2014 Buick Lacrosse AWD, as driven by Russell Purcell
Overview: Executive class full size sedan with all-wheel-drive.
Pros: Good value when compared to competitors. Tremendous passenger space.
Cons: Wood trim looks too much like plastic so fails to impress.
Value for money: Good
The Buick LaCrosse is one of the few luxury sedans to offer AWD,
Russell Purcell, Driving
What would I change?: Improve on look of wood trim. Dash has odd strip of the material bridging across its surface to tie in with the door panels and it is so shiny that it proved distracting in the sunlight.
Buick has long been one of General Motors’ luxury brands, but the storied division has been struggling to hold on to its market share as of late due to increased pressure from foreign competitors, not to mention the fact that the brand seems to have limited appeal to consumers under the age of 60.
GM designers kicked off a new era when they brought a new Regal to market in 2011. The Regal had been designed as a sports sedan in hopes that it would attract young buyers and help reinvigorate the Buick nameplate. The car was impressive and proved popular with Canadian consumers due to the fact that it was stylish, well-equipped, and a solid performer.
The Regal became the foundation for a design philosophy that would bring us the smaller Verano sedan, and the subject of this review, the executive class LaCrosse.
Luxurious and very well equipped, the LaCrosse has all the makings to follow the path of the Regal and help GM reboot the Buick brand and get younger folks behind the wheel of Buick products. It carries a similar shape to the Regal and many of the styling cues that help give the new Buicks a distinctive look and much more curb appeal.
The waterfall grille, triple VentiPorts on the hood and oversized headlamps with LED accent lighting help make the LaCrosse immediately recognizable as a Buick.
The LaCrosse’s aerodynamic shape helps the car cheat the wind, but it also helps reduce the amount of wind noise that disrupts the serenity of the passenger cabin. Active aero shutters are employed on the car’s lower grille to help further control air flow and improve the car’s fuel efficiency.
The 6-speed automatic transmission includes driver shift control.
Russell Purcell, Driving
The Lacrosse is a large car, but it doesn’t feel ungainly when you get behind the wheel. It features a wide stance and relatively long wheelbase, which helps the car deliver a smooth ride and inherent stability. The independent suspension helped keep the car tracking straight and true, but avoids making the car feel floaty like big Buicks of the past.
The interior reflects GM’s goal to revolutionize the brand and the styling presents a significant step forward for the brand.
All panel and seating surfaces work well together, but several of my passengers commented that the optional Sangria leather seemed like a step backwards, mostly due to the burgundy colour. There was also a largely negative reaction to the appearance of the wood trim, which is in abundance, as it looked more like plastic than a natural material.
Fit and finish is on par with the best offerings from Europe or Japan, and the cabin layout conveys a sense of spaciousness.
The front seats offer excellent support during hard cornering, while at the same time proving comfortable enough for long distance touring. All instrumentation and controls were easy to see and reach from the driver’s position, and I found their use intuitive in short order.
The rear cabin seemed enormous. In fact, I had so much legroom that I felt like I was seated in a limousine. The test unit had been ordered with a heavy helping of optional equipment, including twin, rear-seat mounted, LCD entertainment screens which only added to the limo ambiance.
Large, 19-inch painted alloy wheels are fitted with performance all-season tires.
Russell Purcell, Driving
Standard LaCrosse models feature a front-wheel-drive layout powered by a 2.4-litre Ecotec inline-four cylinder engine boosted by a 115-volt Lithium-ion battery pack. This combination delivers 182 horsepower and 172 foot-pounds of torque, and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. I haven’t experienced this car firsthand, but I do fear that it might struggle in the performance department given the car’s immense size.
The top-of-the-line LaCrosse benefits from the addition of all-wheel-drive, which should help it gain some sales traction in the Canadian marketplace. All-wheel-drive models come fitted with a 3.6-litre V6 engine under the hood and a six-speed automatic. With direct injection and Flex Fuel capabilities, this double-overhead cam engine is both efficient and powerful. General Motors engineering literature claim output at 304 horsepower and 264 foot-pounds of torque.
The all-wheel-drive model came equipped with basically every option and tipped the scales at a beefy 1,772 kilograms, so I was surprised at how effortlessly the engine and gearbox hustled the car up to highway speeds without hesitation. Acceleration is brisk, not laboured, and the smooth-shifting transmission proved a pleasure to use. This slick and efficient gearbox offers manual mode (Driver Shift Control) capabilities which made short work of freeway onramps and helped with driver confidence when executing passing manoeuvres.
There are two trim packages offered for the LaCrosse AWD- Leather and Premium 1. Both are well-equipped and feature niceties such as dual-zone automatic climate control, leather seating, E-Z Key passive entry system with push-button start, fog lights, mirrors with integrated turn signals and an auto-dimming rear view mirror. Technology fans will appreciate the 120-volt power outlet, premium Buick IntelliLink infotainment system, Bose Surround Sound, satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, rear park assist and a rear camera. Buyers seeking a little more luxury can order the Premium 1 package which adds ventilated front seats and a power operated rear sunshade.
Most drivers will freely admit that for the most part, passenger cars are much more pleasant to drive than their cumbersome sport utility relatives, especially in urban environments. As a result, the Buick LaCrosse AWD should prove popular with those Canadian consumers looking for all-weather traction, but who are wary of purchasing a CUV or SUV.
The gauge cluster is easy to see and read day or night.
Russell Purcell, Driving
The Specs
Type of vehicle All-wheel-drive, front-engine, full-size sedan
Engine 3.6-litre, 24-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC V6
Power 304 hp @ 6,800 rpm; 264 lb.-ft. @ 5,800 rpm
Transmission 6-speed automatic transmission
Brakes Four-wheel disc with ABS
Tires P245/45 R19
Price: base / as tested $43,655 / $54,925
Destination charge $1,600
Natural Resources Canada
fuel economy L / 100 km
City: 12.2L (23 mpg); Hwy: 7.5L (38 mpg)
Standard features: Heated and ventilated power operated front seats, 60/40 split rear seat, heated steering wheel, rear power centre, rear power operated window sunshade, universal home remote, full complement of airbags (front, front and rear side, front and rear curtain), electronic parking brake, dual bright exhaust tips, StabiliTrak electronic stability control, traction control, ultrasonic rear park assist, rear vision camera, alarm system, automatic headlight control, OnStar, 19-inch aluminum wheels, solar absorbing glass, heated exterior mirrors with integrated turn signals, LED tail lamps, Quiet Tuning Package, dual-zone automatic climate control, EZ-Key keyless access with push-button start, power windows and locks, cruise control, Bluetooth, Driver Information Centre with 8-inch display, tire pressure monitoring system, Buick IntelliLink audio system (8-inch LCD display, AM/FM/CD with USB port and Bluetooth streaming), BOSE Centrepoint Surround Sound system with 11 speakers, SiriusXM satellite radio.
Options: Buick IntelliLink radio with navigation ($995); Driver Confidence Package #1 ($2,995) – Includes side blind zone alert with lane change alert, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, forward collision alert, heads-up display, front halogen fog lamps, Xenon HID articulating headlamps; Ultra-Luxury Package ($2,050) – Includes Sangria leather seats, wood accents and trim, leather wrapped console and armrests, suede headliner/pillars/vanity visors; Sunroof ($1,660); Rear seat entertainment system ($1,750); Premium all-weather floor mats ($160).
