DRIVEN TO DRIVE

A special tribute will be paid to the legendary Carroll Shelby on Wednesday February 10, 2010 during a gala reception, from 7:00pm to 10:00pm, at the Canadian International AutoShow.

Tickets are available.

A 2011 Ford Shelby GT500, with Shelby’s autograph prominent on the hood, will be auctioned live at the Gala Reception, along with other exclusive Shelby-related items. The GT-500 has been generously donated by the Toronto Ford Dealers Association.

The net proceeds of the event, hosted by CIAS and supported by the Toronto Automobile Dealers Foundation, will be donated to the Carroll Shelby Foundation and the Canadian Motorsport Heritage Foundation.

Tickets for the Carroll Shelby Gala Reception are available to the public for $150 each. Further information can be found and ticket reservations can be made at www.autoshow.ca/shelby.

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS is essentially a very nice car.  It’s well built and performs admirably. But it has its quirks, and it takes time to adjust to them.  But overall I was impressed, not only be the functionality but by the quality.  This car could have/should have scored a higher mark and would have had it not been for a few, let’s say, items that have room for improvement 

Don’t forget that these ratings are somewhat subjective – however we do strive to be fair. Therefore readers should not get themselves in a tizzy if their opinions differ.

So in conclusion, here is the score card for the 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS –

Click here to see rating system

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse –

• Exterior Styling –  8.5
• Interior Styling –  8.5
• Passenger Comfort – 7.5 (8 for front seat passengers – 7 for rear seat passengers)
• From The Driver’s Seat – 7 (could have been an 8 if it wasn’t for the weird mirrors and huge “A” pillar
• Performance and Handling – 8
• Practicality and Versatility – 7  (Low door frames make it difficult for passengers to enter and exit, plus small access to trunk).
• User Friendliness – 8 (This was a bit of an enigma – once a person has become familiar with the vehicle, it is user friendly, but there is a steep learning curve.  This core is based upon knowning what everything is all about).
• Quality of Materials and Workmanship – 8.5
• Active and Passive Safety – 6  (While the Buick LaCrosse scored well in safety, having optional airbags is a huge no-no)

Over all 7.7

Here’s what I do like

Let me emphasise, these are things I like! Again, others may agree. Some people may be impartial and some may even disagree. I don’t care – here are the things I like about this vehicle.

Performance and Handling

The Buick Lacrosse CXL is essentially an upscale family car with four doors for two adults, two kids and the family dog.  It’s not there to compete with the “zero to 60 in under 5 seconds” crowd, or for occupants to experience excessive G-forces in corners. It’s a vehicle designed to transport family members to and fro in relative luxury, and to that end it does it very well.

The LaCrosse CXS comes with the 280hp 3.6L V6 transverse mounted motor that produces 259 lb-ft of torque at 4800 rpm, and this is delivered to the road via a 6-speed automatic transmission.  What does this mean?  It means the CXS has more power than the average driver will ever need.

What is important is the fact that this power is delivered cleanly and smoothly, and the transmission’s shifts are hardly noticeable.  For those who require more fun, there is the fully automatic Sport Mode.  Simply move the shifter to the left and enjoy the shifts at higher rpm.  For those who want total Driver Shift Control – while in Sport Mode, move the shifter forwards or backwards to either shift up or to shift down.

Brakes – When you have over 4000 lbs of un-laden vehicle being thrust by 280 hp, then it’s nice to have the confidence of a good set of brakes.  While I only had to use the brakes in earnest once.  That was when someone driving a car to my left decided at the last moment to take the exit looming on my right and in so doing.  This little act of folly, almost resulted in a re-sculptured front left fender.  I don’t know.  It’s big, it’s white, it has light – what’s not to notice?  Anyway, thanks to the Buick’s full set of disk brakes, calamity was averted.  I can’t tell in this case, if the braking system’s Intelligent Assist was activated or not, but for those unfamiliar with this feature – the amount of “enthusiasm” applied to the brakes at any given moment is instantly analysed and the appropriate amount of braking is adjusted accordingly.

