2010 LaCrosse breaks new ground for revived Buick brand.

To paraphrase the old General Motors advertising slogan, “this ain’t your father’s Buick.” While the old ad slogan actually referred to your father’s Oldsmobile, it completely fits with Buick’s new-for-2010 LaCrosse, which features a coupe-like exterior styling in a four-door, five-passenger mid-size sedan. It’s a car that raises eyebrows, from both the curb and from behind the wheel. While the 2010 LaCrosse uses an existing Buick nameplate and carries a couple of old Buick design clues like the waterfall grille (dating back to the ’30s) and the porthole vents on the hood (dating back to the ’40s), this is a car that breaks new ground for Buick.

Buicks have been positioned as upscale cars throughout their 100-year plus history, and in the glory days of the brand they were referred to as the ‘doctor’s car’ or the ‘banker’s car.’ That has long since passed and, more recently, Buicks have earned a reputation of appealing only to an older crowd. GM is hoping to dispel that notion with this new offering, meant to appeal to a much wider, worldwide audience.
 “We expect we’ll have a whole host of new customers because this car is so different,” says Fred Dixon, product manager with General Motors Canada
“We are aiming at a younger crowd,” he added, noting that traditional Buick customers are among the General’s most loyal so they too will be drawn to the new LaCrosse.
The LaCrosse name has been used in the United States since 2004 for what we in Canada have known as the Buick Allure. But for 2010 the LaCrosse is totally new, and while priced up to $5,000 more than the outgoing Allure, the menu of standard features has been significantly improved.
And while the car itself is shorter than the old Allure, the wheelbase is longer. It is built on a platform from GM Europe, with interior design and engineering from China and an exterior design from North America. Now that’s global design in every sense, and the car is destined for sale in North America, China and Korea.
GM hopes this new design, with its focus on luxury, will lure professionals like doctors and bankers back to the brand while also appealing to a younger, hipper audience. It is aimed at entry-level luxury buyers, like those who currently move into cars like the Lexus ES 350, the Toyota Avalon or the Acura TL. The LaCrosse has a lot to offer, including a mid-level CXL trim with all-wheel drive. This is something that should be very appealing to drivers in northern climates like ours, and is not offered on competitors like the Lexus ES 350. However, even at the base CX level, which starts at $32,745, the LaCrosse is well equipped and adequately powered. Its 3.0L V6, with variable valve timing and direct injection, produces 255 horsepower. The mid-level CXL ($34,745/ $38,245) is available in front- or all-wheel drive with the same 3.0-litre V6, that delivers three fewer horsepower in all-wheel drive mode. Top-line is the CXS ($40,745), which has a 3.6L V6 generating 280 horsepower. All come with a six-speed manual transmission with adaptive shift controls and tap up/down capability. Both V6 engines are peppy enough, but I particularly like the 3.6L V6 that makes 25 more horsepower and interestingly is more fuel-efficient.
A third powertrain option, a 182 horsepower, 2.4L four-cylinder engine, will be available later this year. This is the same engine currently in GM’s Equinox/Terrain crossover vehicles.
But what sets the 2010 LaCrosse apart from Buicks of the past is the ride and handling. The MacPherson struts up front, and a four-link setup on the rear, handle even the biggest potholes while an optional real-time damping suspension has sensors to monitor body, wheel and lateral acceleration. The result is a smooth, quiet ride without the usual body roll and floaty feeling found on Buicks of old. I came to appreciate this after driving  
> the LaCrosse through the Laurentian mountains north of Montreal on roads that were just plain awful in many parts. The LaCrosse handled it all with ease, including twisty sections to and from the beautiful resort area of Mont Tremblant. The anti-lock brakes – ventilated discs up front and solid discs on the rear  – work well and were appreciated on the steep, winding mountain roads.
Both the CX and CXL feature 17-inch wheels as standard, while the CXL AWD gets 18s (optional on the CXL FWD). The CXS also has 18s with 19-inch wheels optional as part of an $895 Touring Package that includes the real-time damping suspension.
And while the improved ride was indeed a treat, another highlight of the LaCrosse is the quietness in the cabin  – “library quiet” as Buick calls it. The interior is nicely finished with good use of faux wood, soft touch plastics and chrome trim. The comfortable front seats are bolstered just enough to keep you snug on those tight corners. The cabin has a refined, upscale look to it and the blue ambient lighting adds a nice touch in the evening hours.
Designers paid particular attention to the back seat area, which has plenty of leg and headroom and comfortable seating, because the car is expected to be a big seller in China where many business executives are chauffeur driven. On the safety front, six airbag are standard (front, side curtain and front thorax) along with front passenger air bag suppression. If you want to nitpick about something, trunk capacity could be better and the small trunk opening makes access difficult. But these are minor points indeed.
The LaCrosse comes with a long list of standard features in every trim level, along with a comprehensive list of options. In addition to the previously mentioned Touring Package, there’s an available navigation system with back-up camera, adaptive forward lighting, side blind zone alert, heads-up display, dual seat-mounted DVD screens and rear thorax airbags.
Just as Cadillac has been able to attract a younger audience with its hipper, more up-to-date styling and performance on par with German and Japanese competitors, General Motors hopes LaCrosse will do the same for Buick. Only time will tell, but once customers get behind the wheel, they’ll see this is a Buick like none other in recent memory, and definitely not your father’s land yacht.