A mong those who face the most grueling rush hour commutes, we’d bet comfort trumps performance by a large margin, and with good reason. Owning a car that can make a lightning fast leap to 60 mph and careen around the corners like a go-kart is of little consolation while crawling along at a snail’s pace on a pencil-straight highway.
And, as we found in a recent testdrive, there’s arguably no better way to get from the proverbial Point A to Point B relaxed and refreshed, even with bumper-to-bumper traffic over pockmarked pavement — and look good doing it — than in the graceful Buick LaCrosse.
The midsize LaCrosse is freshened for 2014 with updated exterior styling, a richer looking interior and added features, delivering solid all-around performance and a roomy five-passenger cabin that we find to be the quietest and most comfortable in its class.
Highlighted by a large crest-shaped “waterfall” grille up front, the LaCrosse’s elegantly cast bodywork is peppered with graceful curves and a tall beltline that reaches rearward to a tallish deck. A new lower front fascia that incorporates active grille shutters automatically close at cruising speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag that, in turn, helps boost the car’s fuel economy on the highway.
Inside, occupants are treated to plush, yet supportive seats, with abundant head, leg and shoulder room and cool accent lighting. The car’s dashboard deftly combines contemporary and traditional hardware, with easy-toread analog gauges flanking a configurable LCD display, and an array of standard buttons and dials working in tandem with the latest version of Buick’s easy-to-use “IntelliLink” multimedia control display. Our only quibble here would be with the odd “touchpoints” used for climate control temperature and for the heated/cooled seats that lack sufficient tactile feedback.
Buick’s “QuietTuning” engineering process works as advertised to reduce, block and absorb ambient environmental and road noise from the passenger compartment; with the windows up we all but silenced an idling diesel locomotive while stopped at a rail crossing.
A so-called “eAssist” mild hybrid powertrain comes standard and augments a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with a small electric motor to achieve a sufficient, but hardly stirring, 182 horsepower; an auto start/stop function depowers the engine while at idle to help further boost its fuel economy, which is estimated at a noteworthy 25/36 mpg city/highway.
But we think those who can afford more frequent fill-ups would find the available 3.6-liter 304-horsepower V6 engine with which our tester was equipped to be the more amenable choice. It affords much stronger and smoother acceleration, albeit with an EPA rating of just 18/28 mpg. A capable, though hardly leading edge, sixspeed automatic transmission is standard across the line.
While it’s hardly a sports sedan, neither is the LaCrosse a numb-feeling boulevard cruiser. It handles capably with sufficient feedback to the driver and affords a butter-smooth ride that absorbs bumps and potholes nicely. An optional adjustable suspension with real-time damping further enhances the car’s cornering without sacrificing its ride quality. All-wheeldrive is optional for added foulweather traction, though it exacts a toll in terms of fuel economy.
New radar- and camera-based safety features include adaptive cruise control and blind spot, lane departure and forward collision warning systems and a collision mitigation feature that automatically applies the brakes if driver isn’t reacting quickly enough. The warning systems work with a novel “Safety Alert Seat” that vibrates on the left or right side, or both sides simultaneously, depending on the direction of the crash threat. It’s less intrusive than audible warnings, though it takes some getting used to.
Starting at $33,535 (not including a $925 delivery charge), the LaCrosse remains one of the better values among midsize near-luxury sedans, though a fully loaded model with topshelf items like heated/ventilated seats, a back seat DVD entertainment system and the full slate of safety features can approach the $50,000 mark.
© CTW Features

