1997 Buick Century Driving Impressions Review at Automotive.com
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Buick
Century
1997

1997 Buick Century Review: Road Test

Below is a full, detailed 1997 Buick Century review and road test from New Car Test Drive. A full evaluation of price, equipment, the driving experience, and specs are all here in a structured, easy-to-navigate format from journalists with limitless ...     read more
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1997 Buick Century Review

The value of understatement.
Driving Impressions
If any single element of the Century can be said to define Buick's marketing

goals and intentions for this car, it's a stint behind the wheel. From

this position, you are unlikely to mistake this for anything but a Buick.

Ride quality is the Century's outstanding feature. Over any surface

one might reasonably drive on, it is soft. Bumps, dips or ridges on the

pavement are seldom heard or felt; instead, there are smooth up-and-down

movements that tell the driver the Century has been driven over something,

with little indication as to the nature or size of the obstruction. Road

and suspension noise are both absent.

For some drivers, the Dyna-Ride Century will be too soft, and it must

be said that we found some of its reactions--especially body roll in corners

and the rocking motions that occurred as the suspension settled down after

hitting dips and bumps--a little dated by contemporary ride and handling

standards. We suggest that slightly firmer shock absorber settings could

be employed without upsetting the Century's cloud-like ride in the least.

Review Sections
• Introduction
• Walkaround
• Interior
• Driving Impressions
• Summary & Specifications
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The magnetic variable-assist power steering as supplied with our Limited

tester was effortless, but somewhat short on feel and feedback. We've experienced

other examples of this new Magnasteer system that respond a little better

in this regard.

Once again, however, it must be emphasized that this car has been designed

with a keen sense of what its market wants. Few, if any, owners will ever

drive Centurys down a canyon road at anything above a modest speed, and

fewer still will care if the car's steering has sports-car precision and

road feel.

Beyond those small cavils, the Century is quite pleasant to drive. The

3.1-liter V6 engine and four-speed automatic transmission combination (the

only Century choice) delivers adequate power to meet market demands, and

is better than average when judged for smoothness and silence. Fuel economy

is good as well. So are the brakes, though we felt the ABS system coming

into play earlier than expected during hard stops on some surfaces. Next Page


1997 Buick Century