Buick's core market lies somewhere between ostentation and austerity. From the top-of-the-line Riviera coupe to the Century tested here, the GM division has deliberately chosen to appeal to conservative buyers whose requirements have less to do with speed and flash than solid luxury and understated elegance. There is, of course, a danger inherent in this sort of restraint: Subtlety in excess equates to near-invisibility. To this, Buick's designers and product planners seem to be suggesting that a blend of basic virtues wrapped in tasteful trimmings, coupled with sensible pricing, will attract customers.
The Buick Century was totally redesigned two years ago. Its predecessor had sold well even at the end of its 15-year production run when it faced such worthy opponents as the Ford Taurus, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Maxima, Chrysler Cirrus and Dodge Stratus.
This latest-generation Century has proven as much of a sales success as the previous version and appears to have what it takes to make it into the new millennium.
If you're looking for a textbook example of good taste in four-door sedan styling, here it is. The Century is not startling from any angle, but it looks well-balanced and clean, free of the kinds of dramatic tweaks that can make a new design look old in short order.
Its overall form follows current GM design philosophy, being made up of long, unbroken surfaces, soft corners and a subtle wedge form rising from nose to tail. The nose carries a plated Buick grille -- minus the former stand-up hood ornament -- that looks right at home between two flattened-oval headlamps. Enough shiny trim has been used to trigger visions of luxury in the minds of target buyers. In back, an ovoid full-width taillight assembly gives the rear of the car a handsome look; you'll seldom see a large rear light cluster so deftly integrated. Roof pillars are thin, giving driver and passengers plenty of visibility. In short, the Century is attractive, but doesn't draw too much attention to itself.
To some, the Century's appearance may be a little too quiet, and it may carry too many hints of other GM products. But that hasn't deterred legions of buyers, and is unlikely to do so in the foreseeable future.
The Century model lineup begins with the $19,335 Custom Sedan, which is loaded with enough features to keep all but a few buyers happy. For a modest base price, the Custom comes with power windows, mirrors, door locks, and front seat adjustments, remote keyless entry, air conditioning, antilock brakes (ABS), a tilt-steering column and tinted glass.
For not much more money, the $20,707 Limited is available., which adds magnetic variable-assist power steering, pinstripes, dual-zone air conditioning and fancier wheel covers. A delayed accessory power feature keeps radio and windows operable after the engine has been shut off -- handy for those times when you've forgotten to close a window. It takes more than a casual once-over to tell the two models apart.
Added to the standard equipment package supplied with both Century models this year is a traction-control system. The system reduces engine power when wheelspin is detected and is a welcome addition; more sophisticated systems apply braking force to individual spinning wheel. Also standard for '99 is a tire-inflation monitor that lets the driver know a tire is low via a warning light in the instrument cluster; the system does not identify which tire is low, however.
The options list is short. Among the amenities are a couple of modestly priced model-specific upgrade packages, a better audio system with CD player, a power glass sunroof, and alloy wheels. Also available is GM's OnStar system: Using a cellular telephone and onboard Global Positioning System sensors, OnStar allows the driver to communicate with a dedicated center that can offer roadside assistance, route advice, stolen vehicle tracking and other information.
