2010 Buick LaCrosse

By Nick Yost Remember these slogans? “When Better Cars Are Built, Buick Will Build Them.” “Wouldn’t You Really Rather Have a Buick?” Throughout a long stretch of the 20th Century that has been the bulk of my life, these two advertising catch lines stood out whenever the subject turned to Buick. Frankly, I can’t say they matched my perception of the brand when General Motors' crumbling financial position forced many shortcuts that toppled Buick’s standing as a near-Cadillac to just another badge-engineered version of automobiles that bore different GM nametags. But, with the introduction of the Buick Enclave crossover vehicle a couple of years ago and, now, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse sedan, I’m beginning to think those slogans may be more timely today than they were when they originally appeared in the Buick ads. The conventional wisdom says that I should be judging the LaCrosse against the Lexus ES 350, the target of engineers and designers in developing the new front/all-wheel-drive sedan. If that’s the case, I’d say Buick has hit the mark – and more. Exact comparisons are never easy, because no two cars match in all respects, but if you take into account the important benchmarks -- luxury, comfort, features, drivability, practicality and price -- the all-new Buick matches up extremely well against its Japanese competitors. However, one thing needs to be made clear in any discussion of this important new General Motors vehicle. The Buick LaCrosse is a luxury sedan first, last and always. It has competent driving dynamics, but its primary job is to comfort, cosset and coddle the passengers, not to spread a grin across the face of an enthusiastic back-road barnstormer. Do not confuse it with an Infinti G37, which has bona fide sports sedan qualifications, or an Acura TL, which combines a sporting nature with its many luxury amenities. If your travels routinely involve challenging back roads and mountainous switchbacks, you may find that the LaCrosse is not the ideal traveling companion. But if, like most of us, your car serves double duty as an all-around runabout and an occasional long-distance cruiser, the new Buick may be just what you’ve been looking for. A truly international vehicle, the LaCrosse is built on General Motors’ global mid-size platform and follows GM’s German-made Opel Insignia into production. The exterior and interior were the work of American and Chinese designers. It is offered in three trim levels, CX, CXL and CXS. Engines differ, but all have 6-speed automatic transmissions with manual controls, similar four-wheel independent suspension systems, variable-assist rack-and-pinion power steering, and four-wheel antilock disc brakes. The base, front-wheel-drive CX is powered by a 3-liter, direct-injection, 255-horsepower V-6 engine. Before long, the CX will be offered with a more economical 2.4-liter, direct-injection, 182-horsepower, four-cylinder engine. The more-upscale CXL is powered by the same 255-horsepower V-6 engine, but it is available in front- or all-wheel drive. The top-of-the-line CXS features a 3.6-liter, direct-injection, 280-horsepower V-6 engine. For now, it is offered only with front-wheel drive but there is an all-wheel-drive model in its future. Dave McIntyre, Buick product manager, explained that the CXL was first in line for AWD because ‘’we knew it would be our best-selling vehicle by far. As we move on in the life cycle you can look for it on the CXS.” For the record, McIntyre said the CXL accounts for 60 percent of LaCrosse sales and the other two models are about equal at 20 percent. The vehicle I tested was the mid-range CXL with all-wheel drive and lots of options. The V-6 engine was smooth and quiet, shifts were nearly seamless, the car tracked well even under moderately hard cornering, and the brakes were plenty strong enough to scrub off speed quickly when necessary. The all-wheel-drive system was basically invisible. The EPA rates the all-wheel-drive CXL at 16 mpg city/25 mpg highway. Add one mile per gallon to these figures for front-wheel-drive models. In a week of driving that included one journey to the traffic-clogged streets of New York City, I averaged about 17 miles per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline. Inside, the LaCrosse is library quiet, with comfortable traveling space for up to four adults. five for short trips. The passengers will find themselves ensconced in comfortable leather seats and surrounded by premium materials. The careful attention to detail on the interior was obvious in the test car’s tasteful two-tone beige and brown materials, the hand-stitched leather and the wood-grain trim. The surprisingly spacious rear seat, I’ve been told, was required because the Chinese use the LaCrosse as a chauffeur-driven executive car. The typical American family planning a vacation trip will find 13.3 cubic feet of space available in the LaCrosse trunk. The exterior of the new Buick is an eye-catching mix of soft curves and hard edges that give the LaCrosse a handsome, highly stylized, individualistic appearance. Unfortunately, as so often happens with bold aesthetics, form can take precedent over function. With the LaCrosse, visibility is slightly hampered by the wide pillars at the windshield and rear window, and the leading edges of the front fenders are not visible to the average driver, making it difficult to judge the car’s width. Buick LaCrosse prices start at $27,835, including destination charge, for a base CX and climb beyond $40,000 for a fully equipped CXS. The good news is that, on a feature-by-feature comparison basis, the LaCrosse can undercut the Lexus ES 350 by as much as $4,000. The all-wheel-drive CXL I tested started at $32,570 and climbed to $38,090 with options. Included among the long list of standard features were a comprehensive list of safety equipment, heated front power seats, dual-zone climate control, 7-speaker audio system, Bluetooth connectivity, driver information center with trip computer, fog lights and 18-inch wheels. Included in option packages totaling $5,520 were ventilated seats for driver and front passenger, power rear sun shade, keyless entry and start, navigation system, back-up camera and an upgraded, 11-speaker, 384-watt sound system with USB port. The LaCrosse is a sound second entry to join the well-received Enclave.  More of Nick Yost’s automotive reviews can be found at http://www.examiner.com/x-2270-NY-Autos-Examiner