2004 Buick Century Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Four-wheel disc brakes are standard for 2004 on Buick's lowest-priced car. Century shares its basic platform with Buick's Regal, which targets a younger audience. A 175-hp V6 with an automatic transmission is the sole powertrain. ABS is optional, but 4-wheel disc brakes replace a front-disc/rear-drum setup. The ABS option includes traction control and a tire-pressure monitor. A front bench seat for 6-passenger capacity is standard. A side airbag for the driver is available with the optional Limited package. OnStar assistance is optional.

News

After a "short" run of 2005 models built in March-October of '04, Century bows out. One reason is that century-old Buick wants to move upscale to fill market openings left by Cadillac, which has been pushing upmarket too, and a "value-priced" Regal doesn't fit the plan. Effectively replacing Century, though with higher expected list prices, are lower-line versions of the 2005 LaCrosse, basically a heavily updated Century/Regal.

2004 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

Good standing-start scoot, 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	6.2

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

Excess 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 front end dives in severe stops. We have not tested a Century without ABS.

Quietness

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
6	5.8

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

Controls

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
5	6.4

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

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Base w/Limited Pkg.	Class Average
5	6

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	4.5

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	4.6

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

Century would be 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		44
Average Score		56
High Score		72

2004 Buick Century Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 03/05/2004

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

Base 4-door sedan	$21,815	$19,960	$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, 4-wheel disc brakes, daytime running lights, emergency inside trunk release.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Air conditioning w/dual-zone manual climate controls, interior air filter, power steering, tilt steering wheel, cloth upholstery, front split bench seat, cupholders, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/CD player, 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	$925	$796
Cruise control, body-colored mirrors, 6-way power driver seat, illuminated visor mirrors, cargo net, floormats.

Limited Pkg. 1SC
Base	$2,055	$1,767
Custom Pkg. 1SB plus leather upholstery, steering-wheel radio controls, rear armrest w/dual cupholders, chrome wheel covers.

Special Edition Pkg.
Base	$3,990	$3,431
Limited Pkg. 1SC plus traction control, antilock brakes, tire-pressure monitor, dual-zone automatic climate controls, chrome grille, 225/60R16 tires, chrome alloy wheels.

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 telematics system
Base	$695	$598
Includes one-year service.

6-way power driver seat
Base	$350	$301


Cruise control
Base	$250	$215


AM/FM/cassette/CD player
Base	$280	$241


Floormats
Base	$80	$69


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


Chrome wheel covers
Base	$125	$108
Requires Custom Pkg. 1SB.

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

2004 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.	3342

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	16.7

Standard Payload, lbs.	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	17.0

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	20/30

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

< 2004 Buick Century Photos

Also in the 2004 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