The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is a completely redesigned car. With a breathtaking exterior, a luxurious interior and a powerhouse engine, this car may just bring GM the new set of fans it needs to stay in business.
The LaCrosse features the signature Buick grille. The window openings are trimmed with chrome, as are the taillights – large LED taillights, in fact. The rear of the car features a boat tail crease and dual exhausts, and the front headlights are large and mounted atop the hood in the signature Buick port holes. The car has a fastback look, with a swept roof line that reflects both modern and classic tastes.
But if you think this car looks good from the outside, just wait until you step inside. The instrument panel has a two-tone layered look that flows without interruption into the door panels. The center console features inlays of real wood and bright silver trim and the navigation system features a large touch screen. The controls are easy to use and it’s easy to tell at a glance which control is which. The instrument panel, door panels and center console feature ambient lighting in cool blue – even the instrument gauge hood is hand stitched, showing a serious commitment to making the LaCrosse a real contender in the market for entry-level luxury sedans.
The base engine in the 2010 LaCrosse is a V6, but it’s larger than the ones in previous models. In fact, this V6 has an output that’s close to the former V8 supers, but offers a slight improvement in fuel economy. With these improvements, the 0 to 60 mph time for the LaCrosse CXS is estimated at just under 7 seconds. The CXL trim package has the option of using the same all wheel drive Halde system as the Turbo X from Saab, which allows for increased safety, performance and handling by sending as much as 86 percent of the torque from the engine to the rear wheels.
The Buick LaCrosse is available in three trim levels. The CX is the base model and comes with full power features and air conditioning. The mid-range model – the CSL – adds leather upholstery, improved exterior trim and automatic climate control. The top of the line LaCrosse is the Super. With the Super, you get an upgraded engine – a 5.3 liter V8 as opposed to the 3.8 liter V6 in the other two trims. The Super also has a sports suspension, dual chrome exhausts, and front and rear styling unique to this package. Six passengers can fit in the LaCrosse and the trunk offers 16 cubic feet of storage space.
Overall, the Buick LaCrosse offers the comfortable, quiet ride Buicks are known for. Passengers are comfortably isolated from the usual bumps in the road, although the soft seats may not provide enough support for longer trips. The only other downside on this otherwise outstanding model is that the four speed automatic transmissions could be replaced with more efficient and robust five and six speeds to offer more gusto for driving aficionados. But otherwise, if you’re in the market for an entry-level luxury sedan, you won’t be disappointed with the 2010 Buick LaCrosse.
