2018 Buick Cascada Review
Pros & Cons
- Large trunk for a convertible if you forgo being able to lower the top
- Soft top offers good sound and temperature insulation
- Base model offers plenty of features for the price
- Poor acceleration, especially compared to competitors
- Limited and out-of-date technology features
- Weight hurts handling and fuel economy
- Overcomplicated button layout and user interface
Other years
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Which Cascada does Edmunds recommend?
The base Cascada is definitely the best value. It comes with almost all of the same equipment as the more expensive trims, and it is mechanically identical. The upgrade doesn't seem worth it for the handful of extra features, especially considering that the navigation system is no great shakes.
Edmunds' Expert Review
Driving
5.5It's heavy, underpowered and saddled with an indecisive transmission. As such, the Cascada is slow, and the numb steering and poor handling don't inspire confidence. Brake pedal feel is a high point, but poor braking performance undermines that lone plus. This car is clearly designed for cruising.
Comfort
7.0The Cascada's top does a good job of insulating the cabin, and the seats accommodate a range of body types, though they start to wear on long drives. The ride quality is also poor, especially at the price. We appreciate that the climate control relies on buttons, but the layout isn't very intuitive.
Interior
6.0We appreciate the comfortable seating position and well-insulated soft top, but many of the controls are illogically organized, and the touchscreen is outdated and difficult to reach. The high beltline and short windscreen hurt visibility and make the car feel small inside.
Utility
6.5The Cascada offers some of the utility of a compact car, but only as long as you're willing to forgo using the convertible top. Unfortunately, it lacks many of the clever storage solutions commonly found in newer vehicles. The manual trunk partition that allows the top to work is not convenient.
Technology
5.0The Cascada's technology is notably outdated, with a clunky navigation interface, poor smartphone integration and frustrating voice controls. It also lacks most of the driver aids that are common in cars at its price point.
Scorecard
Overall | 5.6 / 10 |
Driving | 5.5 |
Comfort | 7.0 |
Interior | 6.0 |
Utility | 6.5 |
Technology | 5.0 |
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2018 Buick Cascada.
Most helpful consumer reviews
willie,08/13/2018
Premium 2dr Convertible (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
I just bought one of these, and regardless of the negatives that people point out, I absolutely love it. My wife loves it, and my daughter loves it. Much more room and comfort than in the BMW 4 Series we drove. So much is standard on this car. It is roomy, comfortable, and does everything I want it to do. The rear seats are actually usable for average-size people. I can fit a set of golf clubs into the trunk if I take the woods out of the bag and put the woods in the back seat. You can't put the clubs in or out with the top down, though. I put the clubs in, then lower the shield and the top. When I get to the course, I raise the top and the shield, then remove the clubs. I love that the rear seat backs fold forward to increase the trunk space. As for being a dog, it really isn't. I used to own a Pontiac Firebird 400 4-speed back in the day, so I'm no stranger to a performance car. 0 to 60 in 8.3 seconds? So what? I never do that, and I doubt that you do either. I go from maybe 20/25 to 70/75 up an acceleration lane to merge on a highway, and it handles that just fine, thank you. Passing on the highway? Again, no problem. The turbo handles that with barely a touch of the gas peddle. The other knock is all the buttons on the dash. These buttons are redundant functions found in the on-screen menus. Well guess what? When I want to do something while driving at 70 mph, I much prefer pressing a labelled button to drilling down through on-screen menus (even though the Cascada responds to voice commands for calling, changing radio stations, etc.). And secondly, on a bright sunny day with the top down, the screen can be a little hard to see, like your cell phone in the sun. So again, give me those redundant buttons. Once you know what they do it's no big mind-boggling confusion factor like everyone seems to think. Someone did mention that with the top down and no one in the passenger seat, the passenger seat belt clip rhythmically hits the door post and it's irritating. Well it does - lol. I took care of that by putting a thin strip of self-stick furniture pad on the door post. No more noise. My only knock is I really, really don't like red interior lighting on the dash. But I wasn't going to not buy the car for that. As for the ride, it is nowhere near as harsh as I expected with the 20-inch wheels. And finally, since I started looking for a convertible a couple of years ago, I see so many BMWs and Audis. It's nice to stand out from the crowd a bit, and everyone that sees it tells me what a beautiful car it is. Oh, sorry, one more thing: I chose the 2018 instead of the 2019 because they changed the backup camera. They went from a nice big view on the dash screen with guidelines to a tiny video in the left corner of the rear-view mirror, without the guidelines. I hated it, and it was a deal-breaker for me and my wife. So that's my 2 cents. Color me a happy camper.
jimmy,07/31/2018
Premium 2dr Convertible (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
The center stack for the controls is the only low part of this auto, otherwise very nice vehicle. Many, Many, nice features. and it has plenty of pep. I have owned over a dozen rage tops. Best soft top I haver ever had, by far. Now 10 months Later---- have 10,000 miles on car Get well over 30 mpg at 70 mph. everything works well. Heater is very good for Wisconsin winter. Love the car. 15months and now have 16,000 miles on vehicle. Average mpg is over 30. No problems at all. Great car for the money. Now as time goes by, I have had the buick close to 2 yrs. No problems, 22,000 miles, tires are doing great (20 inch) I love the vehicle. I now have 27,000 miles on the buick.. everything going ok. Maybe will replace tires at 35,000 miles. No problems at all, My lady friend just purchased a used 2016 cascada because she liked my so much.
ELLIOT GEIMAN,04/15/2018
Premium 2dr Convertible (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Having traded in a 328i hardtop convertible our expectations were high. This car is everything the BMWis not; roomier, quieter, more comfortable seats and a more relaxing ride. The Buick seems to be an easier car to live with even with some of the shortcomings mentioned. If you do not need a European performance car this is worth looking at.
Coachwendys,08/25/2018
Premium 2dr Convertible (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Looked at lots of convertibles and picked this one as it really gives you more bang for the buck. Really eye catching on the road, and very comfortable to drive. Yes, the rear window is small (some equated it to trying to look through a mailbox slot)....but put the top down and enjoy the ride!!! Have enjoyed the car totally and I feel very safe driving it.
Safety
Our experts like the Cascada models:
- Forward Collision Alert
- Warns the driver when it detects a potential collision with an obstacle in front of the vehicle.
- Lane Departure Warning
- Alerts the driver when the vehicle drifts out of its lane.
- Automated Rollover Pop-Up Bars
- Deploys hidden roll bars to protect passengers in the case of a rollover.
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