[usa1]

Everyone is forgetting that "first drives" or "previews" are powder puff reviews filled with more manufacturer information than any real driving experiences. Did they mentioned how the car performed? Nope. A full review will be much more meaningful and I'm sure will not be positive.

Mark

 

[ctaylorzl1]

Decent review, I figures the mags would tear it apart af first as being just another rebadge. But not this time, nice to see all the improvements over the other W-V8's! Sounds like what it gives up in straight line acceleration it makes up for with other high class features!

 

[MonaroSS]

I agree...

If Buick doesn't make this car one day, they're idiots.

Thanks mate,

Well Lutz really likes it, but I don't think Bob gets his way as much any more. The bean counters are taking over again.

 

[ericmvest]

Otherwise, don't expect to sell many loaded LaCrosses at anything close to MSRP.

I just looked at Buicks website. A completed loaded (all options) LaCrosse lists for $34,700. General Motors is offering a $2,500 direct to customer rebate in my zip code. If you negociated much of a deal at all you could buy this car for $30K. If you got a full GM Card rebate of $3.5K you could buy this car for $26.5K. It seems like a lot of car for the money at that price.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Thanks mate,

Well Lutz really likes it, but I don't think Bob gets his way as much any more. The bean counters are taking over again.

You designed that? It's one of the nicest looking vehicles I've ever seen..

 

[slowinthefastlane]

The outside is nice, but the inside looks horrible. The dash is like the previous generation Camry with wood stuck on it. Plus, you can't get all of goodies like you can on the Lexus like a premium audio system, navigation, bluetooth, etc. Buick's going to have to step up their game if they want to be a credible Lexus competitor. The only thing they have going for them now is the very awesome Enclave.

 

[Avalanche13]

The outside is nice, but the inside looks horrible. The dash is like the previous generation Camry with wood stuck on it. Plus, you can't get all of goodies like you can on the Lexus like a premium audio system, navigation, bluetooth, etc. Buick's going to have to step up their game if they want to be a credible Lexus competitor. The only thing they have going for them now is the very awesome Enclave.

You know I can flip that. I can't get the goodies under the hood on an ES. I also can't get the Buick quietness or soft ride. I also can't get the sexy monstrous grille. Buicks are not meant to be rolling technology shows. They're supposed to be understated, quiet, soft riding traditional American cars.

 

[tgagneguam]

What were they thinking with the interior??

The whole problem is that they weren't thinking.

For me, this whole vehicle highlights the stark difference between the recent GM and the new GM, which has launched some pretty amazing vehicles. This car neither inspires nor offends, and it will generate just about as much excitement in the marketplace as that phrase suggests. Hopefully, the LaCrosse Super-despite the above reasonable review-represents the last vestiges of a GM that followed the mantra "good enough will do." Again, this car isn't bad, but we all know for a variety of reasons the new GM is capable of so much more. (The completely amazing CTS Coupe (Concept) is proof positive of that!).

 

[Avalanche13]

I used to work for a very wealthy man who ran an aluminum extrusion company. This man could have bought any kind of car in the world that he wanted, but he always bought a top-of-the-line Chevy Caprice, every 3 years, just like clockwork. I asked him why, and he said that they were the best cars you could buy for the money. True story.

Smart man. The Caprice was truly a car worth more than its price tag. Mine has 162,000 on it now (should really update my sig) and still leaks/burns nothing. The finish is near pristine (the passenger front and rear doors look bad because the car was in an accident and those needed to be repainted and body shop paint apparently doesn't hold up like factory paint).

Attending this year's auto show taught me that the premium you pay for a luxury car doesn't get you much if you ignore the badge. BMW 7 vs Chrysler 300, the Chrysler's roomier, lighter, has a softer interior, and plenty of power. Why pay the absurd premium. You aren't really getting too much more. And don't give me that craftsmanship line, its only marginally better at best. For the life of me, I do not get the interior materials complaint on the LX cars. The dash is solid, feels sturdy and durable and certainly not cheap. The 7's dash however felt smushy and looked like it wouldn't stand up to 10+ years of abuse as well as the 300's. Yes the BMW is softer to the touch but that dash will get sticky, faded, messy , scratched, etc, wheras the Chysler's dash can be cleaned with a wet rag. And why is softer to the touch a good thing for these reviewers? I really don't care either way as long as it feels solid and not flimsy.

