2018 Buick Cascada

The 2018 Buick Cascada is available in three trim levels and all are equipped with a 1.6-Liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine which churns out 200 hp power at 5500 rpm and 207 lb.-ft torque at 1800-4500 rpm. All the trims have a 6 Speed Automatic Transmission System available to drive the front wheels. A front wheel system is good but an all-wheel-drive variant like the A3 Cabriolet could have been a better addition to the car.

Trims	1SV	Premium	Sport Touring
MSRP	$33,990	$36,995	$37,995
Features	OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot (limited trial)	Includes or replaces features on Cascada (1SV), plus:	Includes or replaces features on Premium, plus:
	Leather-appointed, perforated front seats	Front and rear air deflectors	Sport alloy pedals
	Buick Infotainment System with 7″-diagonal color touch display with Navigation	Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning	Leather-wrapped, 3-spoke sport steering wheel
	20″ diamond graphic twin-spoke wheels with bi-color finish	Front and rear park assist	20″ dynamic twin-spoke aluminum wheels with blacked-out pockets
	Articulating HID headlamps	Rainsense wipers	Magic Black interior trim
	Power, controlled soft top	Articulating HID headlamps with tunnel detection
		Fog lamps
		20″ dynamic twin-spoke wheels with bi-color finish

Some of the stands out features of Cascada are different roof colors and dark effect package available in the Sport Touring Trim. The features like, Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning system are the necessary safety features which are present in the Premium Cascada but are optional for the base Cascada.

We Recommend

The base trim of Cascada i.e. 1SV is with the best worthy price of $33,990. It comes with the almost same features and is mechanically identical to the top-level trim. Also, the Sport Touring trim is a good option costing just $37,995 as it comes with all the features and a better interior making it the most value for money trim of Buick Cascada.

“It’s heavy, underpowered and saddled with an indecisive transmission. As such, the Cascada is slow, and the numb steering and poor handling don’t inspire confidence. Brake pedal feel is a high point, but poor braking performance undermines that lone plus. This car is clearly designed for cruising.”-Edmunds

There are three trim levels of Buick Cascada and all use 1.6L 4-Cylinder Turbocharged Engine. All of them are fitted with the transmission system. This engine generates 200 horsepower at maximum 5500 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque at 1800 rpm.

Model	Buick Cascada	Audi A3 Cabriolet(Premium)	BMW 230i convertible	Volkswagen Beetle convertible (Dune)
MSRP	$33,990	$38,350	$40,750	$32,090
Engine	1.6L 4-Cylinder Turbo	2.0L TFSI 4-cylinder	2.0L TwinPower Turbo inline 4-cylinder	2.0L Turbo inline 4-cylinder
Transmission	6-speed Automatic	7-speed Automatic	8-speed Automatic	6-speed Automatic
Power	200 hp	186 hp	248 hp	174 hp
Torque	207 lb-ft	221 lb-ft	258 lb-ft	184 lb-ft

Cascada offers the smallest engine and transmission among its rivals. It offers decent torque and power which excels over Audi A3 Cabriolet in power and Volkswagen Beetle Convertible in both power and torque. Although BMW 230i Convertible costs around $7000 more than the Cascada it is the best performer amongst its rivals.

Acceleration

Buick Cascada is the slowest car in its class. It takes 8.3 seconds to clock 60 mph from standstill and 16.5 seconds to cover the quarter mile. It even emits a large amount of CO2 i.e. 7.4 Tons/year.

Models	Buick Cascada	Audi A3 Cabriolet(Premium)	BMW 230i convertible	Volkswagen Beetle convertible (Dune)
0-60 MPH	8.3 sec	6.9 sec	5.6	6.4 sec
Quarter mile	16.5 sec	15.5 sec	14.6 sec	15.7 sec
Engine	1.6L	2.0L	2.0L	2.0L
Emission Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year	7.4	6.3	6.6	6.0

The quickest to reach 60 MPH from standstill is the BMW 230i Convertible with a time of 5.6 seconds. The Cascada remains on the slowest with a time difference of 1.4 seconds with the closest rival. At the quarter mile mark, BMW 230i maintains its lead. Among the class, Volkswagen Beetle Convertible is the eco-friendliest car.

Steering and Handling

2018 Buick Cascada uses Electric Rack and Pinion type steering system. The steering wheel is a bit relaxed which is not good for the highway. The steering is quite composed but offers some resistance while turning which makes it hard to use. The suspension, however, absorbs most of the bumps decently

The handling of the car is a not as you would expect. Due to sleek look, the visibility through the windshield is not that perfect making the driver uncomfortable to check where the corners of the car are going. This makes maneuvering in relatively tight spaces much difficult.

