The 2006 Buick Lucerne is a classic land yacht like your grandparents used to drive, offering up a pair of powerful V6 and V8 engines, a cabin more comfortable than your first apartment, and a reliable powertrain that’s built to last a quarter million miles.
Is the 2006 Buick Lucerne a Good Used Car?
- Overall Rating 8/10 – An underappreciated gem, the 2006 Buick Lucerne is a stylish, comfortable old-school cruiser.
- Interior, Comfort & Cargo 9/10 – The Lucerne is simply the most comfortable full-size car you’re going to find at this price.
- Reliability 8/10 – Drivers have reported 350,000 miles and up. You might not get there in a used model, but your odds of hitting 250,000 aren’t bad.
- Safety 8/10 – Strong crash test scores and generous standard safety features make the Lucerne safer than most 2006 sedans.
- Gas Mileage 6/10 – It’s a bit of a gas-guzzler, but 17/25 miles to the gallon, city/highway, isn’t the worst MPG we’ve seen in a V8.
- Value 8/10 – A luxurious sedan with a muscle-car engine is never the most practical option. But, if you’re going to buy a luxurious sedan with a muscle-car engine, this is the best deal you’re going to find.
Positive Owner Reviews
Negative Owner Reviews
What Do Critics Say About the 2006 Buick Lucerne?
Consumer Reports were impressed by the Lucerne’s “cushy ride” and roomy, quiet interior. They liked the car’s steady feel on the road, but ultimately conclude that the Lucerne, though very good, isn’t quite a class leader.
Kelley Blue Book users give the 2006 Lucerne a very strong 93% recommendation, praising the car’s old-school vibes and inexpensive luxury experience. Drivers note that most of the car’s maintenance needs are pretty cheap, but, fuel economy could be better, and the steering goes a bit wide.
Edmunds liked the quiet, comfortable interior, the supportive front seats, wide back seat, intuitive control layout, and powerful V8 engine. They weren’t so hot on the wimpy V6, soft braking, sluggish handling in the CX and CXL models, and “inconsistent” build quality, with high and low quality features intermingling.
What Common Problems Does the 2006 Buick Lucerne Have?
The 2006 Buick Lucerne has 329 complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Of these, around one in three are for electrical issues, with the most concerning issues being power steering failure and battery drain.
Around one in six complaints are for structural issues, with drivers reporting that the door locks may malfunction and sporadically leave the door handles inoperable.
Roughly one in ten complaints are for issues with the airbags, with reports of airbag warning lights staying on, sometimes after repeated repairs. There have been no airbag recalls thus far.
The 2006 Lucerne has been recalled 4 times, which is a fairly low number for a vehicle of this age.
How Long Will the 2006 Buick Lucerne Last?
Drivers have reported Lucernes reaching a mileage of 300,000, even half a million miles. That’s possible if you buy the car new and take excellent care of it, but improbably if you’re buying used. Expect to hit 200,000 to 250,000 miles on the original powertrain.
Repairpal estimate an annual maintenance cost of around $585, with the most expensive common fix, by far, being a new catalytic converter starting at around $1,577.
It is very reliable. It has never left me stuck anywhere. Any problems it has had have been minor wear and tear problems.
It has not had many problems. It is getting a lot of miles on it, 189,000, so recently we did do some repairs such as fixing wheel bearings. It is running very well now.
No not at this time the vehicle does not have any major problems. The brake pads could some changing, but nothing major.
None I know of the brakes when out I fixed put new tires on everything on it works great I bought the car used from the Nissan dealer I paid 8000 dollars for it in the year 2016 I have been driving this car about three years no more problems with it.
Just the usual problems of an older model car. It's starting to cost a little more to keep it road worthy. I feel that the extra expense is worth the satisfaction I feel driving a large, safe car.
The 2006 Buick Lucerne has been nothing but reliable for me and my family. I've had this car for several years and have only had to do regular maintenance on it.
How Is the Technology?
Entertainment technology in the 2006 Buick Lucerne is about what you expect of a luxury-lite sedan in 2006. The entry level model features a 9-speaker sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary jack, and the high-end trim packs an MP3 player. So, pretty good, all in all.
Entertainment technology is very good for 2006. Traction control and anti-lock brakes come standard, and, if you can find one with the Driver Confidence package equipped, that includes rear park assist.
Is the 2006 Buick Lucerne a Good Value?
The 2006 Buick Lucerne is a pretty good value compared to most other cars in its class. The entry-level CX model typically lists for around $4,793, while the CXS goes for about $5,532. There are luxury cars from this model year that are still selling for ten, fifteen grand, and are far more expensive to refuel and maintain than the Lucerne, so this isn’t a terrible deal.
