2000 Buick Century

By Bob Storck

Century is the entry point in Buick's streamlined product offerings. In the corporate tradition, you get an attractively styled midsize sedan in the premium Buick tradition, yet it still gives buyers a large number of standard luxury features that they don't expect to see in the $20,000 price range.

Inside Century, there is space for six adults. Spacing the seat tracks widely increases rear foot room, and sculpted front seat backs provide knee room. The car is slightly taller, giving rear seat occupants theater-style seating, offering a better view of the road and making the whole interior seem more open and expansive.

Dual ComforTemp climate control allows the driver and the front passenger to select different temperatures for each side of the front compartment from a central location and is standard equipment on Century Limited (optional on Custom). Automatic dual ComforTemp climate control is available on Limited.

Remarkably, a specially designed version is being produced in China, one of the few automotive ventures the US has in that country. Century has the 3.1-liter 3100 60-degree V-6 as standard but now it puts out 175 horsepower.