The 2013 Buick Verano Turbo offers 31mpg

The 2013 Buick Verano is designed to be an affordable luxury entry in the compact sedan class but with the introduction of the Verano Turbo for 2013 – Buick takes a shot at the relatively small performance compact segment. The 2013 Verano Turbo sends 250 horsepower and 260lb-ft of torque to the front wheels via a close ratio 6-speed manual transmission, figures that help rocket the Verano Turbo from 0 to 60 in just 6.2 seconds. More importantly, the 2013 Buick Verano Turbo offers those impressive performance parameters while still achieving 31 miles per gallon on the highway, 20 mpg around town and a combined estimate of 24 miles per gallon.

These are not fantastic fuel economy figures for the modern compact sedan segment but it is important to keep in mind that there are very few vehicles like the 2013 Buick Verano Turbo in the American market. If you look at the other big names in the segment – Elantra, Corolla, Dart, Civic – none of them offer power outputs anywhere near the Verano Turbo. The Dodge Dart R/T may soon offer comparable performance to the turbocharged Buick but right now, the only vehicle in the compact class with similar output to the Verano Turbo is the new Ford Focus ST.

The 2013 Ford Focus ST is powered by a turbocharged 2.0L engine that churns out 252 horsepower and 270lb-ft of torque so while it offers a touch more power – we should keep in mind that the Focus ST is an outright performance car where the Verano Turbo is more of an entry level luxury sedan with a powerful drivetrain. That being said, the Focus ST may offer better handling than the Verano Turbo but the Buick will almost certainly pack more interior comforts. The official fuel economy figures for the 2013 Focus ST are not listed on the official Ford website nor are they available on FuelEconomy.gov but reports earlier this month stated that the Focus ST will offer 23 miles per gallon around town and 32 mpg on the highway with a combined figure of 26mpg. This gives the sporty Ford hatchback an advantage over the Buick Verano Turbo but while the Ford is a sport model with weight savings in mind – the Verano comes fully loaded with features like heater leather surfaces, a premium Bose sound system and power everything.

General Motors has not announced official pricing for the 2013 Buick Verano Turbo but with a price starting at $23,470 for the base model – the entry level Verano is almost as expensive as the Focus ST which starts at $23,700. Considering the level of luxury amenities included in the Verano Turbo, it will probably cost quite a bit more than the Focus ST (the fully loaded non-turbo Verano starts around $26,850) but the Verano is more than a lightened up sport model – packing power and luxury into a compact sedan.