Depending on your local prices, and your haggling skills, you’re probably going to get the most value with a mid-range CXL or a V8 CXS. You’re already spending a little more than you would on a comparable compact, so you might as well get the most for your money.
What are the Different Models of the 2006 Buick Lucerne?
The 2006 Buick Lucerne is available in three different trim levels, from the entry-level CX to the high-end CXS.
With the base CX you’re getting:
- CD player with 9 speakers
- Remote keyless entry
- Cloth seating
- Anti-lock brakes and traction control
- Manual air conditioning
- 6-way power adjust driver seat
- Steering wheel-mounted cruise and audio controls
Next up is the CXL, adding:
- Leather seating
- Heated mirrors
- Dual zone automatic air conditioning
- Leather wrapped steering wheel
- MP3 player
Finally, the V8-powered CXS adds:
- 8-way power adjust driver seat
- Heated front seats
- Custom perforated leather seating
- Sport-leather steering wheel
- Walnut burl woodgrain trim
What Engines Come In the 2006 Buick Lucerne?
- The CX and CXL model Lucernes come packed with a 3.8L V6 engine delivering 197 horsepower and 227 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is paired to a 4-speed automatic in front wheel drive, and it averages 19/28 miles to the gallon, city/highway.
- The main draw of the CXS model is the 4.6L Northstar V8 engine delivering 275 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. This is paired to a 4-speed automatic in front wheel drive, and it averages 17/25 miles to the gallon.
What Colors Does the 2006 Buick Lucerne Come In?
How Comfortable Is the 2006 Buick Lucerne?
The 2006 Buick Lucerne is one of the most comfortable cars in this price range, with 57 inches of rear hip room, cushy, high-end seating, and smooth-riding suspension. The well-appointed interior trim just sweetens hte deal.
How Much Storage Space Does the 2006 Buick Lucerne Have?
The 2006 Lucerne packs 17 cubic feet of cargo in the trunk, a foot or two bigger than most trunks in this size class, carrying around 6 or 7 medium suitcases. Inside the cabin you’ve got plenty of slots, pockets, and cup holders to carry all your usual carry-on items.
What Are the Differences Between Years?
The 2006 Buick Lucerne was the launch year for the car’s first, and only, generation, running from 2006 to 2011.
2006: The 2006 Lucerne debuted with a pair of powerful engines on GM’s G platform, replacing the LeSabre and Park Avenue models.
2007: No big changes for 2007, but the car got standard side curtain airbags.
2008: Buick added blind-spot and lane-departure warning systems for 2008, along with optional remote start.
2009: Bluetooth phone connectivity and a NavTraffic navigation system were new for 2009.
2010: No substantial changes for 2010, but some cosmetic tweaks saw new backlit gauges and rocker panels.
2011: A USB port was added to the Lucerne for its final model year, and StabiliTrak was made a standard feature.
How Does the 2006 Buick Lucerne Compare to the Competition?
2006 was a year for compacts and SUVs, but there were still a few full-size sedans to choose from, with the Toyota Camry generally being regarded as the class leader.
Comparing the Camry to the Lucerne, the Buick weighs in at 43 more horsepower at the entry level, and more than 100 greater horsepower in the V8. The Camry is a few MPGs more efficient, a little cheaper to maintain, and a couple thousand dollars extra on the sticker price.
Something like a Pontiac Grand Prix is a closer match to the Lucerne in combining a luxurious interior with a powerful engine lineup at a fair price, typically listing in the same range as the Buick. Both are powerful, comfortable land-yachts at a low price, with the only real tie-breakers being that the Lucerne comes with an MP3 player, while the Grand Prix is a 3 horsepower stronger at the entry level.
The Camry may be the most practical option of these three, but the Grand Prix and Lucerne are both hidden gems in the luxury-lite market, combining BMW-quality interior with a Dodge-grade engine at a Hyundai price.
Do Owners Recommend the 2006 Buick Lucerne?
Yes. It is a great vehicle, very little maintenance anytime something goes wrong, I am able to fix it without any problems.
Yes, it has been a very good vehicle. I have had it for about 9 years and it has been very reliable.
Yes it is a good vehicle, it has been very reliable, especially for the age of the car. When the vehicle was bought, that is one of the feature I liked about the car.
This is a very good car and it gets very good gas mileage the car has 144000 thousand miles on it still nice inside and out.
Very good large sedan, quiet and great on the open road. Leather interior is very elegant and well fitted,
Yes it is a very good vehicle, very easy on gas, gets awesome gas mileage it is a reliable form of transportation. This style of Buick is good for family traveling, spacious interior, the 2006 model has good primer and paint.
