If it seems like Buick’s GL8 Century luxury minivan is too good to be true, that’s because it is — at least, it’s too good for the North American market. Over in China, minivans seem to be all the hype — have you seen the Lexus LM minivan? It’s no surprise we aren’t getting any cool, new minivans — other than the all-electric VW ID.Buzz — in Canada, considering minivan sales here are crashing.
Realistically speaking, this Buick is not your typical minivan used for hauling messy kids. For starters, the GL8 Century, which has nothing to do with the old Century sedan, is a luxurious minivan that seats either four or six — most minivans here seat seven or eight. Personally, I don’t mind my kids messing up my 2014 Honda Odyssey, but this clearly isn’t a minivan for children.
2023 Buick GL8 Century minivan Photo by Buick
2023 Buick GL8 Century minivan Photo by Buick
2023 Buick GL8 Century minivan Photo by Buick
2023 Buick GL8 Century minivan Photo by Buick
2023 Buick GL8 Century minivan Photo by Buick
2023 Buick GL8 Century minivan Photo by Buick
2023 Buick GL8 Century minivan Photo by Buick
2023 Buick GL8 Century minivan Photo by Buick
2023 Buick GL8 Century minivan Photo by Buick
The cabin is covered in leather, and the rear seats offer 18-way adjustments and massage functions, not to mention heated footrests. The Toyota Sienna and Kia Carnival have reclining seats and footrests (not heated) but they’re essentially pointless since you can’t fit anyone in the third row once they’re in use. In this GL8, the four-seat layout offers tons of room for the rear passengers to stretch out and relax without bothering anyone. In fact, there’s even a partition between the front and rear rows. When raised, it houses a 32-inch entertainment screen. Don’t worry, there’s a system that still allows the back passengers to speak to those in the front, even with the partition raised.
Up front, there’s a head-up display, but who cares? This minivan is obviously meant to chauffeur people and favours the passengers, as it should.
If you’re looking for a little more luxury, there’s a 13L fridge and a scent diffuser. You’re missing the outdoors and a visible starry night, you say? That’s not a problem, at all. The minivan features 366 LEDs and 162 flashing lights in the headliner; problem solved.
The GL8 Century is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and a 48-volt hybrid system. There are three trim levels ranging in price from roughly US$74,500; to just under US$100,000. That’s a lot of money to drop on a minivan.
If the Buick GL8 Century minivan was offered in the Canadian market, would you buy it? Let us know in the comments!
Keyword: The Buick GL8 Century is the luxury minivan of our dreams