2016 BUICK VERANO OFFERS A PREMIUM EXPERIENCE IN THE COMPACT SEGMENT

07/01/2015

Buick

Buick Verano's blend of technology, sophistication, craftsmanship and performance offers a unique premium experience in the compact segment.

Features such as an available rearview camera, an available heated steering wheel and soft-touch interior surfaces with world-class fit and finish are rare in the segment, and Verano also includes Buick's trademark QuietTuning, for exceptional refinement.

The 2016 Verano is available in five models: the well-equipped Verano 1SV, Verano 1SD, which adds features including IntelliLink, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a rearview camera system, as well as Convenience (1SG), Leather (1SL) and Verano Turbo (1ST).

Advanced safety technologies, including Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning and Forward Collision Alert are offered as part of the Driver Confidence Package that's available on 1SG models and above.

Verano also offers OnStar 4G LTE connectivity and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, providing a mobile hub for drivers and passengers to stay connected. The hotspot is on whenever the car is on and comes with a three-month/three-gigabyte data trial.

Experience Buick Protection on all 2016 Buick models includes the first two visits of scheduled maintenance services for two years/24,000 miles, whichever occurs first. It complements Buick's four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty and six-year/70,000-mile powertrain limited warranty.

Design and exterior features

Verano sports the Buick design cues pioneered on the Enclave and carried through on Buick's other sedans. An arching roofline connects a steeply raked windshield and fast-sloping rear pillars to give the car a sporty and elegant profile.

Strokes of chrome accent the car, along with signature features such as a black chrome waterfall grille and portholes. Blue translucent rings around the projector beam headlamp and chrome exhaust tip (dual exhaust outlets on 1ST) add to the sophistication and attention to detail. Heated outside mirrors are standard on 1SG, 1SL and 1ST and activate automatically with the remote starting feature at temperatures below 45 degrees F (7 C).

Exterior colors include three new hues, including Crystal Red Tintcoat, Ebony Twilight Metallic and Graphite Gray Metallic, along with Summit White, Quicksilver Metallic, Mocha Metallic, Dark Sapphire Blue Metallic and White Diamond Tricoat.

Interior style, comfort and refinement

Verano's interior is marked by exceptional seat comfort and support, as well as premium, soft-touch materials. Metallic and wood trim accents and warm ambient lighting make the cabin an inviting environment.

Cashmere and medium titanium colors are offered on interiors with leatherette/fabric seating surfaces, while Ebony and Cashmere colors are offered on the available leather interiors.

Additional interior standard and available features include:

Push-button engine start

Dual-zone automatic climate control is standard

Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel for 1SL models and above

Eight-way power driver's seat

Heated and leather-appointed seating - including heated cloth seats standard on 1SG

Available comfort package for 1SD includes power driver's seat and heated front seats

Electronic parking brake

Console armrest that slides and locks

Power windows with driver's express up/down and express down in the rear (1SL and 1ST models are equipped with a front passenger express-up feature)

Steering wheel radio controls

Heated outside rearview mirrors and self-dimming inside rearview mirrors

Uplevel front and rear reading lamps.

Buick's exclusive QuietTuning is designed to block or absorb sound and dampen or eliminate vibrations. It is included in every facet of the Verano's architecture to make it the quietest compact sedan on the road and quieter than many midsize and full-size cars.

Verano's quiet cabin is supported with numerous features including acoustical laminated glass, triple door seals and refined chassis dynamics.

IntelliLink and OnStar 4G LTE

Verano's IntelliLink system is standard on 1SD models and above, giving customers the best of both worlds when it comes to infotainment. It provides easy, intuitive operation of basic functions, yet it is also highly customizable and capable of linking up to seven Bluetooth-connected devices such as smartphones and MP3 players, as well as USB drives, giving users more ways of staying connected.

Enhanced connectivity and convenience include Text Messaging Alerts for smartphone users with Bluetooth profile (M.A.P.), which reads incoming texts through the vehicle's speakers, and Siri Eyes Free for iPhone iOS 6 and iOS 7 users to enhance connectivity and convenience. Each enables voice-controlled connectivity.

The IntelliLink's 7-inch-diagonal screen also serves as the display for the available rearview camera system and navigation system, as well as the controller for Verano's audio system.

Complementing IntelliLink to enhance Verano's connectivity is OnStar 4G LTE with a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. It provides a mobile hub for drivers and passengers to stay connected - up to seven devices at once. The hotspot is on whenever the vehicle is on and comes with a three-month/three-gigabyte data trial, after which the customer can purchase additional data.

