2003 Buick Century Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Antilock brakes and traction control are optional instead of standard for 2003 on Buick's lowest-priced car. Century shares its basic platform with the Regal, which targets a younger audience. A 3.1-liter V6 with an automatic transmission is the sole powertrain. The $600 ABS option includes traction control and a tire-pressure monitor. For '03, Century comes as a single model and offers a Limited option package, which includes leather upholstery. A front bench seat for 6-passenger capacity is standard. A side airbag for the driver is optional with the Limited package. Appearance changes for '03 include a graphite and chrome grille and body-colored exterior trim. Inside, there's new door-pillar and roof-rail trim backed with energy-absorbing foam for head-impact protection. General Motors' OnStar assistance system is optional.

Competition

Perennial Best Buys Honda Accord and Toyota Camry continue to shine with refinement, model diversity, and comfort. Both offer economic 4-cylinder or sporty V6 power, have room for four adults, and are reasonably priced. Camry was new last year and Accord holds that honor this year.

Recommended models include the import-flavored Chevy Malibu, sporty Chrysler Sebring/Dodge Stratus twins, 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. Despite relatively high prices, the refined Volkswagen Passat is also Recommended. Sedan and wagon models are offered with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive and four-, six-, or class-exclusive eight-cylinder power. Budget-level interior materials and assembly disappointments aside, the Nissan Altima is Recommended for its impressive interior room, road manners, and reasonable price.

News

Century should stay pretty much through the '04 season, after which the name transfers to a lower-priced version of the redesigned 2005 Regal. No specifics yet on what the Regal will be like, but we don't expect a styling or technical pacesetter. Meantime, Century keeps gaining sales while Regal keeps losing. The 2002 results show a 15.2-percent year-to-year increase for Buick's "value-priced" midsize vs. an 18.5 percent loss for its upscale sibling.

2003 Buick Century Road Test

Pros	Cons

Ride	Steering feel

	Handling

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
4	5.2

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

Fuel Economy

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
5	5.3

Averaged 19.4-21.4 mpg in our tests.

Ride Quality

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
7	6.3

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

Steering/Handling/Braking

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
5	6.1

Pronounced body lean, limited grip in fast turns. Low-effort steering lacks precision and road feel, but makes low-speed maneuvers easy. With ABS, stopping power is adequate, but pedal feel is too soft and the front end dives in severe stops. We have not tested a Century without ABS.

Quietness

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
6	5.5

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

Controls

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
5	6.5

Just speedometer, fuel, and coolant gauges, but all are easy to read. Tire-pressure monitor a useful feature that comes with the optional ABS. Climate controls interfere with center passenger's knees.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
5	5.9

Good head and leg room. Bench seat offers little side support in turns, and standard cloth seat is too soft for best comfort. Limited's firmer leather seat is more supportive.

Room/Comfort (rear)

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
4	4.4

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

Cargo Room

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
5	4.7

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

Value within Class

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
6	6.2

Century was a better value with standard ABS and traction control, but it's still 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

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
52	56.1

Scores for all Midsize Cars

Low Score		43
Average Score		56
High Score		72

2003 Buick Century Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 05/28/2003

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

Base 4-door sedan	$21,235	$19,430	$660

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

Base

Powertrain

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

Safety

Dual front airbags, 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 upholstery, 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, 205/70R15 tires, wheel covers.

Optional Equipment

Major Packages	Retail Price	Invoice Price
Custom Pkg. 1SB
Base	$1,000	$860
Cruise control, body-colored mirrors, AM/FM/cassette w/upgraded sound system, 6-way power driver seat, illuminated visor mirrors, cargo net, floormats.

Limited Pkg. 1SC
Base	$2,000	$1,720
Custom Pkg. 1SB plus leather upholstery, rear armrest w/dual cupholders, chrome wheel covers.

Safety
Driver-side side airbag
Base	$350	$301
Requires Limited Pkg. 1SC.

Antilock brakes
Base	$600	$516
Includes traction control, tire-pressure monitor.

Comfort and Convenience Features
OnStar System
Base	$695	$598
OnStar System w/one-year service (roadside assistance, emergency services; other services available)

6-way power driver seat
Base	$350	$301


Cruise control
Base	$235	$202


AM/FM/cassette
Base	$220	$189
Includes upgraded sound system.

AM/FM/cassette/CD player
Base	$500	$430
w/Pkg. 1SB or 1SC	$280	$205
Includes upgraded sound system.

Steering-wheel radio controls
Base	$130	$112
Requires Limited Pkg. 1SC.

Floormats
Base	$45	$39


Alloy wheels
Base	$425	$366
w/Pkg. 1SC	$300	$258


Appearance and Miscellaneous
Engine-block heater
Base	$35	$30

2003 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.	3353

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

Rollover Resistance	4

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

< 2003 Buick Century Photos

Also in the 2003 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

All Buicks