Wheels and Tires – When all is said and done, it’s the wheels and tires that call the shots.  The wheels determine the shape of the tire’s contact patch and it’s the tires that grip the road.  Now, I’m somewhat embarrassed to have driven a vehicle with 19” wheels wearing 245/40 profile tires (Goodyear Eagles RS-A All Season tires), with temperatures dipping below freezing.  In warmer temperatures, these tires would no doubt come into their own realm of happiness.  That’s not say they didn’t perform well – they did, but winter tires are better this time of the year.  Tire profile is a give and take.  The lower the profile, the better the handle.  The lower the profile, the harsher the ride.  Having said that, the ride was very good so I can only surmise this car must be a dream to drive in ideal temperatures.

From The Driver’s Seat

The Buick LaCrosse wasn’t the easiest car to get accustomed to.  It certainly had its quirks, but the interesting thing was – the more I drove it, the more I enjoyed driving it.  It’s a shame that the new buyer only gets to drive a vehicle around the block from which they have to decision.  I was still discovering things about this vehicle after a week of driving. We’ve talked about the “A” pillar and mirrors in Day 6, so here are some of the other quirks –

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• The seat controls were down the side of the seat but were difficult to reach with the door closed.  This was interesting – seat controls in this location have been a problem if a seat belt gets caught up in them.  However, the way the seat belt is positioned – it is very difficult to get the belt caught.  I can’t tell if this was deliberate or accidental.  Either way, I would have preferred to have the seat controls up out of the way.

• There are two memory positions for the driver’s seat which is convenient if there are two drivers.  However, the steering column has only manual telescopic and tilt.  It would seem natural that this adjustment be powered and therefore be tied into the memory control.

And here is some of the really kool stuff -

• I love the “Head up Display” (HUD) – this is not a gimmick.  The vehicle speed, in either Digital or Analog format, is displayed just below the line of sight.  It’s unobtrusive yet convenient.  Warnings about the possibility of ice, for example, pop up from time to time.

• The harman/kardon sound system delivered through 11 speakers is a joy to behold.  I never did quite find all 11 speakers, but who cares when you’re listening to the rich voice of Andrea Bocelli in the days leading up to Christmas.

• Navigations systems get better and better and this was one of the best – perhaps because it was one of the latest.  Regardless, I liked it.  I was also amused by the fact that when I got a low fuel warning, the navigation system immediately displayed the location of nearby gas stations.  Why did I suddenly run low on gas?  Well, it was because the fuel gauge was not quite linear.  It wouldn’t be the first GM vehicle that had left me stranded because of this little quirk.  OK guys – we’ve had our fun – now make it fixed!!  Gas gauges are only useful when they are linear.

THERE’S MORE TO COME  – Stay Tuned

This review was written based purely upon personal experiences gained during a test drive of one vehicle over a period of one week. The vehicle was evaluated solely upon its merits and not by price nor in direct comparison to any other vehicle. Prospective buyers are encouraged to contact their local dealerships to arrange a test drive to evaluate the vehicle based upon their own needs and requirements.

What’s not to like?

There are four things I don’t like – but let’s qualify that by emphasizing that these are four things I don’t like! Others may agree.  Some people may be impartial and some may even disagree.  I don’t care – here are the four things I don’t like.

1 – The Side Mirrors

From the outside, esthetically – I don’t like them.  They don’t seem to fit the over-all design.  They appear rather angular whereas the rest of the car has beautiful lines and curves.  But that is subjective.  From the driver’s seat – I hate them.  Mirrors are not ornaments – they serve a very real purpose, assuming drivers actually know how to use them, so don’t muck around with them.  When I look at an image in a side mirror I have to put this into perspective – that is, relate it to a known reference.  Many people like to see the side of their vehicle and use this as a reference point.  I prefer to open up the mirrors to gain a wider field of view, but on the Buick LaCrosse, the first thing I encounter is a weird shape.  There is no hard vertical or horizontal for me to reference.  The slanting top of the mirror also cuts off a huge area of relevant information.

In their favour, the mirrors do have heaters that can be activated with the defrost. They also automatically dim with bright head lights, and they have a display warning of vehicles in the blind zone (although I couldn’t get this particular option to work), but over all, oblong shaped mirrors would be a huge improvement.