At the time of purchase, six months of OnStar Guidance includes all of OnStar's advisor-based safety and security features, including Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Assistance, as well as Turn-by-Turn navigation.

Five years of OnStar Basic Plan includes RemoteLink Key Fob Services, allowing owners to remotely start and lock/unlock a car (if equipped with the remote starter system), and activate the horn and lights from anywhere with a data connection. It also includes OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics, which runs monthly checks of a vehicle's engine, transmission, anti-lock brakes and more, and Dealer Maintenance Notification, which sends a diagnostic report directly to a preferred dealer to simplify service scheduling.

Powertrains and performance

Verano is equipped with a choice of two four-cylinder engines: a standard Ecotec 2.4L and an available Ecotec 2.0L turbo.

The Ecotec 2.0L turbo delivers 250 horsepower (187 kW) and 260 lb-ft of torque (353 Nm), providing on-demand power comparable to a V-6, but with the efficiency of a four-cylinder - and tuned to deliver unique performance, efficiency and quietness. Its development applied the best practices of technical centers in Europe and North America.

The Verano Turbo's performance is matched with efficiency. It achieves EPA-estimated fuel economy of 21 city and 30 highway.

Verano's standard Ecotec 2.4L with direct-injection, dual-overhead camshafts and variable valve timing delivers responsive performance. Rated at 180 horsepower (134 kW) and 171 lb-ft of torque (232 Nm), it helps provide EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of 32 mpg.

The Ecotec 2.4L is designed with features that reduce noise and improve its durability. Each piston has its own directed jet that sprays oil toward its skirt, coating its underside and the cylinder wall with an additional layer of lubricant. The extra lubrication cools the pistons, reducing friction and operational noise.

A fuel-saving, six-speed automatic transmission with Driver Shift Control is matched with each engine. A six-speed manual transmission is available with the turbo.

Chassis and suspension

Verano's refined, responsive suspension system includes decoupled MacPherson struts in the front that provide greater separation of extreme road conditions - large potholes, for example - from everyday driving conditions.

A technically advanced Watts Z-link design helps center the rear axle during cornering, which helps keep the Verano's handling responses symmetrical on both left-hand and right-hand turns. The linkage's capability to center the axle during cornering delivers a more-balanced driving experience because the rear suspension better follows the lead of the front suspension.

The Z-link design is also lighter and requires less space than a typical fully independent rear suspension. The lower weight contributes to Verano's fuel economy, while the compact design enables more trunk space.

Steering inputs are executed by a fuel-saving electric power steering system, featuring a dual-pinion rack, while stopping power is handled by standard four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock and panic brake assist, develops additional brake pressure when an emergency braking situation is detected.

Verano also is equipped with GM's enhanced smart pedal brake override technology, which helps prevent unintended acceleration by reducing engine power when the brake and accelerator are depressed at the same time.

Safety and security

Verano offers radar- and camera-based safety features with carefully developed directional alerts that help drivers quickly identify potential crash situations so they can react. They include Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, which help avoid collisions by using radar to monitor areas the driver may not be able to see and provide alerts, and Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning, which use cameras to detect possible crash situations and alert the driver.

The features are part of the available Driver's Confidence package offered on 1SG, 1SL and 1ST models.

Additionally, a rearview camera system is standard on 1SD models and above, with the display in the IntelliLink seven-inch color screen. Verano's other primary safety, crash-avoidance and post-crash features include:

Ten standard air bags, including frontal, head curtain side air bags, front and outboard rear-seat side-impact air bags and knee air bags

Pretensioners minimize forward movement during a collision, and are standard on the front safety belts. Load-limiting retractors cinch the belt more tightly

StabiliTrak electronic stability control system helps reduce the risk of rollover crashes by keeping the vehicle in the driver's intended path by applying throttle, braking or a combination of both

Collapsible pedal system, which allows the pedals to detach during a crash to reduce the risk of leg or ankle injuries

Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with panic brake assist

GM's enhanced smart pedal brake override feature reduces engine power when the brake and accelerator are depressed at the same time, to help reduce unintended acceleration

Available rear park assist.

Verano also features a strong, unitized body structure incorporating 60-percent high-strength steel in key areas to enhance strength and crash protection by helping to prevent intrusion into the passenger compartment.

Buick is an international modern luxury brand offering vehicles with sculpted designs, luxurious interiors and thoughtful personal technologies, along with responsive-yet-efficient performance. Buick is attracting new customers with its portfolio of award-winning luxury models in North America and China. Learn more about Buick cars and crossovers at www.buick.com, on Twitter @buick, on Instragram, on Pinterest or at www.facebook.com/buick