In some segments, buyers might not concern themselves with reliability as much as other traits like performance or luxury. However, as a line of family-friendly vehicles, Buick has above-average ownership costs stemming from its higher sticker price, annual maintenance, and repair cost. That makes choosing the most reliable Buick important, especially for families on a budget.

The 6 most reliable Buick models

RepairPal rates Buick above average for reliability compared to 31 car brands across 345 unique models. Buick has average yearly repair and maintenance costs of $608, about $44 less than the average of all brands. However, while the average repair frequency is lower, the probability of an expensive repair is higher than in other brands. Listed below are six Buick models in order of reliability rating from highest to lowest.

1. Buick Encore

The Buick Encore ranks fifth out of seven subcompact SUVs with $466 average annual repair and maintenance costs. The Encore is considerably cheaper to maintain and repair than all vehicle models that average $652 yearly. While the average subcompact SUV averages two repairs every 10 years, and the average for all vehicle models is four times, the average Encore only needs repair once. However, the average probability of severe issues is 12%, higher than the expected 9% for subcompact SUVs but the same as all vehicle models combined. 

2. Buick Verano

The Buick Verano’s reliability ranks 15th of 36 compact cars with average annual maintenance and repair costs of $478. However, that’s less than the $526 average for compact cars resulting in lower-than-average ownership costs. In addition, unscheduled Verano repairs occur twice every 10 years on average, compared to three times for the average compact car. Finally, serious issues are likely on par with all other vehicle models but a little above that of other compact cars. 

3. Buick Regal

The midsize Buick Regal sedan ranks 13th among its 24 peers with above-average reliability and average ownership costs. Buick Regal’s annual maintenance and repair costs average $563 compared to $526 for other midsize cars and $652 for all vehicle models combined. The Regal experiences fewer than average repair instances, but the severity of those repairs is average. 

4. Buick LaCrosse

The Buick LaCrosse, another midsize offering, ranks two spots lower in 15th with $569 average annual repair and maintenance costs. Repair frequency and severity are on par with the average for midsize cars. Overall the cost of owning a Buick LaCrosse is about the same as the average vehicle. 

5. Buick Lucerne

The full-size Buick Lucerne sedan ranks eighth out of 12 class rivals. It costs an average of $585 per year to maintain and repair the Lucerne compared to $590 for other full-size cars. Unscheduled repairs occur 0.4 times per year on overage, higher than the average full-size car’s 0.3 times. In addition, the probability of a significant repair is higher too. 

6. Buick Enclave

All the other Buicks listed here received an above-average reliability rating, but the Buick Enclave drops to an average rating from RepairPal and ranks 24th of 26 midsize SUVs for reliability. In addition, annual maintenance and repair costs, unscheduled repair frequency, and severity of required repairs are all significantly higher than other midsize SUVs. 

Is Buick a brand worth considering?

While Buick vehicles consistently rank in the bottom half of each segment, that’s more a testament to the quality of the competition than any shortcoming on Buick’s part. Anyone in the market for a vehicle built by a domestic automaker should consider Buick as it’s consistently ranked among the best U.S. auto brands by Consumer Reports.