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At first glance, the LaCrosse may appear to be a bargain-priced
luxury car. It is larger than most of the others here, has a well-finished
interior, and rides comfortably and quietly. But further examination does
not support such an initial impression. The LaCrosse is big, but not roomy;
the rear seat is one of the tightest in the group. The front seats are also
not particularly comfortable as they are too low and not well shaped. The
standard 3.8-liter V6 neither provides particularly strong acceleration nor
gas mileage that is acceptable by this group’s standards. As a large,
softly-tuned car, the LaCrosse is anything but agile. Safety ratings are
mediocre. And it’s one of the priciest cars in the group without as much
equipment as some of the others. The luxury feel is no more genuine than on
more well-rounded competitors.
The LaCrosse has a very
comfortable ride. It’s not as soft as the Buick name would suggest, but is
still very absorbent and well-controlled. Despite its size and ride comfort,
it also handles capably. While reasonably agile, with well-controlled body
roll and accurate, and fairly responsive steering, it still feels like a big
car, and isn’t exactly fun to drive. Road, wind, and engine noise are very
well subdued, though what can be heard of the standard 3.8-liter V6 during
hard acceleration isn’t as pleasant as the engine note found in some
competitors. The car’s weight hinders its acceleration, but it has good
off-the-line acceleration and sufficient passing power. Unsurprisingly, gas
mileage is among the worst in the group.
Inside, the LaCrosse’s
front seats aren’t particularly comfortable. They have a long seat cushion,
though they are a bit low and soft, and there could be more headroom. And
the rear seat is one of the least comfortable in this group, despite the
LaCrosse’s exterior size, possibly its greatest shortcoming. Head and leg
room are lacking, and the low seat cushion is also too short. Feet will fit
under the front seats, at least, and the cushion is well-angled.
 The
interior, the same used in all LaCrosse models from $21,000 to $35,000, has
an upscale appearance, excellent materials quality, and impressive panel
fit. The gauges are large and very clear, and while the instruments are laid
out well, some could be bigger. Drivers sit very comfortably, but rearward
visibility is inhibited by small windows and thick roof pillars. Entry/exit
is easy enough to the front seats, but the sloped roofline and small door
openings complicate rear access. The trunk’s opening could be larger, but it
is reasonably large and well-shaped.
The LaCrosse reviewed
here came in at $20,941, scratching the group’s price ceiling even without
an abundance of features. Stability control is offered only on the
top-of-the-line CXS model, and torso-protecting side airbags aren’t offered
at all. The LaCrosse does include a 6-way power driver’s seat, GM’s OnStar
driver assistance system, automatic headlights, and a tire-pressure monitor.
Overall, the LaCrosse has
enough strong points to give it a positive first impression as a $21,000
luxury car. But it is lacking in too many ways to be worth that $21,000.
There are better choices.
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