Price: $34,060 to $46,875
Competitors: Acura TL, Lincoln MKZ, Lexus ES, Chrysler 300, Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima
Powertrains: 2.4-liter I-4 with e-Assist, 182 hp, 172 lb-ft; 3.6-liter V-6, 304 hp, 264 lb-ft; six-speed automatic transmission; FWD or AWD
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 25/36 (I-4), 17?18/28 (V-6)
What's New: Buick's full-size sedan noses into the marque's 110th anniversary behind a prettier face with articulating headlights, a grille styling more in line with its smaller siblings the Regal and Verano, LEDs on both ends, and active aero shutters in front to eke out a bit more fuel economy. Bigger improvements are found inside the cabin, where upgraded materials, introduction of a second-generation IntelliLink system, and several new safety-oriented features all make life better for occupants.
Revised suspension tuning includes real-time adjustable damping, and the HiPer front-strut design now comes standard in the top two trim levels (previously you had to pony up for a separate Touring package to get it). This is a midlife freshening for the LaCrosse Buick introduced for the 2010 model year, so there are no major changes to the extended GM Epsilon II architecture it shares with the Cadillac XTS and Chevrolet Impala.
Tech Tidbit: A rear-view camera is standard on all but the base model, while Buick offers a pair of safety packages with up to nine sensors to keep the driver alert. Driver Confidence I ($2125) includes forward-collision alert, lane-departure warning, lane-change alert, side blind-zone alert, rear cross-traffic alert, HID articulating headlamps, fog lamps and a head-up display. For another $1745 you can add Driver Confidence II and get the haptic seat (it vibrates to alert the driver rather than adding another annoying beep to your life), adaptive cruise control, and collision preparation, which includes "mitigation" braking if the driver doesn't hit the pedal soon enough.
Driving Character: Buick long ago shed the bloat and float approach to ride and handling, but we still were pleasantly surprised by how nimbly this big, comfort-oriented car dealt with the challenge of twisting roads snaking around lakes in southern Michigan. An Acura TL would have been more engaging, but a Lincoln MKZ less so. We drove only V-6 models, in front- and all-wheel-drive configurations, and found the suspension in the upper two trim levels superior in both ride comfort and handling. You can't get the adaptive damping with AWD, though.
Favorite Detail: We'll cheat and name two. First, the head-up display keeps your eyes on the road. Second, the fact that the haptic seat that vibrates warnings about lane-departure, something in your blind spot, rear cross-traffic, or obstacles behind the car minimizes distractions and avoids alarming passengers.
Driver's Grievance: The AWD model lacks the best suspension bits and the smooth ride of its counterpart. And it just feels heavy. We'd recommend it only for those in regions with the worst winter weather, and even then we'd advise shopping AWD alternatives.
Bottom Line: The full-size sedan segment has been fading as buyers gravitate to crossovers or smaller cars. Buick has seen slow but steady erosion in U.S. LaCrosse sales (a minor concern, since sales in Asia are more than double those in North America), in part because shoppers can find the Enclave, Regal, Verano and Encore in the same showrooms. This well-executed refresh comes just in time to meet increasing competition. The exterior tweaks are all improvements, while the interior upgrades are sharp and rich-looking, with only a little too much gloss remaining on the dark-colored version of the soft-touch lower dashboard (in lighter colors, it looks good).
Spare a moment to applaud Buick's latest IntelliLink infotainment system, which does several things other systems could emulate. It cuts the center-stack-button count from 17 to seven, but still includes two knobs for volume and tuning, and uses labels big enough to be read at a glance without peering. As these things go, it's intuitive and useful. Expect to see it on the revised Regal, coming soon.
By year-end the oldest Buick in dealerships will be the Verano, introduced for 2012. Talk about keeping things fresh.
Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/drives/2014-buick-lacrosse-test-drive-15623758?src=rss
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