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.

The Buick LaCrosse cockpit

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.

6-Speed transmission offering both Sport Mode and Driver Shift Control

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.

P245/40R19 by Goodyear

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 –

Driver side seat controls

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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.

A rear facing camera is part of the "Park Assist" feature

It was time to see what GM had to say on the subject

I went to the local GM dealership and picked up a Buick LaCrosse brochure.  As I flipped the pages, something jumped out at me – pages 4 was headed – “Compromise isn’t part of our Vocabulary”!  I hadn’t realized up until then but this statement is pretty accurate.  GM has not compromised one little bit.  Not only that, there are some interesting and some innovative features.

1. I like the Head Up Display (HUD). While it’s not new, it is a very useful feature.  There are several display formats depending upon a driver’s personal preference and these are updated as information changes – information such as changes in temperature to the name of new being played on a CD.
2. The blind zone alert.  I like the concept – just haven’t figured out how it works yet.
3. Park assist is really nice especially with rear view option.  Due to the high truck profile and the slanted rear window, there isn’t a lot of visibility available for when backing up.  Having park assist is a godsend and this comes in the form of audible beeps in conjunction with amber and red lights located just above the rear window.  It gets better, with the Navigational System Package, an optional extra on the CXL and CXS models, a rear mounted camera relays a live feed to the navigation screen the moment Reverse has been selected.  I have to admit it takes a little getting used to, I still want to use the mirrors and look through the rear window, and perhaps this is a good thing, but the fact remains – there are lots of options available to make backing up a safe experience.
4. There is a 3-prong 120v AC outlet located just below the ventilation ducts for the rear passengers. The first thing that crossed my mind was why 3-prong, what could the car be grounded on, then it occurred to me that some appliances come with three prongs – duh!
5. The Keyless entry and keyless start are nice, although after 4 days I’m still looking for a key as I approach the vehicle.  Walk up to it – open the doors.  Sit in the driver’s seat – start the motor.  It’s that simple and that easy, just as long at the key is in close proximity.
6. The vehicle has “Puddle Lights” so called because they illuminate the area near the door, so you can see the puddle.  Some vehicles have these un the underside of the door handle so you can see where you are stepping before you open the door.  Of course once the door is open, the light is shinning in the wrong spot.  The Buick LaCrosse has puddle light situated on the underside of the door that illuminate the stepping area while the door remains open.

Some good news – I discovered how to open the gas cap cover.  Push it in and it pops open.  With all the other technology, I was searching for a button to press.  I just wasn’t thinking of something so simple.

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.