2010 Buick LaCrosse Milwaukee WI

December 7, 2009   By Zach Bowman, DriverSide Contributing Editor 
2010 Buick LaCrosse

2010 Buick LaCrosse
DriverSide Overview
Buick’s out to prove the brand earned its spot as one of the lucky four survivors of the General Motors meltdown. The marque most commonly associated with octogenarians and shuffleboard seems bent on breaking out of its elderly demo by doubling its product portfolio in a few short years. Instead of propagating the same snore-fest parade of beige rides that made up the Buick we all knew as kids, we’re told to expect a bold array of pulse-quickening offerings. Spearheading this effort is the 2010 LaCrosse. Bolstered by the success of the new Enclave (Buick says that model alone lowered their average owner’s age by 10 years), the company is striking out against the likes of the Acura TL, Toyota Avalon and Lincoln MKZ. With smart lines, a gorgeous interior and an available throaty 3.6-liter, direct-injection V-6 with 280 horsepower, the 2010 LaCrosse has the pedigree on paper. Top it off with an MSRP right at $30,000 and Buick may just have something. Whether it will sell to young bloods with money in their pockets still remains to be seen, however.
 







What's to Like
Power from either the 3.0-liter or 3.6-liter V-6 is more than enough to propel the 2010 LaCrosse along. The stylish interior is one part space age, two parts renaissance and all beautiful, and the cabin is one of the quietest of any vehicle we’ve had our hands on. Tricks like the helpful heads-up display and a hard drive that allows you to rewind satellite radio are welcome.
 
What's Not to Like
Though the highly-stylized door panels are more than attractive, accessing the door handles is a bit awkward at first. Don’t expect any adjustable pedals in the LaCrosse, either, though the telescoping, tilting steering wheel and fully adjustable seats go a long way toward negating their need. The much raved about, fuel-thrifty four-cylinder engine won’t be available until later in the year, either. 
 
The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
The most striking thing about driving the 2010 LaCrosse is what’s not there: noise. Buick’s engineers have done an excellent job of isolating and eliminating cabin noise, and the result is a cavernous interior that doesn’t sound like you’re driving an empty 50-gallon drum down the road. Instead, you’re rewarded with an astounding amount of silence, even when fitted with larger 18-inch alloy wheels in the touring package. Despite the quiet, you’re given the smooth crescendo of an exhaust note from either the 3.0-liter V-6 or the more potent 3.6-liter version when under acceleration. Really romp on the throttle, and there’s a surprising amount of torque steer, especially when changing lanes for a pass. Beyond that, the 2010 LaCrosse is beautifully ...

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