2017
Buick LaCrosse
The new LaCrosse made
its debut today at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show and will be arriving in
showrooms next summer, as a 2017 model. The car boasts a learner, sleeker
design compared to the outgoing model and is loaded with technology.
Longer, lower and wider
than the outgoing model, the 2017 LaCrosse is built on a stronger yet lighter
structure. That structure is a stretched version of GM Company’s E2XX platform,
which made its debut in the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. It helps the new LaCrosse
weigh in about 300 pounds less than the outgoing model thanks mostly to the use
of high-strength steel in the construction.
The new platform also
brings some pretty sophisticated suspension technology. At the rear, there is a
new five-link setup that provides greater isolation from road noise than the
four-link design in the outgoing model. MacPherson struts can be found at the
front, though for models with front-wheel drive and the available 20-inch
wheels Buick adds its HiPer Strut suspension system designed to reduce torque
steer. The standard wheels are an 18-in set.
The exterior design is
clearly inspired by Buick’s recent Avenir concept, and Buick says the 2017
LaCrosse represents the new face of the brand. Notably, it features a new
grille design with a large opening distinguished by the return of a
three-color, red, silver and blue, and Buick tri-shield logo.
The cabin benefits
significantly from the new model’s larger footprint and has adopted a single
cockpit dash design that’s characterized by a horizontal form that sweeps
across the instrument panel and into the doors. The center of the dash is
dominated by an 8.0-inch touchscreen display and there are nice touches such as
soft-touch materials and stitching for the panels. What isn’t so nice is the
expanse of fake wood on the center console.
Safety features, either
standard or available, include 10 airbags, a head-up display, lane departure
and blind spot warning, forward collision and pedestrian warning, and a
rearview camera. There is also a teen driver system that mutes the audio or any
device paired with the vehicle when front-seat occupants aren’t wearing seat
belts. It also provides audible and visual warnings when the vehicle is
traveling over predetermined speeds and offers a “report card” for parents.
There’s just one
powertrain at launch: the next generation of GM's 3.6-liter V-6. Buick
estimates the final numbers will be 305 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of
torque. The engine, which features fuel-saving cylinder deactivation and engine
stop-start technologies, is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and
spins the front wheels only in standard form. A twin-clutch-based
all-wheel-drive system similar to the one that debuted in the 2017 Cadillac XT5
will be available.