Braking

2018 Buick Cascada uses Disc Brakes on both front and rear wheels with ABS regulated on all the wheels. It is the heaviest car in the lot and hence, it takes 124 feet to come to alt from the 60 MPH mark.

Model	Buick Cascada	Audi A3 Cabriolet(Premium)	BMW 230i convertible	Volkswagen Beetle convertible (Dune)
Brake Front(in)	12.6	12.3	12.3	11.3
Brake Rear(in)	11.5	10.7	11.4	10.7
Curb weight(lbs)	3979	3439	3680	3225
60-0 MPH (ft.)	124	109	106	120

With these brakes, Cascada is the slowest to stop from a speed of 60 MPH among its rivals with a huge difference of 18 ft from the quickest among the class. Even after carrying so much weight, the BMW 230i is the fastest to come to halt from 60 MPH.

The Cascada Convertible is not the best even in terms fuel efficiency. With a fuel tank capacity of 14.3 gallons, it has a fuel economy of 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway which combines to an average fuel economy of 24 mpg which is the least amongst its competitors.

Model	Buick Cascada	Audi A3 Cabriolet(Premium)	BMW 230i convertible	Volkswagen Beetle convertible (Dune)
MPG (city)	21	25	23	26
MPG (highway)	29	33	34	34
MPG (combined)	24	28	27	29

All of Cascada’s main rivals are quite fuel efficient. All of the rivals have upper hand in combined fuel economy. Among the class, Volkswagen Beetle Convertible is the most fuel-efficient car with a mileage of 26 in the city and 34 on the highway.

“The four-seat 2018 Buick Cascada is reasonably comfortable and quiet, with more cargo room than most luxury convertibles. Its interior score is low, however, due in part to stale styling, outmoded technology, and few fancy upgrades.”-Cars.Usnews

Seating and Comfort

The seats are well designed to accommodate all body styles. The seats being flat and firm can begin to wear you out on long drives. This means that the seating of the Buick Cascada is not that well developed to support you on longer drives. Moreover, the drive in Cascada is a bit on the harsh side.

Model	Buick Cascada	Audi A3 Cabriolet(Premium)	BMW 230i convertible	Volkswagen Beetle convertible (Dune)
Passenger capacity	4	4	4	4
Passenger Volume (ft cube)	82	79	83.5	81.4
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	37.8/54.6/42.2	37.4/54.8/41.2	40.5/54.5/41.5	39.3/55.3/41.3
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	36.1/45.8/32.8	36.6/45.7/31.9	37/42.2/31.8	37.6/43.1/31.4

With a passenger capacity of four, it gives good passenger volume i.e. 82 ft, only BMW 230i Convertible has higher passenger volume than the Cascada. The Cascada lacks in terms of the front and second headroom space among its rivals.

Infotainment

The 2018 Buick Cascada has a 7-inch infotainment system fitted on the dash. The infotainment used in the car is a bit outdated like it doesn’t have a good voice control and clunky navigation system. It has Bluetooth but doesn’t support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which is the biggest low for this car. It also has a USB port.

Cascada offers a good forward collision alert and rear proximity sensors but nothing for the safety of driver beyond it.  The voice module system can be a hit and miss for the driver many times. Moreover, the voice system prompts you to check the manual for the whole list of commands.

Cargo/Trunk Volume

The 2018 Buick Cascada provides a good cargo space. It offers the maximum cargo space amongst the rivals. The cargo space might be good but the trunk opening is pretty small making it difficult to load luggage into the car.

Model	Buick Cascada	Audi A3 Cabriolet(Premium)	BMW 230i convertible	Volkswagen Beetle convertible (Dune)
Volume Top Up (ft. cube)	13.4	9.9	11.8	N/A
Volume Top Down (ft. cube)	9.8	7.1	N/A	7.1

Cascada has the highest volume for both - top up and top down with the numbers 13.4 and 9.8 ft cube. respectively. None of its rivals comes close to the 2018 Buick Cascada in terms of cargo capacity.

Interior Features

• Distinctive styling details for dark effects package
• Alloy sport pedals
• Flat Bottom Sports Steering Wheel
• Electronic Safety Belt Presenter
• Easy entry to the rear seats

“Certainly, the Buick looks best with its fabric top stowed away underneath the cleanly designed hard boot, but its curb appeal isn’t completely sabotaged with it up either. In fact, the Cascada looks downright sexy with its top up but its four windows rolled down, giving the Buick a classic hardtop profile.”-KellyBlueBook

Dimensions and weight

Buick Cascada is on the heavier side in the class. It is around 200 lbs. heavier than BMW 230i, its closest rival. Cascada has fine ground clearance among its rivals but is amongst the tallest and longest in the class. The car is the widest of the lot and allowing huge cabin space. It also has highest track width and longest wheelbase of 62.5 inches and 106.1 inches respectively.

