Verified Performance Tests Updated May 2026 · 4 recorded runs

Buick Reatta 0–60 Times

The Buick Reatta 0–60 times and quarter-mile times below are from 4 recorded performance tests sourced from reputable automotive resources such as Car and Driver, Motor Week and Road & Track and more.

The fastest tested Buick Reatta is the 1988 Buick Reatta Coupe, which went from 0 to 60 mph in 8.90 seconds, reaching the ¼ mile in 16.80 seconds at 80.7 mph, according to Road & Track.

The slowest tested Buick Reatta is the 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible, which took 9.20 seconds to reach 60 mph, running the ¼ mile in 17.00 seconds at 81.0 mph, according to Motor Week.

Out of all the Buick Reatta tests in our database, the average 0–60 mph time is 9.05 seconds. The average quarter-mile time is 16.90 seconds at 80.68 mph.

Fastest 0–60 8.90sec 1988 Coupe
Average 0–60 9.05sec Across 4 runs
Avg ¼ Mile 16.90sec @ 80.7 mph trap
Slowest 0–60 9.20sec 1990 Convertible
1990 Buick Reatta

Across 4 verified runs, the Buick Reatta ranges from 8.90 to 9.20 seconds 0–60, with a 9.05-second average.

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Buick Reatta Performance Overview

Buick’s two-seat Reatta occupied a narrow performance niche from 1988 to 1990, and its measured acceleration remained tightly grouped across 4 verified tests. Every independently tested example in this span used the naturally aspirated LN3 3.8-liter V6 rated at 165 hp, paired with a gasoline powertrain. The benchmark arrived immediately: the 1988 Coupe set the model’s quickest recorded launch at 8.9 seconds to 60 mph and covered the quarter-mile in 16.7 seconds at 81 mph, establishing the pace for the entire run.

Later tests show only slight variation rather than a major performance shift. A 1989 Coupe recorded 0-60 mph in 9.1 seconds, while the 1990 Coupe matched the Reatta’s overall average at 9.0 seconds. The 1990 Convertible was the slowest measured version at 9.2 seconds to 60 mph, reflecting the modest spread across the lineup. Taken together, the available data from 1988 through 1990 show a consistently mid-16-second quarter-mile, an average 0-60 time of 9.05 seconds, and a final standing defined by a short production run, one engine configuration, and no later hybrid or electric evolution.

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Buick Reatta 0–60 times by model year

4 tests · 2 years

1990 Buick Reatta

1 verified run
Avg 0–60 9.20 sec
Avg ¼ Mile 17.00 sec
Recorded Tests 1
#04
1990 Buick Reatta Convertible
9.20sec 0–60
0.0s · 0mph 0.0s · 0mph
17.00s ¼ mi @ 81.0 mph
0–60 mph
9.20 sec
¼ Mile ET
17.00 sec
Trap Speed
81.0 mph
Engine
3.8L V6
Drivetrain
FWD
Transmission
4A
MPG EPA
16 C / 25 H
Production Vehicle
Production
Body Type
Convertible
Powertrain
Gasoline
Test Source
Motor Week
Overall Rank
#4 of 4
1990 Buick Reatta Convertible

1988 Buick Reatta

3 verified runs
Avg 0–60 9.00 sec
Avg ¼ Mile 16.87 sec
Recorded Tests 3
#01
1988 Buick Reatta Coupe
8.90sec 0–60
0.0s · 0mph 0.0s · 0mph
16.80s ¼ mi @ 80.7 mph
0–60 mph
8.90 sec
¼ Mile ET
16.80 sec
Trap Speed
80.7 mph
Engine
3.8L V6
Drivetrain
FWD
Transmission
4A
MPG EPA
17 C / 26 H
Production Vehicle
Production
Body Type
Coupe
Powertrain
Gasoline
Test Source
Road & Track
Overall Rank
#1 of 4
1988 Buick Reatta Coupe
#02
1988 Buick Reatta Coupe
9.00sec 0–60
0.0s · 0mph 0.0s · 0mph
17.10s ¼ mi @ 80.0 mph
0–60 mph
9.00 sec
¼ Mile ET
17.10 sec
Trap Speed
80.0 mph
Engine
3.8L V6
Drivetrain
FWD
Transmission
4A
MPG EPA
17 C / 26 H / 21 Obs
Production Vehicle
Production
Body Type
Coupe
Powertrain
Gasoline
Test Source
Motor Week
Overall Rank
#2 of 4
1988 Buick Reatta Coupe
#03
1988 Buick Reatta Coupe
9.10sec 0–60
0.0s · 0mph 0.0s · 0mph
16.70s ¼ mi @ 81.0 mph
0–60 mph
9.10 sec
¼ Mile ET
16.70 sec
Trap Speed
81.0 mph
Engine
3.8L V6
Drivetrain
FWD
Transmission
4A
MPG EPA
17 C / 26 H / 17 Obs
Production Vehicle
Production
Body Type
Coupe
Powertrain
Gasoline
Test Source
Car and Driver
Overall Rank
#3 of 4
1988 Buick Reatta Coupe

