2003 Buick Park Avenue Ultra

The four-door, front-drive Park Avenue sedan can be set up to carry either five or six passengers. Independent front seats can substitute for the standard bench.

Although the Ultra accelerates energetically, there's little evidence of the presence of a supercharger on its engine. Most likely, some owners aren't even aware of its existence. They just like the immediate response the stronger V-6 delivers when pushing on the gas pedal.


Abundant head and leg space is another bonus. Seats are plush and satisfying, even if they fall short of modern snugness and support. As expected, too, the Ultra is loaded with comforts and conveniences to suit its likely customers.


Naturally, younger shoppers who don't remember when Buick stood high in the marketplace aren't likely to fall for a Park Avenue. Despite its many highway-traveling merits, the Park Avenue suffers from an image as an older person's automobile, at a time when most automakers struggle constantly to attract a younger audience.


No doubt, image is a large part of the reason that the Park Avenue is Buick's slowest-moving model, with only 36,454 sold during 2001—a drop of more than 23 percent from the previous year. Price is another factor, since the Park Avenue starts about $9,000 higher than the similar-sized LeSabre, and the supercharged Ultra hovers near $40,000. (www.buick.com)