2002 Buick Park Avenue Review
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By Mitch McCullough, Editor-in-Chief

Overview

The Park Avenue is large and luxurious, Buick's flagship. Though the Park Avenue is dated, it is a solid sedan, offering some of the latest technology for safety, convenience and communication from General Motors.

Equipped with a supercharged V6 engine, the top-level Park Avenue Ultra is fast, stable and satisfying to drive. It's surprisingly agile and responsive. It's equipped with StabiliTrak, a superb active safety system that can detect the beginning of a skid and help keep the car on its intended course by pulsing individual brakes.

Model Lineup

Two models are available: Park Avenue and Park Avenue Ultra.

Park Avenue ($33,590) comes with a 205-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine. Standard features include a cloth-trimmed interior, power windows, power mirrors, automatic climate control, cruise control, automatic headlights and other conveniences. Anti-lock brakes (ABS) and side-impact air bags are standard.

Park Avenue Ultra ($38,100) really moves with a 240-horsepower supercharged version of the 3.8-liter V6. Trimmed in leather and wood, the Ultra adds heated 10-way power front seats, mirrors that automatically tip downward for parallel parking, a compass, moisture-sensing windshield wipers, GM's OnStar communications system, a premium stereo, and other luxuries. To complement its more powerful engine, the Ultra comes with traction control, StabiliTrak stability control, a heavy-duty transmission and Magnasteer speed-sensitive power steering.

Ultrasonic Rear Park Assist ($295) is a useful option that aids parking and enhances safety by sounding a tone as the rear bumper approaches objects. Also available is a Head-Up Display ($300) that projects vehicle speed onto the windshield.

A Prestige Package ($1692) adds many Ultra luxuries (but not the supercharger) to the base Park Avenue. StabiliTrak ($495) and OnStar are also available as options on the base Park Avenue.