2017 Buick Cascada Review

Though there's no shortage of convertibles on the market, there's been one niche in which the pickings have been slim recently: the reasonably priced, four-passenger midsize convertible. Fortunately for fans of leisurely top-down motoring, the 2017 Buick Cascada fills that vacancy nicely.

The best way to wrap your head around the Cascada is to think of it as a comfortable cruiser. With that role in mind, GM engineers have tuned the suspension to favor a smooth ride over sporty handling. Furthering its mellow vibe is the relatively small 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that's tasked with hauling around the car's rather hefty weight, an arrangement that results in adequate but lackluster acceleration.

Inside, the Cascada's abundance of hard plastic materials gives it a somewhat downmarket feel. The plethora of dashboard switches and controls can also be confusing, and the infotainment system is dated in both its appearance and operation. Some of the desirable features we'd expect to find in a luxury model — amenities such as keyless start and a blind-spot monitoring system — aren't even offered.

On the plus side, the rear seat has room for two smaller passengers, with access made easier by a single latch that scoots the entire seat forward. A relatively large trunk is made more practical by split-folding rear seatbacks that expand the cargo hold when it comes time to transport longer items. Still, we suggest comparing the Cascada to more luxurious (albeit more expensive) models such as the Audi A3 Cabriolet or the BMW 2 Series convertible. The Volkswagen Beetle Convertible and the Mini Cooper Convertible are also worthwhile competitors; both are more fun to drive, though they lack the Cascada's interior room.

The list of standard safety features for the 2017 Buick Cascada includes antilock disc brakes, traction and stability control, front-seat side airbags and front knee airbags. Like other GM vehicles, the Cascada comes with the subscription-based OnStar system, which can provide roadside assistance, automatic crash notification, remote door unlocking and stolen vehicle location.

In the event of a rollover, two stout metal posts, spring-loaded and pyrotechnically actuated, pop up from behind the rear seats to provide added occupant protection.

All Cascadas also come with a rearview camera, and Premium and Sport Touring models include forward collision and lane departure warning systems. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert isn't offered, however. In Edmunds emergency brake testing, the Cascada came to a stop from 60 mph in 121 feet. That's an average distance for the segment.

In government crash tests, the Cascada has received an overall rating of five stars (out of a possible five), with four stars for front-impact safety and five stars for side-impact safety.

The 2017 Buick Cascada convertible is offered in three trim levels: Base, Premium and the new Sport Touring.

Standard equipment for the base model includes 20-inch alloy wheels, a power-operated convertible soft top, adaptive xenon headlights, heated mirrors, rear parking sensors, remote engine start, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, eight-way power and heated front seats, 50/50-split folding rear seats, a heated tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a 7-inch touchscreen display (with Buick's Intellilink interface), voice controls, smartphone integration, a rearview camera, OnStar (with 4G LTE and Wi-Fi hot spot) and a seven-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio and a USB media interface.

The Cascada Premium adds foglights, automatic wipers, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, front and rear parking sensors, air deflectors for the front and rear seats, and a touchscreen navigation system.

Step up to the new Sport Touring trim and you get a unique paint color and distinctive alloy wheels, special black interior trim and a unique flat-bottom steering wheel.

There are no factory-installed options available.

Powering the 2017 Buick Cascada is a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. It drives the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. These are strong numbers for such a small engine, but the powertrain has to move nearly 2 tons of car down the road. During Edmunds testing, a Cascada accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 9.1 seconds, which is slow for this class of car.

EPA-estimated fuel economy for the Cascada is a lackluster 23 mpg combined (20 city/27 highway). To put those numbers in perspective, the Audi A3 convertible boasts 28 mpg combined.