Kit Car Magazine

Looking back at year that is about to pass, many people can agree that 2022 is destined to be extraordinary. This kind of extraordinaryness is also evident in passenger car market. This year, changes in passenger car market have intensified. It seems that minivans have become “new favorite” in eyes of car companies. New minivans of various brands and various power forms are rushing to market. It seems that one step too late lost "heart" of consumers. The MPV market, which was initially a bit quiet, suddenly blossomed. Why not be great.

However, while competition in 200,000-300,000 minivan market is in full swing, SAIC-GM Buick, firmly established at this price point, has already targeted a higher segment of market this year. year; The price of an all-new minivan model officially released in second half of 2019, starting at 529,900 yuan, is definitely not "cheap", but if consumers who have experienced this vehicle up close may think that Buick Century really has that strength to gain a foothold on high end market.

Look: a combination of trend and classic

The exterior design of Buick Century may be more controversial part. The all-new design language of Century does not bear shadow of calm and dignified Buick minivan of past, but is more fashionable and personalized. it can be seen that core of new generation of Buick's design language is expressed. The brand's new logo uses a flat concept, and huge front grille provides a higher degree of recognition for century, while split headlight design is also main trend of car. design at present, but there are a large number of too similar designs on market. In personal opinion of editor, exaggeration and momentum are enough, but they are not surprising.

The slender body and boxy silhouette are classic design elements, while at just over 5 meters long and nearly 2 meters wide, Buick Century has significant volume while providing advantage of being large. time Vehicle body height adjustable within 1.9 meters (1867 mm); this not only allows Century to overcome most of "pressureless" basement height limits, but also provides a low center of gravity in terms of visuals. making whole car look not too bulky.

Interior: moderate luxury

Nevertheless, I personally think that interior design is very good. Compared to aggressive exterior, Buick Century's interior conveys a sense of understatement. Based on real experience, this is a kind of "proper" luxury.

The visual impact of eye-catching 30-inch 6K curved screen is very intuitive and will not appear intrusive on center console. Whether it's smart technology or perception of information displayed while driving, it's very worthy of recognition, and this kind of technology The interior is also key to separating Century from other similarly priced models.

In terms of materials, there is no need to question such a luxury-oriented model of a minivan with a "cost" of 500,000 to 600,000 yuan, but luxury feel of Buick Century is more reflected in "atmosphere"; test is combination of interior colors and materials by design team, and not just thoughtless laying of materials in car; in other words, it reflects brand's heritage in automotive industry to a certain extent.

Space: Century seems to "fill" users' dissatisfaction

Like a minivan, seating area is part that really "shows off muscles". Compared to four-seat Century models, perhaps for most users, six-seat version has a stronger "practicality"; After experience, you will feel that brands with deep achievements in MPV models can really give users more credibility in models themselves.

The second and third row seats are electrically adjustable, and it's worth noting that two rows of seats share same set of rails, allowing four rear independent seats to have a fairly flexible layout. and longitudinal adjustment range is very large, whether it is entrance to passage of third row or adjustment range when riding in second row, it is quite comfortable and flexible.

The middle row seat can enter rest mode with one key, which is a very luxurious experience. With a single keystroke, through an independent electronic touch screen with a strong sense of ceremony, seat will automatically and orderly adjust backrest, evasion and position. Adjustable to form a very comfortable lying position, and fabric material of seat is a very delicate touch, size is also large enough, sense of dignity is very strong when riding, and there is almost no stuttering feeling when engine is running. The smooth adjustment is not only comfortable, but also very playable, and you can adjust your sitting position at any time.

The performance of third row of seats is already comparable to second row of many MPV models. In addition to quality of seats, heating and ventilation functions provide comfort in cabin. Third-Row Passenger Comfort as well as charging, storage space and large side windows in third-row space also provide a superior overall driving environment.

This layout is also designed to ensure that users who buy this vehicle can experience a comfortable ride compared to other models when traveling as passengers, whether they are in second row or third row . A compressor refrigerator and a stand-alone air conditioner in rear seem to make up for shortcomings that consumers constantly have in minivans.

Ride: dynamic performance focused on ride

The ride comfort experience ranges from static to dynamic. The combination of chassis thickness, suspension flexibility and vehicle's sound deadening characteristics makes middle and rear row spaces very quiet and comfortable to drive. Recoil when rolling over speed bumps and small bumpy roads is very stable, well versed in preferences of Chinese car owners.

At level of driving, it does not cause any complaints. After all, with such dimensions of body, only 2.0T engine with a capacity of 237 hp. can do very limited things. Feel roar, but this is not a disadvantage, because this car is not used for fast acceleration, smooth (transmission), quiet (cabin atmosphere), linear (accelerator pedal, brake, steering feel), stable (suspension tuning Chassis) is core and Century has done a good job at that level. "Losing" a bit of driving to ensure passenger comfort is obviously nothing wrong with Century.

Conclusion: Buick Century continues to be market benchmark

The Buick Century's starting price of about 530,000 yuan is really not low, but in terms of real experience, exquisite materials and almost luxurious driving experience will make passengers feel value for money. In my opinion, there is no model that can compete with powerful second- and third-row configurations such as six-seat version of Century. Works done by "younger students" in classroom: luxury minivans place more emphasis on experience than just superficial exaggeration. Buick MPV high class, it still has right to be called benchmark among models of same level.