1995 Buick Skylark Review

The 1995 Buick Skylark has more punch under its hood in addition to its sleek exterior. Skylark is Buick's compact, entry-level model. Buick also markets the mid-size Century and Regal, full-size LeSabre and Roadmaster, and the luxurious Park Avenue and Riviera. Buick targets the spirited Skylark to baby boomers looking for elegant touches in a small car. Skylark is available in Custom, Limited and Gran Sport trim levels. Each model is can be purchased either as a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan. Skylark shares the same basic platform as two other General Motor products: Oldsmobile Achieva and Pontiac Grand Am. Each, however, has unique styling cues and slightly different interior layouts. GM has positioned Skylark to a more upscale and conservative audience while Achieva and Grand Am incorporate more sporty cues. A V-shaped front grille is one notable exterior difference. Achieva and Grand Am have more rounded front grills. Our test model was a top-of-the-line, Royal Magenta, Gran Sport Coupe. The bottom line; including graphite leather seats, upgraded stereo C/D player, split-folding rear seat, sport suspension, air conditioning and handy keyless entry options; added up to $18,813, including a $495 destination charge. Standard equipment on all trim levels includes anti-lock brakes, driver-side air bag power door locks, automatic transmission dimming interior lights, tinted glass and power rack and pinion steering. The wrap-around interior positions elements within easy reach of drivers. Dials control climate settings and fan speed. Standard power door locks, which activate automatically when the car is put in gear or the ignition is turned off, are found on the door near the handle. Power window rocker switches are located forward of the power lock controls, closer to the dashboard. Headlights and improved cruise control are operated from a left-hand side turn signal stalk on the steering column. Windshield wipers are operated from a right-hand side stalk. Trunk and fuel door release levers are found on the floor, left of the drivers seat. A cup and coin holder retracts from the dashboard beneath the stereo system. The nickel, dime and quarter coin holder is portable, and may be removed when needed. Another removable item is the ashtray, which is housed behind a flip cover above the cup holder. Extra storage space opens up if the ash tray is removed. Two additional cup holders are located on the inside of the glove box door. A large, flip-top storage bin is located between the front bucket seats. A garage door opener holder is found on the ceiling near the rear-view mirror. Trunk design is long and flat. The fold down back seat has a 70/30 split, allowing long items, such as skis, to be transported easily. Back seat riders have access to a dual cup holder, which lift up and out of a column stalk located between the front bucket seats. Head room and leg room are average. Three adults would be a tight fit in the back. The Gran Sport comes standard with the larger 3.1-liter V-6 engine, delivering 155 horsepower at 185 revolutions per minute. This engine, which under went a major revision in the 1994 model year, is optional in Custom and Limited editions. An electronically controlled automatic transmission is also standard on the Gran Sport, and optional on the other two models. Standard in both the Custom and Limited editions is General Motors' improved 2.3-liter Quad 4 engine which delivers 150 horsepower. The 3.6-liter V-6 engine is good for highway driving. It posses excellent passing power and responds well on the open road. However, gas mileage is better with the 2.3-liter Quad 4 engine. Skylark Gran Sport gas mileage is estimated at 19 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. Our test drive model, with 4,400 odometer miles, registered 26 mpg combined. The gas tank holds 15.2 gallons of unleaded fuel. General Motors assembles Skylark in Lansing, Mich