2010 Buick LaCrosse Road Test Video

2010 Buick LaCrosse Road Test Video

By Edmunds Video Productions | Published October 14, 2009

2:58 min

Get ready to be surprised with the 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Full Test Video. This isn't your Grandpa's Buick.

2010 Buick LaCrosse Road Test Video

By Edmunds Video Productions | Published October 14, 2009

2:58 min

Buick’s new 2010 LaCrosse has two things we haven’t seen in a Buick sedan for years, maybe even decades: 1) craftsmanship that hints at real pride; and 2) hope.  Call it hope for a bright future.  But no matter how you look at it, the LaCrosse is quite good.

Jump behind the wheel of the top-of-the-line LaCrosse CXS and suddenly jokes about senior citizens and snarks about marshmallow-y suspension seem out of touch with Buick’s new mindset. Buick is going after Lexus, but let’s face it, Lexus has been copying the Buick idea for years.

Anyone looking for a sedan that’s even remotely quick should skip the 3-liter V6 version of the LaCrosse and go right to the CXS with its direct-injection 3.6-liter V6. It’s good for  280 hp, and that translates to a 7.5 second 0-60 time. The larger engine also nets about the same fuel economy as the smaller V6.

We’re not going to call the LaCrosse CXS quick, but not so long ago, a mid-seven-second run was considered sporting. Handling is also decent with the CXS’s 19-inch tires and Touring Package suspension and it moves through the cones faster than a Lexus ES 350.

If the Buick were a little smaller, a little lighter, it could probably top cars like the Lexus ES350 when it comes to acceleration. But the Buick puts its larger size and extra weight to good use, because with a wheelbase that’s 2.4 inches longer than the Lexus, the Buick’s rear seat is roomier.  

The LaCrosse’s cabin feels open and airy. This is partly because the windshield is so far ahead of the driver. But it’s also because the dash is laid back toward the base of the windshield and curves smoothly from one door to the other.

The seats are also very comfortable and touches of blue light break up what would otherwise be a very bleak lump of grey for the center stack. And just like any given Lexus, the LaCrosse’s interior remains remarkably quiet even on the highway.

Although the LaCrosse feels pretty roomy on the inside, the narrow side windows don’t help visibility. The trunk also has just 12.8 cubic ft of storage space, plus the opening is rather small. But these small sacrifices to style are worth it, because the LaCrosse looks like a thoroughly modern sedan. Competitors like the Lexus ES350 have a look that’s safe, even boring by comparison.

From the chrome exhaust outlets to the sculpted character lines, it’s obvious GM has a lot of pride in the 2010 Buick LaCrosse. But this new sedan isn’t just a lofty idea; it’s proof—proof that Buick is still relevant and proof that General Motors really can build a Buick that’s both dynamic and attractive. And that’s the kind of Buick for which many of us have been waiting a long, long time.