While I was at the show, I took a bunch of pictures of the fake wood in alot of these cars, when I get the time to crop out the fake wood from the rest of the dash I'm going to post them here for comparisons to see which you GMI folks find the nicest without being able to know what manufacturer it is.

 

[poncho1982]

I don't care if the Buick came with a 10 year warranty. I'd still pick the Impala SS over
that butt ugly LaCrosse. I can't deal with the extremely hideous looking headlights.

no doubt, looks like a 90's Taurus.

 

[WishIhadatruck]

Way more to the point, at $32,605, it's a whole lot of Buick for $1980 less than a Lexus ES350.

They certainly didn't say it was better than the Lexus. It is a descent car with lots of power. I'd love to drive one but would rather have the Lexus gas bill. It has a very fuel efficient V6 and is still pretty fast.

I'd prefer the Roadmaster someone else mentioned if they ever make one.

 

[Hunter]

I think they did a good job with what they had...even though the interior is very plain, I love the way they matched the interior color to the exterior

 

[GM lover]

I like the LaCrosse it has nice interior okay styling for a nice price. The only changes it needs is the illimination of the old 3800 V6 as the base engine and have the 3.6 HF engine as standard.

 

[Hoosier Red]

I still can't get over the fact that Hyundai's new Genesis is the exact car that Buick should be building....but doesnt.

A big, RWD cruiser luxury car for half the price of a Lexus LS (which is how the Lexus LS got started....by building a Mercedes SEL for half the price).

If the Buick LaCrosse Super were an independently sprung RWD car(with RWD car proportions)that handled well and had a nice, roomy interior, then I can see them easily getting another $4000 for this car and their sales would probably go up. Buick needs 1 car to replace the Lucerne and LaCrosse- and that is something alont the lines of what they build for the Chinese. I don't think Buick should build a front drive sedan.
Enclave is their mainstream people mover. The Park ave is the real Buick, and a new RWD Wildcat should be on the Camaro chassis with a DI Supercharged V6. All buicks should forgo the V8 in favor of a supercharged six.....I always thought that is what Buicks were about. I loved those Park Avenues with the subtle "supercharged" badge on the back. I loved how they were big, stately cars that looked slow....but they have that little badge that means attitude.

You can't charge those prices on a W body car and expect to sell them WITHOUT massive rebates. The torque steer, handling, ride, and HUGE front overhang just don't work for those prices, even if it's still a very good car.
This race-track ready W body buck should have been in showrooms about 15 years ago, then I'd understand. Otherwise, don't expect to sell many loaded LaCrosses at anything close to MSRP.

This guy is reading my mind! Absolutely agree with the entire post.

 

[nadepalma]

Wow! I thought they were going to eat that car for lunch...

I did too.

Nice to see it fared as well as it did.

I can't wait to see the next LaCrosse debut.

 

[camaro_freak]

Pity it isn't trimmed with the Chinese interior.

I hate to be negative but that would take additional money. Additional money GM obviously didn't want to spend on Buick NA. They'd rather beef up the performance then seriously address interior and exterior ... WOOF A v8 still attached to an old dog 4 speed tranny?

Is this supposed to compete on price alone? Lipstick on a pig

Look at that interior! In Buick-land it must be 1998 still. Money not well spent GM, money not well spent at all.

 

[61BelAir]

It's a Buick. The interior is supposed to be conservative and simplistic. Its not supposed to be flashy or sporty. And what with that space wasting console shift? It it ain't a stick put on the column and let me use that space for storage and such.

And how many people bought a Buick last year? That conservative thinking is what got GM into the predicament they are currently trying to break out of! The dash has too many straight lines in it. Its bland and doesn't flow well! I can't think of many people who go looking for a car and say I want a car that has really bland styling! Of course there are some who like something thats a little understated and not flashy, but understated doesn't have to be dull/bland!

 

[FierySolstice]

I didn't know Buick had fans.. hmm.. thought they all died.

 

[FierySolstice]

I did too.

Nice to see it fared as well as it did.

I can't wait to see the next LaCrosse debut.

I'd rather see the next G6, then a Buick anyday..

 

[FierySolstice]

I agree...

Ok that is the ugliest car I have ever seen. GM just kill Buick and be done with. Focus on Cadillac for the luxury segment. God, I can't figure out if they are trying to rip off Jaguar, Maseratti, or Aston Martin, and they aren't doing a good job at it either.