Used 2018 Buick Cascada

A stylish 4-passenger convertible, the 2018 Buick Cascada is a sporty and luxurious ride for sun-worshipers looking for some fresh air. Buick’s first convertible in 25 years competes with the BMW 2 Series, Audi A3 as well as soft-top versions of the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro. The front-wheel-drive Cascada is powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine making 200 horsepower, which is less than you’ll find in a BMW 230i but it out-muscles the standard engine in the Audi. The Buick beats them both on price. Three trim levels are available, the base, Premium and Sport Touring with prices starting around $34,000. That’s about $7,000 less than the BMW and about $4,000 under the Audi. Standard equipment includes a 6-speed automatic transmission, 20-inch aluminum wheels, onboard Wi-Fi and a power top, which opens in 17 seconds.

This is the perfect car for that lazy Sunday drive up the coast. With top down you can feel the sun on your face, hear the waves crashing into the sand and smell the salty sea air. The 2018 Buick Cascada is sporty, but it isn’t a sports car. It’s a cruiser, not a bruiser. At 4,000 pounds, the 200-horsepower convertible is adequately spunky, delivering good acceleration with only the faintest hint of turbo lag. Its 6-speed automatic transmission isn’t exactly state-of-the-art, but its gear changes are smooth. Still, the Buick is slower than its rivals with a 0-60-mph time of over 8.0 seconds. We also wouldn’t pit it against a BMW 2 Series in the corners, despite its standard 20-inch wheels and tires. But the roomy and comfortable Buick Cascada is a fantastic Sunday drive companion, with a smooth ride, a rigid structure and lightly weighted and responsive steering.

Impressively roomy for a drop-top this size, the 2018 Buick Cascada can seat four average-size adults. Seat comfort is high, and the rest of the interior is well finished and nicely detailed. Unfortunately there are a few dated design details like a bazillion buttons on the dash and a smallish infotainment screen. Buick’s signature Quiet Tuning is evident with the top up, and sound levels and wind buffeting remain commendably low even when the Cascada is running in al fresco mode. However, flipping its lid does trim the car’s generous 13.4-cubic-foot trunk capacity to a still-serviceable 9.8 cubic feet.

This is not a small car. At 184.9 inches long, the 2018 Buick Cascada is 10 inches longer than a BMW 2 Series. The Buick is also several inches wider than the BMW. But the Cascada wears its size well, with a radically raked windshield, nicely flared wheel arches and a stubby well-tapered proboscis. Certainly the Buick looks best with its fabric top stowed away underneath the cleanly designed hard boot, but its curb appeal isn’t completely sabotaged with it up either. In fact, the Cascada looks downright sexy with its top up but its four windows rolled down, giving the Buick a classic hardtop profile.

AUTOMATIC ROLL-OVER POP-UP BARS
Some buyers shy away from convertibles because they worry about safety in a roll-over accident. Buick has addressed this with hidden spring-loaded, pyrotechnically activated rollbars behind the rear seats. Linked to the car’s airbag system, when deployed the rollbars, which are made of high-strength steel, extend approximately 14 inches to match the height of the windshield and protect the car’s occupants.

DRIVER CONFIDENCE PACKAGE
Although optional on the base model, this safety-focused package is standard on the Cascada Premium and Sport Touring models. It adds Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Front and Rear Park Assist, rain-sensing windshield wipers and automatic high-beam control. An adaptive-cruise-control system is not offered on the Cascada.

To enhance the new Buick Cascada’s appeal, both base and the Premium variants come with a bounty of up-line features that complement the excellent soft top, and a full range of power assists. Highlighting that formidable roster are auto-controlled high-intensity headlights, heat-reflective leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel and seats, Buick’s IntelliLink system with a 7.0-inch color display, OnStar with 4G LTE and Wi-Fi hotspot, Siri Eyes Free for iOS phones, a navigation system, dual-zone climate control, a rearview camera, Rear Park Assist, electric seatbelt presenters, dual 12V powerpoints, and spring-loaded/pyrotechnically activated pop-up roll-over bars behind the rear seat linked to the car’s seatbelt system.

Options are a relatively rare commodity on the 2018 Cascada. Save for a few extra-cost exterior colors, all versions of the Cascada convertible are mono-spec offerings. The only upgrades included on the Cascada Premium and Sport Touring models add Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, front as well as rear Park Assist, tunnel detection for the automatic-headlight control, Rainsense automatic wipers, front/rear air deflectors, and a unique “diamond-graphic” finish on the wheels on the Premium and a Sterling Silver finish on the Sport Touring. The popular Dark Effects Package adds dark exterior trim, red interior stitching and piano-black interior trim.

There’s just one powertrain for all three variants of the 2018 Buick Cascada: a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that drives the front wheels through a 6-speed automatic transmission. Part of GM’s new-generation Ecotec family, this free-revving four boasts direct injection and continuously variable-valve timing that help it turn out 200 horsepower — a heady 125 horsepower per liter. It also develops 207 lb-ft of torque from 1,800-4,500 rpm, which can be cranked up to 221 lb-ft in 10-second bursts thanks to an overboost function. A remapping of throttle response also helps enhance the car’s pleasantly brisk acceleration. The modest downside to that enthusiasm is fuel economy. With EPA ratings of 20/27 city/highway mpg, the Cascada falls well shy of best in class.

1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4
200 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
207 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-4,500 rpm (221 lb-ft @ 2,200-4,000 rpm w/overboost)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/29 mpg