The 2019 Buick Cascada isn’t subtle in its beauty, powerful design, or the sophisticated features it brings to the table and delivers to its drivers. That being said, there are probably some things you might not know about it – and what better way to impress your friends than by being able to share interesting car details with them? Sure, you could just make conversation with them, but that requires a real effort to care about what happened to them when they were standing in line waiting for their coffee this morning.
Isn’t it easier to just tell them about the pop-up bar rollover protection of the Buick Cascada? Or to talk about the Cascada’s 1.6L turbo 4-cylinder engine? Sure, at a certain point it might get weird when you’ve been talking about a car for fifteen minutes straight while maintaining uninterrupted eye contact, but that’s their fault for befriending you. Or maybe you just want to know about the gold standard of modern luxury. Either way, whether you are on the market for a luxury convertible or not, check out the Buick Cascada to see what happens when ingenuity meets elegance.
The Soft Top and Convertible Driving
A lot of the time, when looking at a car, the roof is not necessarily that interesting or worth discussing. But with a convertible, suddenly it matters, and it’s one place where the 2019 Buick Cascada happens to shine. In terms of the look and style, the soft top is pretty seamless with the rest of the vehicle and definitely compliments the overall design. There are three different colors available: Ebony (black), Malbec (dark red), and Sweet Mocha (dark brown), which lets you pair the soft top to the rest of the car, either matching it or creating a bold contrast.
Aesthetics are great, but functionality is really what matters. Fortunately, the convertible functionality is very well designed and works beautifully. It only takes 17 seconds for the top to disappear, and this can be done even while driving the car at speeds up to 31mph, which just seems to me like a really great way to mess with your friends. It takes 19 seconds for the top to come back up, which is also probably a great way to make people freak out when used unexpectedly, especially folks in the back seat.
One thing I really appreciate is the inclusion of air deflectors designed to make for a noticeably less windy ride with the top down. There are two configurations for the deflectors: including one that completely covers the back seat for optimal deflection. If you plan on having people in the backseat, however, there is a second option that helps divert wind while still letting people sit comfortably in the rear. Of course, if you don’t like your friends that much, you can always just make them deal with the larger deflector and figure it out.
The Comfortable Interior
Sleek exteriors and fast-opening soft tops are great for impressing friends and neighbors, but as a driver, I’m going to be inside the vehicle. That’s why the interior matters to me, and why the interior of the 2019 Buick Cascada is worth looking at. Buick calls the Cascada a “luxury convertible,” so I want to see that throughout every inch of the interior. Otherwise, the word “luxury” could just lose all meaning. Don’t worry, it hasn’t.
The interior is gorgeous, really it is. You can step it up with a trim level like the Sport Touring edition, but even the baseline is sleek and sophisticated. There is plenty of leather and curves to please just about any driver, and I particularly like the racing-inspired touches of the Sport Touring edition. It includes alloy sport pedals that are easy to use and a flat-bottom steering wheel that is great for anyone with long legs.
Heated front seats and steering wheel make this a great choice in pretty much any climate. Just because you like the feel of the wind in your hair doesn’t mean you want to have a cold rump – at least I don’t. If you are planning on having a lot of passengers, the backseat is pretty easy to get into and out of, even though this is a 2-door with a sporty design. One of my favorite features is the electronic seat belt presenter, which slides forward when the car is started to make it easier to reach the seat belt, but keeps it out of the way otherwise.
The Power and Performance
Even as a “luxury convertible,” the 2019 Buick Cascada is clearly designed with inspiration from sports cars. As such, I want to know that it will get me where I’m going fast and keep my heart racing a little bit on the highway. Fortunately, the Cascada doesn’t let me down with its 1.6L Turbo 4-cylinder engine that gives up 200-hp and up to 207 lb.-ft. of torque. The 6-speed automatic transmission is great for a wide range of drivers, especially folks who want to go fast but never learned to drive a manual; but for sports-car lovers who balk at automatics, the lack of a manual option is a bit of a let-down.
Fortunately, this power doesn’t come at the cost of decent fuel economy, so you’ll look good, go fast, and still not have to stop often to fill up. The Cascada gets up to 21 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway. If I’m cruising around in a convertible, the last thing I want to do is have to get gas every time I’m trying to just enjoy the weekend. Fortunately, Buick comes through on this one and that’s not a problem.
The Tech and Connectivity
Technology is important to me when I’m looking at a car or truck, so I’m happy to see what Buick has packed into the 2019 Cascada. It starts with a 7-inch color touchscreen display that works as the center of the car’s tech features and system. This includes both a USB port and auxiliary audio input for playing music through the car’s 7-speaker sound system, though this system also features Bluetooth connectivity for compatible devices. The display includes information about streaming media, navigation, and other features. There’s even an available built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot,so you can keep using all your devices without worrying about data rates or limits.
The myBuick app lets you use your smartphone or similar device connected from anywhere to the car and its systems. I like that I can lock or unlock the doors, start or stop the engine, and even check tire pressure through my phone when I’m nowhere near the car.
The Safety Features
Safety is very important to me when looking at a car. Maybe it’s just my cautious nature, or maybe it was those car crash videos from driver’s ed. all those years ago – whatever the reason, I want to know that a car is designed to be as safe as possible. That means preventing collisions and keeping me safe if something does happen.
The 2019 Buick Cascada can help prevent accidents with features like forward collision detection that alerts the driver when a potential crash may happen or when following a vehicle in front of it too closely. A lane departure warning system alerts the driver when drifting out of a lane and not using a turn signal. One of the biggest dangers in a convertible is the possibility of a rollover accident. But the Cascada includes pop-up bars that come up behind the back seat and extend to the same height as the windshield, to protect the driver and passengers if a rollover occurs. Now that’s what I like to see!
