The 2019 Buick Cascada Convertible is a stylish luxury convertible with seating for four and comes in three nicely equipped trim levels; 1SV (base), Premium and Sport Touring. Pricing starts at just $33,070 and a fully loaded Buick Cascada Sport Touring can be had for under $40,000.
Powering all versions 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.
PROS
- Large trunk for a convertible if you forgo being able to actually lower the top
- Soft top provides great sound and temperature insulation
- Base version offers lots of features for the cost
CONS
- Complicated button design and user interface on center-stack
- Weight hurts handling and fuel economy
- Limited and obsolete technology features
- Poor acceleration, particularly compared to rivals
See also: 2018 Buick Regal Sportback Review
2019 Buick Cascada Convertible Review
The 2019 Buick Cascada Convertible has sharp looks and rides on massive 20-inch wheels, but it is fundamentally an outclassed vehicle that’s down in comfort, efficiency and performance compared to other four-seat convertible models like the 2019 BMW 230i M Sport Convertible.
Buick claims you could live life wide open in the 2019 Cascada luxury convertible. Cascada combines tasteful materials with premium amenities to enhance your open-road experience. Find out more about available trims for the 2019 Buick Cascada luxury convertible including the Sport Touring Edition.
Power
The 2019 Buick Cascada Convertible is rated at 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. The Cascada’s turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine makes good power. However, its six-speed automatic transmission is slow to change, and the car is carrying too much weight. The combination leads to tepid acceleration. To keep up with traffic, you will always be on the gas, which also hurts its fuel range and economy.
Read also: 2019 Cadillac ATS Coupe Review
Infotainment, Looks, and Cost
While the Cascada’s infotainment system comes with navigation and a 4G LTE connection and is compatible with Siri Eyes Free, its center console is button-laden. And it doesn’t feature Apple CarPlay or Android Auto like other Buick models.
If you are dead set on the looks or the cost, the Cascada is not necessarily a bad vehicle. But there are other convertibles, like the BMW 2 Series Convertible, Ford Mustang, and Mini Cooper Convertible, which are more modern and provide greater efficiency, better handling, and more tech for similar, or not much more cash.
Colors
The 2019 Buick Cascada Convertible comes in many nice exterior colors with three soft-top color options. Here’s the full list of exterior colors with soft top color options for 2019:
- Sport Red w/Ebony Soft Top
- Summit White w/Ebony Soft Top
- Ebony Twilight Metallic w/Ebony Soft Top
- Flip Chip Silver Metallic w/Ebony Soft Top
- Rioja Red Metallic w/Ebony Soft Top
- Smoked Pearl metallic w/Ebony Soft Top
- Dark Moon Blue Metallic w/Ebony Soft Top
- Summit White w/Malbec Softop
- Ebony Twilight Metallic w/Malbec Soft Top
- Rioja Red Metallic w/Malbec Soft Top
- Summit White w/Sweet Mocha Soft Top
- Ebony Twilight Metallic w/Sweet Mocha Soft Top
- Dark Moon Blue Metallic w/Sweet Mocha Soft Top
Compare Trim Levels
The 2019 Buick Cascada convertible is offered in three trim levels: Base (1SV), Premium and Sport Touring. All trims have largely the exact same equipment, with the Premium receiving a small number of upgrades and the Sport Touring primarily integrating an appearance package.
Powering all models is a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. It drives the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.
Trim Levels and Features
Standard equipment for the Base 1SV Cascada includes 20-inch alloy wheels, a power-operated convertible soft top, adaptive xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights and taillights, heated mirrors, rear parking sensors, and remote engine start.
Inside, you’ll discover dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, power-adjustable and heated front seats, 50/50-split folding rear seats, a heated tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a 7-inch touchscreen display, voice controls, a rearview camera, OnStar with 4G LTE and a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a seven-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio and a USB networking interface.
The Cascada Premium includes foglights, automatic wipers, automatic headlights, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, front and rear parking sensors, air deflectors for front and rear seats, and a navigation system.
Step up to the new Sport Touring trim and you get a special paint color and distinctive alloy wheels, unique black interior trim and a flat-bottom steering wheel.
Options
Options are a relatively rare commodity on the 2019 Buick Cascada. Save for a couple of extra colors, all versions of this Cascada convertible are mono-spec offerings.
The only updates included on the Cascada Premium and Sport Touring models add Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, front in addition to rear Park Assist, tunnel detection for the automatic-headlight controller, Rainsense automatic wipers, front/rear air deflectors, plus a distinctive “diamond-graphic” finish on the wheels on the Premium and a Sterling Silver finish on the Sport Touring. The popular Dark Effects Bundle adds dark exterior trim, red interior stitching, and piano-black interior trim.
Driving Impressions
This is the best car for that lazy Sunday drive up the coast. You can feel sunlight on your face, listen to the waves crashing into the sand and smell the salty sea air. The 2019 Buick Cascada Convertible is sporty, but it is not a sports car. It is a cruiser, not a bruiser.
At 4,000 pounds, the 200-horsepower convertible is adequately spunky, delivering good acceleration with only the faintest hint of turbo lag. Its 6-speed automatic transmission isn’t exactly state of the art, but its gear changes are smooth. Still, the Buick is slower than its rivals with a 0-60-mph time of over 8.0 seconds.
I also would not pit it against a BMW 2 Series from the corners, despite its massive 20-inch tires and wheels. However, the rugged and comfortable Buick Cascada is a fantastic Sunday drive companion, with a smooth ride, a rigid construction, and gently weighted and responsive steering.
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Pricing
The 2019 Buick Cascada in Base 1SV trim has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of just under $34,000, while the Premium version with its active/passive driver assists opens in the slightest nudge under $37,000. The Sport Touring adds another $1,000 to the bottom line.
The Premium’s cost is approximately where the Audi A3 and BMW 2 Series convertibles commence and while American competitors like the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro start lower, neither of these models includes criteria like leather, power seats and navigation items.
Which 2019 Buick Cascada Do I Recommend?
Four-seat convertibles are expensive affairs, so opt for the Cascada 1SV, its base trim. You are only losing out on fancy trim and colors, but you get the exact same powertrain, flashy 20-inch wheels, navigation system, and innovative driver-assist systems. This makes it among those best-equipped convertibles for the section.
If you love open-air driving but want something bigger and more functional than a subcompact 2-seater, the 2019 Buick Cascada Convertible might be exactly what you’ve been on the lookout for. Reasonably priced and well-equipped, this 4-passenger luxury drop-top is sporty, easy on gas and quite the looker.
Final Thoughts
The 2019 Buick Cascada convertible delivers comfy, top-notch cruising at a fair price. Among premium automobiles, the base model Cascada presents a compelling value: leather upholstery, 7.0-inch touchscreen, and 20-inch wheels, for approximately $34,000. The bad news? Its inside is obsolete and not as elegant as the exterior, and its own little engine is burdened with all the two-door’s prodigious weight.
If you are looking for a luxury convertible with a solid performance resume, a BMW 2 Series or Audi A3 makes a much better choice. The 2019 Buick Cascada Convertible is only available with front-wheel drive and a soft-top, and while the Buick name may impress some, it is not in the same league as its German rivals.