L.A. Auto Show 2015: 2017 Buick LaCrosse
What it is
Built by General Motors, the Buick LaCrosse is an elegant, full-size sedan designed to compete at the lower end of the luxury automobile segment. Buick hasn’t released pricing, but the car it replaces starts at $31,990. It goes on sale next summer.
Why it matters
The LaCrosse is the brand’s flagship car and the marker of its design language.
“It casts a light over every product for a brand and tells people what they can expect,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick Sales and Marketing.
It also can’t be tailored for only U.S. consumers. The front-wheel-drive LaCrosse has an international audience. While Buick sells about 50,000 LaCrosse sedans annually in the U.S., the car is a huge seller in China, where consumers gravitate to large vehicles with roomy back seats. China accounts for 80,000 to 90,000 LaCrosse sales annually.
Buick needs to increase its U.S. LaCrosse sales if it is to reach “a longtime goal of being recognized as an upscale mainstream brand boasting refinement and quality on par with high volume luxury marques,” said Eric Lyman, vice president of industry insights at car shopping company TrueCar.com.
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What’s new
The 2017 LaCrosse replaces a model first introduced in 2009. It is longer, lower, wider and lighter than the car it replaces. The new LaCrosse sheds 300 pounds.
“That makes everything perform better, the acceleration, the breaking, the handling and the ride,” Aldred said.
It also should improve efficiency, but Buick has not released fuel economy data.
The car also will likely be the quietest vehicle in its class thanks to triple door seals, Boise noise-cancellation technology and new sound-deadening material.
Styling also has changed. The front end is inspired by the Buick Avenir concept vehicle displayed at the Detroit auto show earlier this year. It features a new grille design with a large opening distinguished by the return of a three-color — red, silver and blue — Buick tri-shield insignia.
The competition
Buick has benchmarked the car against the Lexus ES. Other rivals include the Acura TLX and large cars positioned below Buick, such as the Toyota Avalon and Nissan Maxima.
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The details
The LaCrosse gets an all-new 3.6 liter, V-6 engine with direct injection that incorporates new features such as cylinder deactivation and Stop/Start technology to improve fuel economy. There’s also important safety features such as forward-collision alert with automatic braking and blind spot alerts.
Powertrain: 3.6 liter, V-6
Transmission: New eight-speed transmission
Fuel economy: TBD
Horsepower: 305
Torque: 268
Fuel: Regular unleaded
