Skylark is Buick's entry-level, front-wheel drive offering. General Motors' upscale Buick has refined the 1996 edition substantially to combat sluggish sales during the past couple of years. Skylark is built from the same automotive platform as GM's Oldsmobile Achieva and Pontiac Grand Am. Skylark distinguishes itself from its sister cars by different styling cues and including many popular options as standard equipment. Skylark is one of the few small cars on the road today offering key safety features such as dual airbags, anti-lock brakes and traction control as standard equipment . Air conditioning, rear window defogger, delayed windshield wipers, visor vanity mirrors, power door locks and tilt steering wheel are included as well. Skylark is available in three trim levels: Custom, Limited and Gran Sport. Each model is sold in two-door coupes or four-door sedans. A new 2.4-liter, twin cam engine with 150-horsepower is now standard. It replaces last year's standard 2.3-liter, Quad 4 engine. Drivers yearning for more punch can opt for the optional V-6 engine with 155 horsepower. Both engines include spark plugs and coolant that last 100,000 miles. The V-6 engine offers impressive pickup, although fuel economy is better with the four-cylinder powerplant. Also new this season is a standard four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive that replaces last year's three-speed version. Prices start in the mid teens and escalate to $20,000 for a fully-loaded version. Our test model, a top-of-the-line Caribbean Green Gran Sport had a starting price of $15,495. After adding in features as keyless entry, compact disc player, steering wheel radio controls and $2,206 prestige package, the bottom line read $19,653, including a $500 destination charge. Outside, Buick redesigned the hood, tail lamps, headlamps and front grille. Body side molding is also new. Even with these new additions, our four-door model looked a bit bland. The two-door coupe has more character. Inside, the dashboard has been reconfigured for a more driver-friendly layout. Dual air bags are standard. Driver's side airbags became standard in 1994. The upgraded leather seats are comfortable and supportive. The half-shell dashboard is smartly designed. The instrument panel, with speedometer, tachometer, fuel and temperature gauges, are not obstructed by the steering wheel. A nice touch that GM incorporates into many of its cars is a dashboard display indicating what gear the transmission is in. This is in addition to a second indicator adjacent to the floor mounted automatic transmission. A deep storage bin, with power supply for cellular phones or portable fax machines, is situated between front bucket seats. Headlights and instrument panel dimmer dials are found on the dashboard, left of the driver. Front seat passengers and drivers have access to two front-seat cup holders, one in front of, and another behind the transmission shifter. Temperature settings, fan direction and speeds are dial controlled. Cruise control and windshield wipers are activated from the turn signal stalk. Trunk release and fuel tank release levers are floor-mounted, between the driver's seat and door. Back seat riders have excellent headroom, and average leg room. Although Buick markets this as a five-passenger vehicle, two travelers fit most comfortably in back. A flip-down cup holder is accessible from between the front bucket seats. The backrest has a 60/40 split, allowing access to the trunk compartment. One key now operates all doors, truck and ignition. In previous years, a second key opened doors and the trunk. Fuel estimates for Skylarks with the V-6 engine are 21 miles per gallon city and 29 mpg highway. With 6,000 odometer miles, our model registered 24 mpg combined city and highway driving. The tank holds 15.2 gallons of gasoline. Gran Sport includes 16-inch tires standard, which provide more road-hugging ability than 14-inch tires standard on Custom and Limited. The radio antenna is conveniently built into the rear window. General Motors builds Skylark in Lansing, Mich. |