lbs.	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	17.5

Seating Capacity	6

Front Head Room, in.	39.4

Max. Front Leg Room, in.	42.4

Rear Head Room, in.	37.4

Max. Rear Leg Room, in.	36.9

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Engines

	ohv V6

Size, liters/cu. in.	3.1 /191

Horsepower @ rpm.	175 @ 5200

Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm.	195 @ 4000

Availability	Standard

EPA City / highway mpg

4-speed automatic	20/29

Engine Key: l/cu in. = liters/cubic inches; ohv = overhead valve; ohc = overhead camshaft; dohc = dual overhead camshaft; I = inline cylinders; H = horizonally opposed cylinders; V = cylinders in a V configuration; W = cylinders in a W configuration; rpm = revolutions per minute; CVT = continuously variable (automatic) transmission; NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Safety Features

Antilock Brakes

Traction Control

Antiskid System

Front Side Airbags

Curtain Side Airbags

Rear Side Airbags

NHTSA Crash-Test Results

Test	Buick Century 4-door sedan

Front Impact, Driver	4

Front Impact, Passenger	3

Side Impact, Driver	3

Side Impact, Rear Passenger	3

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury: 5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%; 1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%; 2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.

Manufacturer's Warranty

Class	Years/Miles	Comments

Powertrain	None/--	--

Bumper-to-bumper	3/36,000	--

Corrosion	6/100,000	--

Free roadside assistance	3/36,000	--

Free scheduled maintenance	None/--	--

Manufacturers may periodically offer additional coverage as a purchase incentive. There offers are not reflected on this chart. The federal government requires two other warranties. The Exhaust Emission Warranty covers corrosion-related parts for 2 years/24,000 miles, plus 8 years/80,000 miles on the catalytic converter and any on-board diagnostic device. The Passenger Restraint Warranty covers seat belts and airbags for 5 years/50,000 miles.

Built in: Canada

Drivewheels: front-wheel drive

< 2001 Buick Century Photos

Also in the 2001 Buick Century Review:

Buick Century

Buick Century Road Test

Buick Century Prices & Equipment

Buick Century Specs & Safety

Buick Century Photos

Buick Century Full Review

All Buick Centurys

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