The photo above matches our car exactly, including the color and the chrome wheels. The interior is gray leather, with 8-way adjustable bucket seats for both driver and passenger. We got all options, and the car came with an aftermarket, real wood dash that looks very elegant. This is one amazing car.
Additional Photos
Comparison with Mark VIII & Eldorado
This is a radical new Buick, with just a small amount of chrome trim on the subdued grille, taillights, and side glass. It is sleeker than an Infiniti J30 or Acura Legend, we think. And the new Buick is built on the same rigid new platform as the Oldsmobile Aurora, but with a choice of V-6 engines instead of a V-8. The new Riviera rides softly and quietly, but it's not a sports sedan. You don't go looking for exit ramps to charge through, but the car feels confident nonetheless. It also feels slow, though we think this feeling is because the car is so quiet and inputs from the road are muted. Buick claims the Riviera with the optional supercharged V-6 will get to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds, about the same as an Eagle Vision TSi and quicker than a J30. Since the demise of the Cadillac Coupe de Ville, the Riviera is now the largest two-door you can buy other than a Bentley.
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being tops: 8
Pros: Knock-‘em-dead styling. Powerful. Roomy. Smooth ride.
Cons: Entry and exit can be a problem due to large doors.
Bottom line: Styling and performance assure future classic-car status.The boldly styled Buick Riviera is perfect for those who are tired of look-alike cars. Nothing looks like the “Riv,” and it’s a mystery how top Buick stylist Bill Porter managed to get this big, rakish coupe past Buick’s generally conservative management.
Lucky for individualists that he did. Actually, the current Riv is just following tradition; the very first Riviera was a visual knockout when introduced for 1963 and was an all-time favorite of the late Bill Mitchell - General Motors’ flamboyant styling chief who also came up with cars such as the first 1960s Corvette Sting Ray.
It’s not widely known that the first Riviera initially was meant to be a Cadillac model, and was given to then-faltering Buick so that automaker could regain its strength. Since 1963, the Riviera has retained its sporty character. And the 1997 model is one of the sportiest in that model’s history. The current version arrived for the 1995 model year, and experts predict it is destined to be a classic, if only because of its styling.
Actually, the $30,110 Riviera has a lot more going for it than its looks. Performance with the standard 205-horsepower V6 is brisk. But the car really gets up and goes with the optional supercharged 240-horsepower version of the base engine; it delivers more neck-snapping torque and is accompanied by “touring” tires and handsome alloy wheels.
There’s lots of romance attached to supercharged autos; some of the most legendary American autos, such as 1930s Cords and Duesenbergs, were supercharged. A supercharged Riv is bound to be more valuable in the future.
The Riviera does 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds with the $1,195 supercharged motor, which is hooked to a smooth-shifting 4-speed automatic transmission. The car still delivers an EPA-estimated 18 mpg in the city and 27 on highways in 240-horsepower form. Those figures are good for a fast car that weighs about 3,700 pounds, but I only got 14-15 mpg in stop-and-go city driving. Economy is only slightly better with the base engine.
Buick is GM’s official “V6 engine” car division and has no 1997 model with a V8. It’s too bad the Riviera doesn’t have eight cylinders. A V8 would be more in keeping with Riviera tradition, and the car would sound sexier. The smooth V6 delivers V8-style performance, but emits a gruff sound when the supercharger kicks in. Not very sexy.
The Riviera feels rock-solid because it is built on the same fairly new, rigid, front-wheel-drive platform used by the Oldsmobile Aurora and Buick Park Avenue. The result is better handling and low noise, vibration and harshness - even at high speeds.
The variable-assist steering is quick, but has a rather artificial feel you won’t encounter in a Mercedes-Benz or BMW. Handling is good, but the ride delivered by the all-independent suspension is on the soft side. This Buick definitely is a cruiser, not a hard-muscled sports coupe, and wavy roads cause front-end bounce. Braking is quick and sure, with an anti-lock system among the Riviera’s long list of standard features.
There are few extras, but the $1,065 Prestige option package is worth getting because it contains a traction-control system for better grip on slippery roads. And that package also contains handy steering-wheel-mounted radio controls.
The Riviera easily seats five tall adults, when equipped with front bucket seats. A standard front bench seat offers six-passenger capacity. But the car should have the comfortable power leather-covered bucket seats and console, which only cost $750. After all, this is no station wagon.
Long, heavy doors make getting in or out much more of a hassle than is the case with a four-door wagon - especially in tight parking spots. And only the athletic will attempt to reach across the car to close a door that is open on the opposite side.
The steering wheel blocks a few controls, but gauges are easily read and most controls are within convenient reach. While the quiet interior generally looks posh, the dashboard has a disappointingly bland appearance for such a sporty car. Many will prefer a jazzier-looking dash.
Riviera drivers definitely will wish thick rear roof pillars and a high parcel shelf didn’t block rear visibility so much. This is one car body that definitely shouldn’t suffer crumpled sheet metal.
Issue Model Trim Body Style Date Year Engine Source Specification Value Base Cpe Aug-96 96 3.8 V-6sc/4A MT 0-60, s. 7.10 1/4 Mile, s. 15.40 60-0 Braking, ft. 138.00 Skidpad, g 0.76 Slalom, mph 60.10 Base Cpe Oct-95 96 3.8 V-6sc/4A C&D 0-60, s. 7.00 0-100, s. 19.30 1/4 Mile, s. 15.30 Top Speed, mph 109.00 70-0 Braking, ft. 197.00 Skidpad, g 0.78 Base Cpe Jul-95 95 3.8 V-6sc/4A CR 0-60, s. 7.90 1/4 Mile, s. 16.10 60-0 Braking, ft. 133.00 Base Cpe Sep-94 95 3.8 V-6sc/4A R&T 0-60, s. 7.90 0-70, s. 10.30 0-80, S. 13.40 1/4 Mile, s. 16.00 60-0 Braking, ft. 139.00 80-0 Braking, ft. 254.00 Skidpad, g 0.75 Slalom, mph 57.90 Idle, dBA 45.00 1st Gear, dBA 74.00 50 mph, dBA 63.00 70 mph, dBA 67.00 Base Cpe Nov-94 95 3.8 V-6sc/4A MT 0-50, s. 5.70 0-60, s. 7.80 0-70, s. 10.30 1/4 Mile, s. 15.90 60-0 Braking, ft. 139.00 Skidpad, g 0.78 Idle, dBA 44.00 60 mph, dBA 62.00 Slalom, mph 60.50
Sources: AUTO = Automobile Magazine CR = Consumer Reports C&D = Car and Driver Magazine MFR = Manufacturer Data MT = Motor Trend Magazine R&T = Road & Track Magazine AW = Auto Week PM = Popular Mechanics PS = Popular Science