2016 Buick Cascada: A New Direction

It’s been a long time coming, we haven’t seen a convertible model from Buick in over twenty-five years which means we have an entire generation of car shoppers who have never known a convertible Buick model. This car is another example of how the partnership with Opel is helping to create a better, more youthful lineup from Buick as the model is already on the market in Europe from Opel with the same name. Because of this partnership our Buick lineup has become a youthful and more exuberant one from Buick to offer us cars we want to drive.

The Cascada is a compact front-wheel drive car that offers the two plus two seating position to be a great ride for you and three friends. Filled with impressive handling and a refined interior the Cascada is made to compete in some ways with the Audi A3 and BMW 2-Series, but come in at a price that is much more affordable. As a brand new car to the market for Buick this car is ready to be the one you chose when you want premium features and a much better driving experience while on the road.

As a premium car that is built on a compact car platform the Cascada doesn’t require a lot of power to get going. With this in mind Buick has put a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine under the hood. This engine will make 200 horsepower and 207 lb.-ft. of torque while being attached to a six-speed automatic transmission. Adding the direct injection and continuously variable valve timing this engine is about reach peak power a lower rpms and can increase the torque to 221 lb.-ft. in ten second bursts when using the overboost function. The fuel mileage you will enjoy with this new convertible is 20 city/27 hwy mpg, which is pretty good for a car that is built to perform and provide speed.

Take this car out on the road and you will immediately feel the European flavor that is present throughout the car. It is not going to rip through the corners, but does give you an engaging and confident ride which makes the driving a lot of fun. Using a rigid structure and a front suspension that has a Z-link rear setup to go along with the highly responsive electric power steering and 20-inch wheels this is a car you want to drive and have a lot of fun from behind the wheel, especially on days when you can drive with the top down.

Looking to the standard features of the Cascada there are two trim levels to choose from, the base and the Premium models. Both of these trims come with some great standard features to enhance the vehicles and give us a great pair to enjoy. The features that are included begin with an excellent power folding soft top, all the power driver assist features you could want, automatic HID headlights, leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel, the Buick IntelliLink system with a 7.0-ich color display, OnStar with 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hotspot capability, Siri Eyes Free, a navigation system, dual zone climate control, a rearview camera, Rear Parking Assist, electric seatbelt presenters, dual 12V power ports and spring loaded popup rollover bars behind the rear seats that are linked to the seatbelt system.

There are not very many options for this car, which makes sense considering the full menu of standard equipment. There are some colors you can add that will cost you a little more. The Premium model adds Forward Collison Alerts, Lane Departure Warning, front and rear Parking Assistance, tunnel detection for the automatic headlight controls, rain sensing automatic wipers, front and rear air deflectors and a diamond graphic for the wheels.

The two features that stand out the most on this car are the power activated soft top and entry system for the rear seat. The top takes only seventeen seconds to raise or lower at speeds up to 31 mph to be easy to enjoy. When up this top does a great job or keeping out the noise and when down it tucks away beneath a hard cover. The rear seats are easy to get into and out of with the front seats that automatically slide forward and back when triggered to do so. These seats also have a sensor to detect a rear passenger’s knees and give them at least an inch of movement in the rear.

On the inside you can certainly see why this car is so exciting. The leather seats ae comfortable and fit to any body size. There is plenty of room for all four occupants to enjoy the ride and with the top down everyone can have the warm summer breeze blowing through their hair. In the trunk you see 13.4 cubic feet of space with the top up which is reduced to 9.8 with the top down, which is still large enough to handle a few items from the store.

Looking at this car from the outside you see a convertible that is a much higher quality than most convertibles from GM. This car has some of the most attractive body shaping design, gorgeous lights all around, and a dynamic set of wheels this car is one that is attractive right from the start and doesn’t let you down as you look across the vehicle. With clean lines and a top that adds to the beauty its apparent this car received some serious detail work to be a great looking car.

As an affordable car that plays higher than its class the Cascada starts out at just under $34,000 for the base 1SV trim level. Moving up to the Premium version, which brings in more technology you see a price that comes in just under $37,000. These prices are certainly in line with the competition and give you a great car to drive. It’s time for you to enjoy a premium convertible and as the first one from Buick in many years, the Cascada can be the right one for you.