The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Quiet capability
2018 Buick LaCrosse adds efficiency to its attributes
Buick’s 2018 is a comfortable sedan, able to take a pair of couples and their luggage pretty much wherever they want to go without them really noticing anything in particular about their transportation.
That is not a bad thing. As with many endeavors, there is no higher compliment that to be unnoticed. Some cars must be the star of the show, even if that is only dropping dad off at the train station or daughter at school. If that is the kind of car you want, then a Buick isn’t for you.
Slip over to the Cadillac dealership, that’s where the cars GM builds to seek attention live.
Buick, on the other hand has been the car that gets the job done historically for people who can afford to drive a Cadillac but don’t care for the notoriety. This has been true for the past 70 years, and although both brands have gone through some serious change, and one could even say crisis. But the customers of these brands evidently haven’t.
But thanks to the love of Buicks in China, the brand continues, and perhaps flourishes, here. Granted, flourishing for an American-brand car this year doesn’t require much, depressed as the car market appears to be. Sidenote: it wasn’t even a decade ago when everybody was hurrahing about annual sales of 12 million. Now the world is going to end because sales probably won’t be over 17 million like last year.
Luckily for Buick fans, the Chinese like big cars with big interiors and very comfortable seating. So that’s the de- signing philosophy around the Buick management. Its exterior is a mellow design that is not at all staid or even conservative. For example it increases its aero-efficiency through both upper and lower active aero shutters in the grille. The LaCrosse also comes with high-intensity discharge headlamps, front LED signature lighting and the LED taillamps, all of which are standard
The interior is quite comfortable, and even looks like it is. While some cars seek to be edgy, this Buick makes you expect to be comfortable before you even get in. When you do, you find that you are. That’s good design. Good enough that the LaCrosse is the first Buick to wina Ward’s 10 Best Interiors award.
Since this LaCrosse is a recent platform, there aren’t great changes for 2018. The biggest is the light hybrid as the standard base powertrain. Another mechanical modification is the nine-speed automatic transmission hooked up to the V-6. Also all-wheel drive is available furthert down the model lineup. They there are three new colors, all with really cool names. They are Satin Steel Metallic, Dark Slate Metallic and Red Quartz Tintcoat
So what is almost revolutionary is that this midsized, mid-priced sedan comes standard with enough electric power-assist that it is almost a hybrid. The car’s four- cylinder engine uses GM’s new eAssist light-electrification propulsion system. The gasoline engine is an aluminum 2.5-liter double-overhead camfour-cylinder, with variable valves and direct gasoline-injection.
It adds an electric motor and 24-cell, air-cooled lithium-ion battery pack. Making this work means using what GM calls a Motor Generator Unit, which produces more energy, as well as replacing the traditional alternator. The system generates 194-hp. And 187 lb.-ft. of peak torque. That power goes through a six-speed automatic. EPA fuel rating is 25 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway, which isn’t bad for a full-sized sedan.
So the electric motor adds power, particularly for a smooth launch when in the Auto-Stop mode. The system, which used to be called a weak hybrid, also adds power to the gasoline motor when it senses the need. The power goes through a six-speed automatic transmission. The LaCrosse also uses regenerative braking during braking or coasting to help charge the battery pack
In higher trim levels there is another engine either offered or standard. With this engine comes the option for all-wheel drive. This is an allaluminum 3.6-liter V-6. It is equipped with variable valve timing and uses direct gasoline injection for better power and efficiency. The car’s 310hp. and 268 lb.-ft. of peak torque flow to the wheels through a new-for-2018 ninespeed automatic transmission. The result, in addition to a spritely amount of power is an EPA fuel rating of 20 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway for the all-wheel drive versions.
So Buick buyers can find LaCrosse in four models, all appropriately named for high appeal with sedan customers. They would be: LaCrosse (FWD), Preferred (FWD), Essence (FWD and AWD) and Premium (FWD and AWD). Sort of adding a couple other “levels” the Preferred, Essence and Premium models can be powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine instead of the base 2.5-liter four-cylinder. And must be, in order to be all-wheel drive.