After three years on the market in China, the Buick GL6 minivan was due an update – and here it is. The exterior stays the same, while the cabin is all-new and the engine gets a useful electric add-on.
Two 10.25-inch displays now occupy the space where the analog instrument cluster and center console touchscreen used to be. The steering wheel is new, and so are the climate controls, the air deflectors and the gear selection switch. The tunnel between the driver’s and the front passenger’s seats has also been reshaped.
Standard features now include lane control and blind spot monitoring, as well as collision warning, automated parking, LED lighting, sunroof and privacy windows.
The car’s 1.3-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine pairs up with a six-speed pre-selective DSS transmission for 163 PS (161 hp / 120 kW) and 230 Nm (170 lb-ft) of torque. Assisting it is a 48V starter-generator and a mini battery governed by a separate control unit. The main advantage of the new mild-hybrid system is in fuel economy: the van now consumes 6.1 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers on average, as opposed to 6.6 liters.
Sales will start in a few days’ time, Buick reports.