1996 Buick Skylark Review
Price Estimate: $380 - $631

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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
What’s new
Styling changes inside and out this year. Dual airbags are new, as are three-point seatbelts mounted to the B-pillar. A new twin-cam engine replaces the 2.3-liter Quad 4, and automatic transmissions include traction control. Air conditioning, a rear window defroster and a tilt wheel are now standard. Long-life engine components round out the long list of improvements.
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Vehicle overview
Give Buick's styling department credit for trying something new. Too bad it didn't work very well. The Skylark's funky curves, creases, bulges and sharp edges inside and out combined to create quite a jarring spectacle. The result? The car was found more often at your local Avis lot than in private driveways.
This year, Buick tones the Skylark down. Front styling is far more conservative, and stylists have done what they could with the rear end. Side moldings are subdued, and now sweep front to rear less dramatically. Inside, the interior has been redone, and looks far more contemporary than last year's bizarre arrangement. Dual airbags are available for the first time, and seatbelts are now anchored to the door pillar rather than the door itself. Combined with a new standard engine, a 2.4-liter twin-cam good for 150 horsepower, and a revised antilock brake system, the Skylark has made a quantum leap in marketability.
Complementing the styling and safety improvements are four new exterior colors and two new interior hues. Air conditioning, tilt steering column, and a rear window defogger are now standard equipment. Wheelcovers and alloy wheels have been restyled. Traction control comes standard this year, and a new four-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission replaces last year's standard three-speed. As if all this wasn't enough, a Passlock theft-deterrent system comes on every Skylark.
Until 1996, we found the Skylark to be an aberration, offering little value in the compact class. This year, we've got to change our tune. The Skylark is likely the most improved model for 1996, not counting the radically redesigned Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. We're impressed with this effort from Buick, and think it deserves a look.
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota
$170/mo for Skylark Olympic Gold
Skylark Olympic Gold
vs
$164/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Buick Skylark Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Good car
4.5 out of 5 starsdrc37, 03/10/2003
1995 Buick Skylark Custom 4dr Sedan
It has worked well for us for the last
5 years. No complaints. Nothing ever
really broke besides the standard items
like brakes and battery.
Takes a beating
4.13 out of 5 starsluvinit, 04/28/2006
1996 Buick Skylark Custom 4dr Sedan
I despised this vehicle when I first began to drive it because it is a "grandma" sedan. Over a year of driving it, i have learned to love it. I have had some pricy repairs but given the age, the mileage and some of the notorious parts that come with it standard, i had expected it. The parts I believe may be due to the dealership's, and the previous owners fault; they were in moderate … condition when purchased but went far downhill over the course of five years. My vehicle has had basicly everything worked on except for the lower portion of the engine. The repair costs that i have suffered are most likely not common given that the main notorious object in the vehicle, has just failed(tranny)
It Never Dies
4.75 out of 5 starsMr Blah Blah, 02/14/2009
1996 Buick Skylark Custom 4dr Sedan
I purchased this car from my father-in- law who put 112,000 miles on it. I have a 76 mile round-trip commute to work and go through about a tank of gas a week. I can get close to 400 miles off of one tank. Had a not-so-easy-to-find electrical problem with it, but once that was ironed out, no other problems. I now have 150,000 miles on it and love it. One of the most dependable cars I … have ever owned.
8 Years of Headaches!!!
2.13 out of 5 starsbewareskylark, 06/09/2003
1995 Buick Skylark Custom 4dr Sedan
Wish my mechanics were with me before I
bought it. Mainly drove to the train.
But it needed brand new brakes & roters
3x’s and a new engine after 5 yrs.
With low speed driving, the oil can’t
burn off efficiently, even with regular
oil changes. The front alingment design
caused flat tires and needed new lower
ball joints. It had continued fuse
problems, … and the alternator got
replaced twice. 1 month ago it died on
the expressway without warning.
Another engine design problem allowed
the antifreeze to leak into the engine
& overheat. Never did any warning
lights go off. With 67K miles, the body
looked great, but under the hood was
junk!!!
We have a limited number of reviews for the 1996 Buick Skylark, so we've included reviews for other years of the Skylark since its last redesign.
1996 Skylark Highlights
Sedan
Olympic Gold
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 23 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $170/month |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 13.3 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original0
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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