2001BuickCenturyBuick Century2001 Buick Century Custom SedanSedanSedanFWDOshawa, OntarioBuick's midsize Century remains relatively unchanged for 2001. New rear-wheel house liners promise a quieter ride on wet roads, a special appearance package is offered and OnStar in-vehicle safety, security and information service is now standard on Limited models.Roomy, plenty of features for the price, solid reputation. .Stodgy image, mushy seats, engine lacks quiet smoothness of a luxury car.Back in 1997, a revamped Century hit the showrooms with a bigger, more ergonomic interior and roomier trunk, all wrapped in smooth, flowing sheetmetal that Buick stylists hoped would have a long shelf life. It appears they got their wish. Now five model-years old, today's Century has been growing in popularity each year, proving we shouldn't underestimate the market power of America's senior citizens, rental car companies or business-class road travelers. Not much has changed for the 2001 model year. New rear-wheel house liners are supposed to minimize road noise and a special appearance package is now offered that includes monochrome exterior paint, blacked-out trim and 15-inch chrome alloy wheels. An inside emergency trunk release has been added to all Centurys, just in case a child decides to play hide-and-seek. Other features include cruise control, a six-way power driver's seat, and an AM/FM cassette player with steering wheel controls. Opt for leather and you'll also get uplevel mirrors, seating and audio. All Centurys receive the stalwart 3100 V6 that makes 175 horsepower and 195 foot-pounds of torque. The Century's smooth-shifting, electronically controlled, four-speed automatic transmission puts the power to the pavement. Inside, dual-zone climate controls are standard on all models. Electronic dual-zone climate control, which replaces slide-and-knob controls with push buttons and LED and digital indicators, is standard in the upper-level Special Edition and optional on the Limited. Century comes standard with such features as remote keyless entry, automatic power door locks, daytime running lamps with Twilight Sentinel (which automatically controls the headlamps based on lighting conditions), door courtesy lights, battery rundown protection, antilock brakes, traction control, a tire inflation monitor and GM's PASS-Key II theft-deterrent system. OnStar in-vehicle safety, security and information service is now standard on Limited models. Century stacks up well in the high-volume midsize sedan market, where it shows continued sales strength against its domestic rivals. A decent safety record and solid build quality make it an enduring favorite, while earning it ''top buy'' acclaim from more than a few consumer publications and rating organizations along the way. With the highest customer-loyalty rating in the segment, Century buyers seem prepared to stick with this Buick well into the new century. Chevrolet MalibuChrysler SebringDodge StratusNissan Altima336,000336,000336,0006100,000NANANA63.1 litersV6175 hp @ 5200 rpm195 ft-lbs. @ 4000 rpm194.6 in.72.7 in.56.6 in.3368 lbs.109 in.39.4 in.37.4 in.58 in.57.1 in.54.4 in.53.3 in.42.4 in.36.9 in.16.7 cu.ft.StandardStandardNot AvailableNot AvailableNot AvailableStandardNot AvailableRating = Not TestedRating = Not TestedNot TestedNot TestedNot TestedNot Tested17.5 gal.20 mpg / 29 mpg350 mi. / 508 mi.Insurance costs can vary greatly for this vehicle, depending on such factors as driver age, driver gender, teenage drivers in the household, driving records, theft loss data for your particular geographic region, miles driven per year, and other widely variable factors. Additionally, some companies charge a premium for certain makes and models, while others do not.$18,154$19,8407.35%$610N/A3% of the Total MSRPCUSTOM (4A): 3.1L V6 OHV SMPI 12-valve engine; 4-speed electronic OD automatic transmission with lock-up torque converter; 600 amp battery with run down protection; front-wheel drive, traction control, 3.05 axle ratio; stainless steel exhaust; front independent strut suspension with anti-roll bar, front coil springs, rear independent strut suspension with anti-roll bar, rear coil springs; rack-and-pinion power steering; front disc/rear drum brakes with 4-wheel antilock brakes; 17.5 gal. capacity fuel tank; side impact bars; class I trailering; front and rear body-colored bumpers with chrome bumper insert; body-colored bodyside molding with chrome bodyside insert; clearcoat monotone paint; aero-composite halogen fully auto headlamps with daytime running lights, delay-off feature; additional exterior lights include cornering lights, underhood light; driver's and passenger's power remote black folding outside mirrors; 15" x 6" steel wheels; P205/70SR15 BSW A/S tires; compact steel sparewheel; dual zone front air conditioning, air filter, rear heat/AC ducts; AM/FM stereo radio, clock, seek-scan, 6 performance speakers, fixed antenna; power door locks with 2-stage unlock, remote keyless entry, child safety rear door locks, power remote trunk release; 1 power accessory outlet, front lighter element(s), driver's foot rest, smoker's package; instrumentation display includes water temperature gauge, trip odometer; warning indicators include oil pressure, water temp, battery, low oil level, low coolant, lights on, key in ignition, low fuel, low washer fluid, door ajar, trunk ajar, service interval, turn signal on, low tire pressure; driver's and passenger's front airbags; ignition disable, panic alarm; tinted windows, power front and rear windows with driver's 1-touch down function; variable intermittent front windshield wipers, sun visor strip, rear window defroster; seating capacity of 6, 55/45 split-bench front seat with adjustable headrests, center armrest withstorage, driver's and passenger's seat includes 4-way adjustment; rear bench seat with fixed headrests; front height adjustable seatbelts; cloth seats, cloth door trim insert, full cloth headliner, full carpet floor covering; interior lights include dome light with fade, front reading lights, illuminated entry; steering wheel with tilt adjustment; vanity mirrors, dual auxiliary visors; day/night rearview mirror; locking glove box with light, front cupholder, driver's and passenger's door bins, rear door bins; carpeted cargo floor, cargo light; chrome grille, chrome side window moldings, black front windshield molding, black rear window molding and body-colored door handles.
LIMITED (4A) (in addition to or instead of CUSTOM (4A) equipment): Vehicle speed-sensing assisted rack-and-pinion power steering; driver's and passenger's power remote body-colored heated folding outside mirrors; AM/FM stereo radio, clock, seek-scan, cassette player, 6 performance speakers, auto equalizer, theft deterrent, window grid antenna; cruise control; retained accessory power, emergency S.O.S. (OnStar); seat mounted driver's side airbag; tracker system; driver's seat includes 6-way power adjustment, 8-way adjustment; rear center armrest; leather seats, leatherette door trim insert; leather-wrapped steering wheel with tilt adjustment; dual illuminated vanity mirrors and 2 seatback storage pockets.