Buick Riviera VI 3.8 V6 (185 Hp)


Overall Rating

7.3 / 10
Safety N/A / 5
Not Rated
Engine 3.7 / 5
Value 3.8 / 5
Performance 3.2 / 5
Comfort 4.2 / 5
People\'s Opinion N/A / 5
Not Rated

Buick Riviera:

The Buick Riviera is a personal luxury car that was marketed by Buick from 1963 to 1999, with the exception of the 1994 model year.
As General Motors' first entry into the personal luxury car market segment, the Riviera was highly praised by automotive journalists upon its high-profile debut. It was a ground-up design on a new GM E platform debuting for the 1963 model year and was also Buick's first unique Riviera model.
Unlike its subsequent GM E platform stablemates, the Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado, the Riviera was initially a front engine/rear-wheel drive platform, switching to front-wheel drive starting with the 1979 model year....(Read more on Wikipedia)

VI Overview:

Buick Riviera (VI). A two-door car with a fixed roof, known for its sporty design and dynamic performance. Seating for 2 makes it ideal for daily use.

Safety Rating
Not rated
Euro NCAP Year N/A
Adult Occupant N/A
Stars N/A
Expert Note:
As a vehicle produced from 1979-1985, the Buick Riviera VI predates modern crash testing standards like Euro NCAP. Safety features were rudimentary by today's measures, focusing on basic structural integrity and seatbelts.

3.8 V6 (185 Hp) Verdict:

Rating 4 stars

Performance Verdict

This 3.8 V6 provided adequate power for comfortable cruising and highway travel, offering smooth acceleration suitable for a luxury coupe of its era, rather than outright sportiness.

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy for this large V6, even with 185 Hp, would have been modest by modern standards, typical for American luxury cars of the late 70s and early 80s.

Best Use Case: Highway Cruising / Grand Touring

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • • Distinctive, elegant styling
  • • Excellent ride comfort and smooth handling
  • • Spacious and luxurious interior for its time
  • • Respectable V6 power for the era
  • • Good highway cruiser

Cons:

  • • Mediocre fuel economy by modern standards
  • • Handling can feel floaty compared to contemporary cars
  • • Dated interior technology and ergonomics
  • • Rust can be an issue on older models
  • • Limited rear seat space despite coupe size

Specifications:

Specifications are compared to those of the previous generation(III: 1971 - 1973).

General:
Brand:Buick
Model:Riviera
Generation:VI
Modification (Engine):3.8 V6 (185 Hp)
Start of production:1979
End of production:1985
Powertrain Architecture:Internal Combustion engine
Body type:Coupe
Seats:2
Doors:2
Engine:
Power:185 Hp
Engine aspiration:Naturally aspirated engine
Performance:
Fuel Type:Petrol (Gasoline)
Size:
Length:5232 mm mm [313mm less]
Wheelbase:2896 mm mm [200mm less]
Powertrain:
Number of gears4
Transmission typeAutomatic

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