Sliding into the heated leather driver’s seat of the 2012 Buick LaCrosse, I felt wrapped in comfort and luxury.
A cozy center armrest at just the right height made it an easy reach to the media center and climate controls. Subtle blue ambient lighting along the dashboard and control knobs contrasts the ebony interior. The LaCrosse felt custom-made for me and I hadn’t yet tweaked the seat or the leather-wrapped steering wheel.
I shouldn’t be surprised by the opulence, it’s a Buick after all, and our test LaCrosse was loaded with options.
Topping the list was a $1,295 rear-seat entertainment system that was a big hit with our children. They could load a movie into the DVD player and watch on two monitors placed inside the backs of the front seats. The system also included headphone jacks so that while the kids watched a movie, my wife and I could enjoy the satellite radio.
Other optional equipment included upgrades to the speaker system, advanced headlamps and safety technology. I could live without much of it, but the side blind-spot alert is a must-have. A warning light appears in the side-view mirror when other vehicles enter the blind spot. It’s part of a $1,440 driver confidence package that includes high-intensity headlamps with adaptive forward lighting and a heads-up display that projects speed and other information onto the windshield just above the dashboard.
Although Buick shies away from calling the LaCrosse a hybrid, the sedan uses a lithium-ion battery and motor generator to give the power train an electric boost that the company calls eAssist. The eAssist technology gives the LaCrosse decent gas mileage, 25 mpg city/36 mpg highway, combined with a roomy interior to make it an appealing entry-level luxury sedan.
Buick pairs fuel-sipping hybrid technology with a 2.4 liter, four-cylinder engine that generates 182 horsepower.
The big sedan did feel underpowered, but a six-speed automatic transmission helped to compensate for the LaCrosse’s lack of muscle.
We did a trip up to Putney, Vt., through a particularly hilly section of highway and the LaCrosse handled the terrain effortlessly. Not only was the engine quiet as we charged up the hills, but road noise was non-existent.
Buick also offers the LaCrosse with a 3.6-liter V6 engine and all-wheel drive.
The LaCrosse has a sculpted exterior design that is highlighted by chrome body molding and 17-inch alloy wheels. Carbon black metallic paint gives this Buick an elegant appearance.
Buick blends conventional and futuristic technology under the hood. A traditional emblem, waterfall grille and porthole vents serve as reminders of Buick’s heritage as the oldest continuous American automobile make.
Courtesy of bostonherald.com
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