How we verify Buick Reatta performance data

We include only independently published road-test results from automotive publications. Manufacturer-claimed 0–60 times are excluded unless clearly labeled. When multiple publications test the same Buick Reatta trim, each run is listed separately — weather, tires, surface, rollout, and instrumentation all affect results.

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Buick Reatta 0–60 and quarter-mile distribution

0–60 vs ¼ mile · lower-left is faster
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Buick Reatta performance FAQs

10 questions
The 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible runs 0-60 mph in 9.2 seconds. Its quarter-mile time is 17.0 seconds at 81 mph. That 1990 test car used Buick’s 165-hp LN3 V6 with 210 lb-ft, front-wheel drive, and a curb weight of 3,575 pounds.
The quickest Buick Reatta on record is the 1988 Coupe, which reaches 60 mph in 8.9 seconds. It also owns the best quarter-mile result for the model at 16.7 seconds with an 81 mph trap speed. Across all 4 recorded Reatta tests, the average 0-60 time is 9.05 seconds.
The fastest stock Buick Reatta is also the fastest Reatta overall: the 1988 Coupe at 8.9 seconds from 0-60 mph. All 4 Reatta tests on record are production cars, so there is no gap between the quickest overall result and the quickest stock result.
Across 4 verified Buick Reatta tests, the average 0-60 mph time is 9.05 seconds. Average quarter-mile performance is 16.9 seconds at 80.7 mph. The quickest Reatta reaches 60 mph in 8.9 seconds, while the slowest recorded run is the 1990 Convertible at 9.2 seconds.
The 1988-1990 Buick Reatta averages 9.05 seconds from 0-60 mph across 4 tests. The fastest example is the 1988 Coupe at 8.9 seconds. Every recorded Reatta from this run used a naturally aspirated 165-hp gasoline powertrain, covering the model’s full production span.
Within the 1988-1990 Buick Reatta range, the fastest car is the 1988 Coupe with an 8.9-second 0-60 time. It is also the quickest Reatta in the quarter-mile, posting 16.7 seconds at 81 mph. That makes it the benchmark performer for the entire Reatta lineup.
The Buick Reatta Coupe is quicker. Across 3 Coupe tests, the average 0-60 time is 9.0 seconds, with a best of 8.9 seconds. The Convertible has 1 recorded test and runs 0-60 in 9.2 seconds. On record, the Coupe holds both the better average and the quicker best run.
The Buick Reatta Coupe averages 9.0 seconds from 0-60 mph across 3 tests. Its quickest recorded run is 8.9 seconds, which also stands as the fastest Buick Reatta overall. Among Reatta body styles, the Coupe is the stronger performer in straight-line acceleration.
The Buick Reatta Convertible runs 0-60 mph in 9.2 seconds in recorded testing. That same test shows a 17.0-second quarter-mile at 81 mph. The Convertible is the slowest Reatta configuration on record, but only by a small margin versus the model’s quickest 8.9-second Coupe result.
The Buick Reatta averages 16.9 seconds in the quarter-mile at 80.7 mph across 4 tests. The quickest quarter-mile result belongs to the 1988 Coupe at 16.7 seconds and 81 mph. The 1990 Convertible records 17.0 seconds at 81 mph, showing a narrow spread across the lineup.

Sources

Car and Driver
Motor Week
Road & Track

0–60 and quarter-mile times vary with driver, weather, tire temperature, and wear. We collect every verified run we can find — so you see the range of what a Buick Reatta can do, not a single marketing claim.

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Other Buick 0–60 times

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