The refreshed Buick LaCrosse for the Chinese market
has been officially launched after a leak previewed the vehicle back in
December. The sedan
takes design inspiration from the smaller Regal, which is also sold as the
Holden Commodore and the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia throughout Europe. Compared to
Regal, the LaCrosse has an even more pointed front fascia with larger
headlights, additional chrome trimmings, and a hood with sharp character lines.
Viewed from the side, the most eye-catching element
is a character line that stretches back from the front wheel along the doors
before it curves upwards and ends at the corner of the rear decklid.
Speaking of the rear, the new LaCrosse has a pair of
sharp taillights connected together with a chrome element running the width of
the vehicle. There’s also a sleek bumper with integrated tailpipes and chrome
surrounds.
Inside, the first images of the interior show no
styling changes over the current model other than bespoke trimmings, leathers
and wood grains, along with thicker carpeting and a Bose sound system for the
new top-of-the-line Avenir edition.
Powering the 2020 Buick LaCrosse are GM’s
eighth-generation Ecotec engines. The first of these is a turbocharged
2.0-liter LSY that produces 237 hp and 349 Nm of torque and
is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Later on in the vehicle’s
production run, a turbocharged 1.3-liter L3T engine good for 160 hp will be
added.
Due to GM’s decision to shut the Detroit-Hamtramck
where the current Buick LaCrosse is made, the 2020 model won’t be available in
North America but will be sold exclusively in China. And while this is
disappointing, it does make sense as this is the LaCrosse’s largest market.
