“Take flight.”
1984 was the third year for the Skyhawk, Buick’s version of the J-car, and it was little changed, except for the mid-year release of a turbocharged engine. New options included a factory stereo with a graphic equalizer.
The Skyhawk’s standard powertrain was an LQ5 86 bhp 2.0 liter/121 ci inline four with throttle-body fuel injection paired with a four-speed manual. An LH8 84 bhp 1.8 liter inline four with throttle-body fuel injection was $50, but required an upgrade to a five-speed manual ($75). Both engines were available with a three-speed automatic ($395). An LA5 turbocharged version of the 1.8 liter engine with 150 bhp was only available with the T TYPE coupe.
Performance wasn’t exactly scintillating with the two non turbocharged engines, but Skyhawk coupe’s relatively low 2,316-pound weight did help. 0-60 times with the 1.8 liter/five-speed combination were likely in the 12 second range. Fuel economy with the same powertrain was rated at 29 city/46 highway by the day’s standards—today’s measures give a far less impressive 23/33. With a 13.5-gallon gas tank, a Skyhawk owner could expect a range of 340 to 455 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.
Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $7,133 base Skyhawk coupe (designated as Custom) included manual rack-and-pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P175/80R13 blackwall tires on 13-inch wheels with Deluxe wheel covers. Inside, full carpeting, reclining front bucket seats, a full-length operating console, a Custom steering wheel, and an AM radio were included.
Moving up to the $7,641 Limited (about $24,100 in 2025 dollars and slightly less than a 2025 Buick Encore GX SUV costs) added dual horns, an acoustic package, a Limited steering wheel, and instrument gauges, along with cloth-covered seats and door panels.
Options & Production Numbers
Exterior and mechanical options for the Skyhawk coupe included tinted glass ($95), tungsten-halogen headlamps ($22), and styled aluminum wheels ($229). Inside, Electronic Touch Climate Control air conditioning ($780), manual air conditioning ($630), power windows ($185), and a series of stereo choices ranging up to an electronic tuning AM/FM stereo radio with cassette tape and graphic equalizer ($505) were all available.
1984 marked the Skyhawk’s peak sales year, with Buick producing 75,760 coupes, 45,648 sedans, and 13,668 station wagons. Buick made them through the 1989 model year, by which time sales numbers had dropped to a mere fraction of those in 1984.
The View From 2025
I haven’t seen a second-generation Skyhawk in person in many years. Still, they are sometimes available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds and at online auctions such as Bring a Trailer that cater to the eighties car market. When I first published this blog entry in September 2022, Hemmings had a 1986 White Skyhawk T-Type hatchback with gray lower accents, silver/black cloth bucket seats, and 10,000 miles for sale for $16,000.
Make mine Silver Metallic, please.
Other J platform cars I have covered in this blog include the 1982 Cadillac Cimarron sedan, the 1988 Cadillac Cimarron sedan, the 1986 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 coupe, the 1985 Oldsmobile Firenza ES sedan, and the 1984 Pontiac 2000 Sunbird S/E hatchback coupe.
Last updated March 2025.
Eighties Cars 
Looking for a Buick Sky Hawk or a Buick Summerset in good condition.