2 – The Rear Seats

I’m not a big fan of the concept of First and Second Class passengers, especially in passenger vehicles.  The front seats are heated – the rears seats are not.  The front seats have cooling – the rears seats don’t. The front seats passengers have full airbags protection.  The rear seat passengers – well, a full set of air bags is an option. The front seat passengers have very comfortable seats that conform to the body.  The rear seat passengers get a quasi-bench seat to roll around on.  The third (centre) passenger gets to sit on  the hump.  The front seat passengers get plenty of head room – the rear seat passengers, not so much.  Here’s tip – when there are three rear seat passengers, put the shortest one on the hump.  If there are two rear seat passengers – they each get a cup holder.  With three rear seat passengers, all three will have to hold their drinks since the only available cup holders are in the fold-down arm rest.

All is not bad for the rear seat passengers – they do have plenty of leg room.

3 – The Left-Side “A” Pillar

This pillar presents a huge blind spot.  Yes I understand these pillars need to bear the weight of the vehicle in the event of a roll over, but the angle and position of this pillar is somewhat of a real concern and drivers will need to be aware of this especially while turning left.

4 – The Glove Compartment

The glove compartment, a name that lingers from the time when it was actually used for gloves, can be a useful space or not.  In the Buick LaCrosse, its only practical purpose seems to be to hold the many booklets pertaining to the ownership of the vehicle. The space isn’t at all spacious and it certainly isn’t all that practical, however, the thing I really dislike is the fact that it cannot be opened fully if there is a front seat adult passenger.   What were they thinking!?

Having said that – there are lots of things to like, but that’s for another day!

This review was written based purely upon personal experiences gained during a test drive of one vehicle over a period of one week. The vehicle was evaluated solely upon its merits and not by price nor in direct comparison to any other vehicle. Prospective buyers are encouraged to contact their local dealerships to arrange a test drive to evaluate the vehicle based upon their own needs and requirements.

The Engine Compartment

The interior hood release is tucked away at the left side of the foot-well. The exterior safety catch is easy enough to locate being dead centre under the hood.  Once released, the hood was incredibly easy to lift, and then it began to rise up by itself aided by a single piston support.

There no great surprises under the hood, everything was neatly positioned and nothing was “flapping in the breeze”.  The transverse mounted 3.6 litre V6 motor was for the most part hidden under the protective cover.

My only peeve was with the impractically narrow window washer fill-up nozzle.  It’s time automotive designers ventured into the real world and tried filling a window washer reservoir in the middle of the night in a howling snowstorm.  If they did, the next filler nozzle they designed would resemble a 4” diameter funnel!

That’s my gripe for the day.

But on the positive side – I did notice a weather seal around the complete engine compartment, not just along the leading edge.

The Cargo/Trunk Compartment

The truck is very tidy and looks very practical having a nice wide almost flat floor.  All sides of the truck were well lined and protected.  The same attention to detail went into the truck upholstery as with carpeting in the cabin area.  Even the speaker cones were well protected.

My only complaint with the truck area was the very rather limited size of access space – more practical for soft sided bags than for rigid boxes.

The Trunk space can be extended into the cabin area. The rear seats fold forward in a 40/60 configuration which presents a nice flat extended surface for far larger objects, assuming they fit through the trunk access space.

Also behind the rear seat centre armrest there is an excess panel covering a small hole leading from the trunk area – a hole about the right size to fit the ends of a pair of skis.  Since this hole serves little purpose other than to accommodate skiis, why not include a ski bag so moisture, grit and grime gathered from a day of skiing isn’t dragged into the cabin area?

OK – so that was my second gripe!

Spare Wheel

Oh how I hate spare wheels, but that’s another story. Since we’re talking about the Buick LaCrosse and the Buick LaCrosse comes with a spare wheel. Let’s look at the spare wheel. Oh how I hate compact spares wheels. Yes, they take up less space. Yes they are light and smaller, hence easier to manage, but where do you put the full size wheel after it has been exchanged for the compact?

You will need three hands to get this little sucker out of the trunk. One to hold up the floor covering and the other two to lift the wheel out. Oh how I hate spare wheels.  This is why we have roadside assistance.

OK – that’s my third gripe for the day!

This review was written based purely upon personal experiences gained during a test drive of one vehicle over a period of one week. The vehicle was evaluated solely upon its merits and not by price nor in direct comparison to any other vehicle. Prospective buyers are encouraged to contact their local dealerships to arrange a test drive to evaluate the vehicle based upon their own needs and requirements.