1998 Buick Riviera Review

Buick is positioning its big 1998 Riviera to be a posh, sporty ``niche'' coupe because the general market for large, luxurious coupes is soft.

Hence, the $32,500 car's new standard features include a supercharged engine, leather interior and power front bucket seats. There also are de-powered air bags and an improved four-speed automatic transmission.

``Riviera is ... in a four-door sport/utility era,'' said Riviera brand manager Michael Wright. ``It's not a practical car, but we're celebrating that fact.''

History is repeating itself; the Riviera actually debuted as a luxurious, sporty niche Buick coupe in 1963--after General Motors decided not to give the striking new model to its Cadillac division.

Cadillac was doing well, but Buick needed the new coupe to help it boost sales. Buick was a logical GM division to be given the car because it was postioned just below Caddy in the GM auto hierarchy.

Buick called the new entry the ``Riviera'' because the automaker had used that name for its flashiest cars since 1949. That now-classic coupe was an instant hit, and the Riviera has been the sportiest car in the Buick line since 1963, except for the 1988-91 Reatta two-seater.

Last year's optional, supercharged 240-horsepower V-6 is standard, while the 1997 non-supercharged V-6 has been dropped.

The Riviera weighs nearly 3,700 pounds, so it really needs 240 horsepower for quick acceleration. The smooth, 3.8-liter engine doesn't sound sporty, but propels the Riviera from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in 7.2 seconds and makes it easy to merge into fast traffic and pass on highways.

The automatic transmission, which stays in passing gear to 75 m.p.h., shifts seamlessly and helps allow decent fuel economy for a big, fast car: an EPA-estimated 18 m.p.g. in the city and 27 on highways.

The current-generation Riviera was introduced as an early 1995 model. Its best feature is its stunning styling, which really causes it to stand out in an era of mostly look-alike autos.

However, long, heavy doors make it hard to get in and out in tight parking areas, and seat belts get in the way when entering or leaving the rear seat. Backing up is made difficult by a high rear parcel shelf and wide back roof pillars.

Four tall adults easily fit in the Riviera, although those in back better not be wearing hats because there's no surplus of rear-seat head room. A front bench seat no longer is offered, but always seemed out of place in the Riviera, anyway.

The long trunk is shallow, and its high opening makes loading or unloading heavy cargo a chore.

The retro-style dashboard in the super-quiet interior looks awfully plain for such a costly car, and the speedometer and tachometer are too far apart for a driver to read them both quickly.

The inside rearview mirror is so large that it seriously blocks vision under some conditions, and the dual outside rearview mirrors are too small. But radio and climate controls are easy to reach.

The comfortable front bucket seats offer little side support. But, although the front-wheel-drive Riviera has decent handling, it's designed to be more of straight-line cruiser than an auto one drives quickly on winding roads.

The fairly soft all-independent suspension provides an admirably smooth ride, although the car sometimes becomes bouncy on wavy roads. Thankfully, the improved power steering no longer has the artificial feel found in the 1997 model.

The anti-lock brakes provide quick, sure stops. And a traction control system for better control on slippery roads is offered in a $1,145 option package, which also contains steering-wheel-mounted radio controls.

This car is destined to become another classic Riviera.