Buick is a USA carmaker founded in 1903, now part of General Motors. The cars themselves are another matter: across 18 VIN prefixes on record they came off lines in 6 countries — the United States 59.4%, Canada 26.3%, Mexico 6.1%. 25 models are tracked here (1981–2026). Reliable? yes, on balance — 4.1 out of 5 across 25 rated models, though the spread between model years is far wider than the badge suggests (every model ranked →).
Who makes Buick
Buick is an American premium-brand subsidiary of General Motors, headquartered alongside its parent in Detroit, Michigan. Founded in 1903 by Scottish-American inventor David Dunbar Buick, Buick was acquired by William C. Durant in 1904 and used as the foundation upon which Durant built General Motors in 1908. Buick is the oldest American automobile brand still in production. Buick survived GM's 2009 bankruptcy reorganization while sister brands Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer and Saab were eliminated. The brand was preserved largely because of strong sales in China, where Buick has been a high-volume premium nameplate since the Shanghai GM joint venture launched the brand there in 1999. The current US lineup centers on three crossovers — Encore GX, Envista and Enclave — plus the Envision midsize SUV. Buick has committed to an all-electric lineup by 2030. General Motors trades on the New York Stock Exchange under GM. Recall data for every Buick VIN is reported to NHTSA, and EPA fuel-economy ratings, IIHS scores and J.D. Power studies provide independent benchmarks. ForCar.org decodes any Buick VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original MSRP.
David Dunbar Buick patented the overhead-valve engine in 1902 and founded Buick Motor Company in 1903. After financial struggles he turned management over to William C. Durant, who used Buick as the holding company that became General Motors in September 1908. The 1936 Buick Special introduced styling cues that defined American premium cars for the next 20 years. Buick was also the brand that introduced the turbocharger to mass-market US production in the 1962 Special.
| Buick | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1903 |
| Founded by | David Dunbar Buick |
| Headquarters | Detroit, USA |
| Owned by | General Motors |
| Listed as | GM |
| Slogan | «Dream Up» |
| Models tracked here | 25 (1981–2026) |
| Assembled in | 6 countries |
Technology it is known for: QuietTuning sound damping, Avenir luxury sub-trim, Ultium battery platform, Adaptive Cruise Control, Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.
This page covers Buick, the GM brand — not the Buick LeSabre concept (a 1951 GM showcar) or any David Dunbar Buick personal references.
Where Buick cars are actually built
A badge says where a company is registered, not where its cars were bolted together. The first three characters of any VIN — the world manufacturer identifier — say the second thing, and that is what we counted: 16,652 vehicles on record, 18 distinct manufacturer codes.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1G4, 5GA, 1GH, 4GL | 1981–2026 | |
| Canada | 2G4, 264, 2GW, 2B4 | 1984–2017 | |
| Mexico | 3G5, 3G4 | 1990–2007 | |
| South Korea | KL4 | 2013–2026 | |
| the United Kingdom | W04 | 2011–2020 | |
| China | LRB | 2016–2025 |
Read your own: the first character is the region, the first three together identify the plant's manufacturer. A Buick beginning 1G4 was assembled in the United States.
All Buick models 25
Every Buick model we track, grouped by body type. Click any model for its VIN decoder, recalls, MPG, safety and ForCar Reliability Score — broken down by year.
Buick SUVs & crossovers 8
Buick Cars & sedans 14
Buick Minivans & vans 1
Buick Wagons 1
Buick More models 1
Buick by the numbers
What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.
| Topic | Buick | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 755 campaigns | Most recalled: Fuel System, Gasoline |
| Owner complaints | 19,002+ filed | Most reported: LeSabre |
| Fuel economy | 31 mpg best | Leader: Encore |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ top rated | 8 models tested by NHTSA |
| Insurance | $1,268/yr typical | Cheapest: Rendezvous |
Compare model years like a dealer does.
- Full research report on any model year
- Market chart: how this model holds value
- Exact values with mileage adjustment
- Price-drop alerts on the trims you're watching
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Buick hybrids & electric models
Buick's electrified lineup — 2 hybrids. Click any model for its full powertrain, MPG and range by year.
Buick hybrids 2
Electrified variants from EPA fueleconomy.gov powertrain data. A model may offer gas, hybrid and electric versions across years.
Get a Buick window sticker by VIN
Recreate any Buick's original Monroney label — MSRP, factory options, EPA MPG and safety — free from the VIN.
Buick window stickers →How to read a Buick VIN
Every Buick built since 1981 carries a unique 17-character VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It encodes where and when the vehicle was made, its engine and body — here's what each part means:
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Buick and the country it was built in.
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled it.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
The remaining digits — engine (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard. You can decode any VIN for free and get the year-code table, the country codes and the exact spots where the number is stamped.
Who owns Buick, and what you get
Buick belongs to General Motors. Buick competes in the premium-mainstream segment between Chevrolet and Cadillac, with sales heavily skewed toward Chinese and (to a lesser extent) US markets — Buick has not been sold in Europe since the 1990s. The Avenir trim line, introduced in 2017, designates upscale variants competing with Acura and INFINITI on price and features. Buick's 2030 EV-only commitment ahead of Chevrolet positions the brand as GM's mid-tier electric flagship.
| Buick | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | USA |
| Ownership | General Motors |
| Stock ticker | GM |
| Basic warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Assembly countries | United States, Canada, Mexico, South Korea |
⚠ Worth knowing before you rely on it: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, while basic cover here runs 3 years / 36,000 miles. See when Buick models actually start to break →
Buick — frequently asked
Is Buick usa?
Buick is a USA company, headquartered in Detroit and founded in 1903. The cars are a separate question: 59.4% of the Buick vehicles in our records were assembled in the United States.
Where are Buick cars made?
Across 18 manufacturer codes on record, assembly splits as: the United States (59.4%), Canada (26.3%), Mexico (6.1%), South Korea (4.9%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the manufacturer and plant country — that is where these shares come from.
Who owns Buick?
Buick is part of General Motors.
How many Buick models are there?
We track 25 Buick models spanning 1981–2026. The full list is above, ordered by how often each is searched.
What is the Buick warranty?
New vehicles come with 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Terms vary by model year and market — confirm with a dealer.
Is Buick reliable?
It depends far more on the model and year than on the badge. Every Buick model is ranked by complaint rate here, along with the age at which each starts to fail.