Model	Buick Cascada	Audi A3 Cabriolet(Premium)	BMW 230i convertible	Volkswagen Beetle convertible (Dune)
curb weight(lbs)	3979	3439	3680	3225
Length (in)	184.9	174.3	174.7	168.4
Width(in)	79.5	77.2	69.8	71.2
Height(in)	56.8	55.5	55.6	59.1
Ground clearance(in)	5.7	6.4	5.5	5.9
Wheelbase(in)	106.1	102.2	105.9	100
Track width(in) F/R	62.5/62.5	61.2/60.1	59.9/61.1	62.1/61.2

Exterior Features

• Great color options for the top
• 20” dynamic twin-spoke aluminum wheels
• Gloss Black Grille for Dark Effects Package
• Air Deflectors
• LED-accented rear tail-lamps
• Chrome details and Sculpted Lines

2018 Buick Cascada has received 5-star ratings in 8 out of 12 tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which include Rollover rating, Side barrier, Crash ratings and many more. IIHS has not yet tested the 2018 Buick Cascada but you can expect the ratings to be good by the Buick standards.

StabiliTrak stability control system

Automated rollover pop-up bars high-strength steel, located behind rear seats

LED Daytime Running Lamps

Front airbags, Seat-mounted side-impact airbags, Knee airbags for the driver and front passenger, Knee airbags for the driver and front passenger with the safety belt system

Air bag front Passenger Sensing System

Rear Park Assist

Rear Vision Camera

Trunk emergency release handle

Tire Pressure Monitoring System

Horn, dual-note high and low

The Buick Cascade has scored High Scores in the NHTSA Ratings and has a Superb overall rating of 5 stars

NHTSA Ratings
Overall Rating	5 Star
Overall Frontal Crash Rating	4 Star
Frontal Crash Rating Driver Side	4 Star
Frontal Crash Rating Passenger Side	4 Star
Overall Side Crash Rating	5 Star
Combined Side Barrier and Pole Rating Front Seat	5 Star
Combined Side Barrier and Pole Rating Front Seat Rear Seat	5 Star
Side Barrier	5 Star
Side barrier Driver	5 Star
Side barrier Rear Passenger	5 Star
Overall Side Pole Star Rating	5 Star
Rollover Rating	5 Star

Audi A3 Cabriolet vs Buick Cascada

With a price difference of around $4.500, both use a different powertrain. Audi A3 with the bigger engine provides more torque than Cascada but trails in the case of power. The Audi A3 dusts Cascada in terms of acceleration, fuel economy and braking.

Cascada has higher curb weight than A3 and is even bigger in all the dimensions. A3 has better ground clearance than Cascada but the later has more passenger volume as well as cargo space. If spending money is not a problem, then Audi A3 is the best option as you get a better engine and better ride than the Cascada.

BMW 230i Convertible vs Buick Cascada

The 2018 BMW 230i is around $7,000 costlier than the 2018 Buick Cascada, but it outclasses the Cascada in every department. BMW has a more powerful engine that offers better torque and power than Cascada. It is best among its rivals in terms of performance.

With the lower weight and almost same ground clearance, BMW provides the better space and comfort for the passengers but lacks when it comes to cargo space.

Buick Cascada vs. Volkswagen Beetle Convertible

Volkswagen Beetle being on the costlier side than Cascada lacks the latter in terms of power and torque produced by the engine. Both use a similar transmission. With better acceleration, braking and fuel economy, Beetle is way ahead of Cascada.

Beetle provides better comfort and space to the passengers as compared to the Cascada. It lacks behind the Cascada when it comes to the cargo space.

The 2018 Buick Cascada has the most reasonable price among its rivals but not much to offer beyond it. It is an aging vehicle which does not stand with the modern standards. Although having good seating comfort and fine cargo space, it falls in all of the mechanical departments i.e. braking and acceleration. Due to its large curb weight, it fails miserably for the fuel efficiency.

The Interior features that the Cascada offers are bit outdated and not that easy to use. Voice control can be hit and miss and Bluetooth neither support Apple CarPlay nor the Android Auto. Cascada does not offer much more interior features which are expected for that price.