DecodedCars2012 Buick Verano
Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2012 models.
- Class
- Compact Cars
- Body styles
- 4dr Sedan
- Engines
- 2.4L 4-cyl
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel
- FFV
- MPG (best)
- 24 combined · 21 city / 31 hwy
- Length
- 183.9 in
- Curb weight
- 3,300 lb
- NHTSA rating
- Not rated
- Recalls
- 3 campaigns
Pros & cons
What's good
- Few owner complaints85 complaints filed with NHTSA versus about 283 for similar models.
Watch out for
No weak spots against similar models in the data.
Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 32 similar 2012 models — not a review. How we calculate this →
Overview
The 2012 Buick Verano is a compact car offered with a 2.4L 4-cyl engine and front-wheel drive.
It measures about 184 inches long and 71 inches wide on a 106-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 3,300 lb.
EPA rates its most efficient version at 24 MPG combined (21 city / 31 highway), 6% worse than the 2012 compact car average of 25.6 MPG, for an estimated $2,800 a year in fuel.
NHTSA has not published a 5-Star overall rating for this model year.
It has 3 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 85 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the engine.
Dimensions & weight
| Body | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Track F / R | Curb weight | Weight F/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4dr Sedan | 183.9 in | 71.3 in | 58.3 in | 105.9 in | 60.6 / 61.4 in | 3,300 lb | 61/39 |
Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.
Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →Engines, MPG & running costs
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | vs. class | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verano FFV | 2.4L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 / 31 / 24 | -6% | $2,800 | 370 |
EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2012 EPA class average. How we calculate this →
Safety ratings & technology
NHTSA has not published 5-Star ratings for the 2012 Buick Verano.
Similar 2012 compact cars
| Model | Best MPG / range | NHTSA overall | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Buick Verano (this car) | 24 MPG | Not rated | 3 |
| 2012 Toyota Corolla | 29 MPG | Not rated | 5 |
| 2012 Honda Civic | 44 MPG | Not rated | 4 |
| 2012 Honda Accord | 27 MPG | Not rated | 8 |
| 2012 Toyota Camry | 40 MPG | Not rated | 2 |
| 2012 Nissan GT-R | 19 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
| 2012 Toyota Prius | 50 MPG | Not rated | 7 |
Recalls (3)
Air Bags · Jun 6, 2014
NHTSA campaign 14V300000 · 31,520 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles manufactured December 2, 2011 to July, 16, 2012, Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured December 7, 2011 to July 25, 2012, Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured December 5, 2011 to August 2, 2012, and Chevrolet Camaro vehicles manufactured December 1, 2011 to June 11, 2012. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
- Risk
- If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact GM at 1-800-222-1020. Buick owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. Note: This is an expansion of recalls 12V-522 and 13V-023.
Air Bags · Jan 24, 2013
NHTSA campaign 13V023000 · 4,167 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze and Sonic, and model year 2012 Buick Verano vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
- Risk
- If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, that air bag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel air bag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 13, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
Air Bags · Oct 31, 2012
NHTSA campaign 12V522000 · 2,949 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors is recalling certain model year 2012 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. The driver side frontal air bag has a shorting bar which may intermittently contact the air bag terminals.
- Risk
- If the bar and terminals are contacting each other at the time of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal airbag, that airbag will not deploy, increasing the driver's risk of injury.
- Fix
- General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel airbag coil, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
Not every 2012 Buick Verano is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.
Owner-reported problems
Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.
Used 2012 Buick Verano buyer's checklist
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 3 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
- Engine — 41 owner reports. Cold-start the engine, listen for knocking, and watch for warning lights or hesitation on acceleration.
- Air Bags — 24 owner reports. Confirm the airbag warning light turns off after start-up and any airbag recall was completed.
- Electrical System — 12 owner reports. Test every window, lock, light, screen and USB port; check the battery age.
- Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 66,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
- Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.
Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2012 Buick Verano. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.
Other Verano years
Compare all years →| Year | MPG (best) | Length | Overall | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Verano | 24 | 183.9 in | Not rated | 1 | 9 |
| 2016 Verano | 24 | 183.9 in | Not rated | 2 | 59 |
| 2015 Verano | 25 | 183.9 in | Not rated | 0 | 59 |
| 2014 Verano | 24 | 183.9 in | Not rated | 6 | 92 |
| 2013 Verano | 24 | 183.9 in | Not rated | 3 | 81 |
Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Buick. How we calculate this →