Like Lincoln and Cadillac, Buick is updating its image and designs to make it more attractive to younger, affluent buyers. With the redesigned Buick LaCrosse, we think they’ve succeeded. This is a car that competes head-to-head with the Lexus ES 350 and the Acura TL. And it holds its own.
Here are five fast facts about the 2010 LaCrosse (view photos).
Fact #1: New Exterior Design
The first thing you’ll notice is the new design. The first generation of LaCrosse debuted in 2005 as Buick’s entry-level sedan. With the 2010 redesign, it is now in the running as Buick’s flagship sedan.
Our test LaCrosse CXL features a substantial grille, sculpted lines and eye-catching angles. It’s an improvement compared to prior years and we received a number of compliments during our week of driving the car. In fact, more than once we heard people say, “That’s a Buick? Wow. I expected a land yacht. I could picture myself driving that car.”
The only negative we found with the overall design (both inside and out) is the smaller trunk space. The LaCrosse offers only 13.3 feet of trunk space. The Lexus ES 350 offers nearly 15-feet of space. On the other hand, the Acura TL is even smaller than the LaCrosse at 13.1 feet. We tested a few different suitcase sizes in the trunk and found we had to execute some thoughtful maneuvers to work a large suitcase plus a few smaller duffel bags into the trunk.
If you plan to use the LaCrosse as your road-tripping machine, we suggest you test the trunk space before you buy. Otherwise, it’s an attractive new design that should age quite well.
Fact #2: Updated and Stylish interior
The interior is where the Buick really shines. It’s attractive, high-end and with the wood trim and leather, very Lexus-like. What is not Lexus-like is the price. The suggested retail price for the entry-level starts at $26,245 and tops out at $33,015. That’s quite a bit less than the Lexus ES 350 that starts at $35,175 and can easily top $40,000 once you add options. Keep that in mind if you’re looking to save money on your entry-level luxury sedan car purchase.
The LaCrosse features comfortable heated and cooled seats. Although the display for the sound system is weak compared to systems in Lexus, Cadillac and Lincoln, the audio quality is terrific.
The biggest knock on the LaCrosse is that visibility is not great. The angled rear window and the large pillars can present challenges when backing up. It makes the rear-parking assist system a worthwhile upgrade.
Fact #3: Roomy Interior, Especially the Back Seats
The LaCrosse is a natural candidate for a family car. Back-seat drivers (and riders) will be pleased to find comfortable seats and legroom.
We were frankly a bit surprised by how much legroom we found in the rear. We put some big folks and small kids in the back seat, and in each instance, legroom and headroom were adequate, even generous. We found we could move the front seat as far back as it goes and still have a bunch of legroom. Adding car seats and three passengers is easy, making the LaCrosse worthy of consideration for families of four or five.
Fact #4: IIHS Top Safety Pick
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named the Buick LaCrosse a Top Safety Pick for 2010. That means this car received the top score of Good across all safety tests. You’ll find six airbags, including front and side driver and passenger airbags, plus a side curtain airbag to protect your head in the case of an accident. Stability and traction control, along with brake assist, help protect passengers in this family sedan.
Fact #5: V6 Engine Delivers Combined 20 MPG
We drove the LaCrosse CXL, which makes it the all-wheel-drive version of this sedan. We wished we had some snow or rain on the ground in order to test the AWD; unfortunately, the weather Gods didn’t cooperate. So we can’t offer a strong opinion on the all-wheel drive system. If that is an important buying consideration for you (and for many buyers it is), we recommend you test the all-wheel drive system yourself.
What we can discuss in a bit more detail is the 3.0-liter V6 engine that generates 252 horsepower and 215 pound-feet of torque. We wouldn’t call it fast. We wouldn’t call it exciting. But we would call it competent and fast enough. We merged onto freeways easily. We moved in and out of traffic without concern for acceleration. Performance was solid but not stunning.
That was fine with us; our more significant gripe was fuel economy. The Lexus ES 350 achieves combined fuel economy of 22 mpg. That beats the LaCrosse and we expected a bit better from Buick. Since the Buick is unfairly pegged as a car your grandfather would drive, we intentionally drove like card-carrying members of the Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons (AARP for short). The goal was to see how high we could ratchet up our economy with ultra-conservative driving. After a week of city and highway driving, we averaged almost 21 miles per gallon. Not bad, but not spectacular either.
Overall, we wish fuel economy were better, but it’s acceptable compared to its Lexus and Acura peers. And you’ll find the smooth ride you would expect from a Buick.
The Vehix View: A Big Improvement for Buick
If you’ve ruled out Buick because you’re certain you’re far too young to drive one, think again. The 2010 Buick LaCrosse (view photos) is an enjoyable car to drive. It looks good. It handles well. The interior is terrific. It offers Lexus-like quality at a reduced price. And when it comes to dependability, JDpower.com reports in their 2010 Dependability Study that the Buick is one of the top five brands in overall dependability, placing the supposed “old-driver” brand in the same impressive company as Porsche, Lexus, Lincoln and Mercury.
Trunk space is smaller than expected, but it’s a fair trade-off for the spacious rear seat. Overall, it’s a winning combination in one of the best-looking Buicks we’ve seen in years. Do yourself a favor and compare the LaCrosse to the Lexus ES 350, Acura TL and even the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. You may discover that Buick isn’t just for “old drivers” any longer.