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The LaCrosse is a larger
vehicle than most of the other cars in this group, and even handles reasonably
well against its smaller competitors’ standards. Add on a very comfortable and
quiet ride to its list of strong points, as well as a high-quality interior,
some may wonder what kept it relatively far back in this comparison. One major
issue is that as a larger car, is more expensive than most of the others here,
yet it lacks large-car benefits. The rear seat is neither roomy nor
comfortable, and the trunk is no larger than many cheaper competitors’. An
interior with less space even than most midsize cars combined with a
large-sedan price tag is not a welcome combination, and it was enough to sink
this otherwise capable vehicle in this highly-competitive group.
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. Gas mileage is not
bad, however.
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 easily
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, but impresses more compared to like-priced
competitors in the $21,000 version than this $26,000 one.
The gauges are large and
very clear, and while the instruments are laid out well, many buttons are too
small and lack contrast against the rest of the center stack. 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 earned five
stars for both the driver and for the front passenger in the NHTSA frontal
crash test. A LaCrosse tested without the now-standard side airbags earned a
mediocre three stars for both the driver and for the rear passenger in the
NHTSA side crash test, but the car hasn’t been tested with the airbags. The
IIHS awarded the vehicle a Best Pick rating in its offset crash test, but
deemed its head restraints to be Poor. The IIHS has yet to conduct a side
crash test on the vehicle.
The LaCrosse reviewed here
came fairly well-equipped at $25,994, though missing stability control
(offered only on the top-of-the-line CXS) and torso-protecting side airbags
(not offered at all). It does at least include OnStar and a remote starting
system.
Overall, the LaCrosse is a
generally impressive vehicle, and is the most upscale vehicle in this class.
It has a very comfortable and very quiet ride, and impressive interior
quality. Fault the car’s seats for its disappointing finish here, particularly
its lack of rear seat space. With an interior volume more in line with the
car’s exterior size, the LaCrosse’s somewhat high price would be more easily
justified, and it could have easily leapt into the top half of this
comparison.
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