The 2012 Buick Verano is a compact near-luxury sedan that shares its core architecture with the Chevy Cruze. For some, mentioning Cruze and Verano in the same sentence dredges up haunting memories of GM"s "badge engineering" era; a dark period where subpar cars were shared among countless GM brands, distinguished only by grilles, trim and other superficial details. Thankfully, times have changed, as the Verano is distinctly delineated inside and out from its compact platform mate. For a comparatively modest price the 2012 Buick Verano offers much of the luxury, technology and comfort found in other entry-luxury vehicles, making it an appealing option in this era of inconspicuous indulgence.