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"  On-Sale Date: December 2012 Price: $29,105  Competitors: Acura ILX, Acura TSX, Lexus IS250, Volkswagen CC, Volkswagen Jetta GLI Powertrains: 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder; 250 hp, 260 lb-ft; six-speed manual, six-speed auto, FWD EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 20\u201321/30\u201331  What&amp;#039;s New: Introduced in 2011, the Buick Verano rolled onto the compact luxury scene like a good-looking welterweight boxer who&amp;#039;s got everything but a punch. That shortcoming ends in 2013 with a turbo model, adding $2350 to the price tag and 70 hp under the hood. The new engine option is a turbocharged and intercooled version of GM&amp;#039;s 2.0-liter Ecotec four-cylinder, which also sees duty in Buick&amp;#039;s Regal. And like the boosted Regals, the Verano Turbo offers the option (no extra cost) of a manual transmission. The other distinctions are subtle: twin exhausts, a small decklid spoiler, and a Verano T badge on the rear. Tech Tidbit: Buick&amp;#039;s IntelliLink system adds an interesting voice command to the infotainment mix. Pairing Pandora Internet radio to your smartphone allows voice-activated station selection. Similarly, with your iPod/iPhone interfaced with the audio system, saying &amp;quot;more like this&amp;quot; after a particular song engages the system&amp;#039;s database to provide a related playlist.   Driving Character: The words turbo and manual transmission suggest sports sedan, but that&amp;#039;s a stretch here. The engineering team says the suspension tuning is 20 percent firmer than the standard Verano, but it&amp;#039;s still relatively soft, with substantial body roll in hard cornering. The electric power steering is vague, and the defining handling trait is progressive understeer.  Still, the Verano is devoid of surprises, smooth, and quiet. The turbo delivers a nice rush with instant throttle response. Buick claims a 0-to-60 time of 6.2 seconds, some 2 seconds faster than the nonturbo. That may be conservative. Favorite Detail: Quiet operation is key for a car with luxury aspirations, and it&amp;#039;s a Verano strong suit. Attention to sound isolation in the suspension keeps down the road noise, while laminated glass and triple door seals reduce wind rush to a whisper. Even at wide-open throttle, ambient noise in the cabin is low enough for normal conversation. Buick calls the Verano the &amp;quot;quietest compact sedan on the road,&amp;quot; a claim that&amp;#039;s hard to dispute. Driver&amp;#039;s Grievance: The Verano&amp;#039;s six-speed automatic is a smooth operator but may not please drivers who sometimes want to shift for themselves. The Hydra-Matic 6T50 includes a manual function, which the driver executes by pushing or pulling on the shift lever, and unlike many manumatics it will hold a gear at redline. But the shifts are soft, and operating the shifter is awkward. The lever is too far back, and the driver&amp;#039;s elbow fights with the center console for room.  The Bottom Line: Turbo power doesn&amp;#039;t turn the Verano into European road warrior. Even with slightly stiffer suspension tuning, the Buick chassis engineers&amp;#039; objective was to maintain a smooth ride quality. Mission accomplished, with a plus for achieving handling response that&amp;#039;s totally predictable and respectable, if not quite compelling. It&amp;#039;s also a winner in terms of noise, vibration, and harshness; we&amp;#039;ve been in noisier libraries.  The Turbo&amp;#039;s output is a pleasant surprise. With 250 hp and 260 lb-ft, this Verano gets out of the starting blocks in a hurry and is arguably quickest among its competitors. The option of the slick six-speed manual gearbox is a plus, although the standard six-speed automatic is seamless. It&amp;#039;s also worth noting that stepping up to turbo power from the nonturbo 2.4-liter Verano imposes almost no fuel economy penalty.  Interior appointments are posh and include most of the features that are optional on the other Verano models, such as heated leather seats and premium Bose audio. The only major extras are a power sunroof and nav system. Add Buick&amp;#039;s slick design language and the Verano Turbo has the chops of a winner. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/a8106/2013-buick-verano-turbo-test-drive-13818105/>