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| Superb style in a well-rounded luxury-performance package, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse has it all! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
This is a car I've been waiting a long time to get behind the wheel of. I've owned two Buicks (before I hit the 4-0 if you can believe it), and the last one I tested was the award winning Enclave, which marked the renaissance of this brand that many had labelled tired. I've never had an issue with the reputation of the Buick nameplate being for 'last time' buyers and the grey hair set in general. I just like a nice quiet ride and Buick has always punched way above its weight class in this area. I do agree with naysayers about the dated styling of the Buick line, until now. Of course, I'm not alone in my new assessment. In the LaCrosse we have a Buick that actually turns heads. It's stunning inside and out.
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| A tall trunk, stylish tail lamp treatment and lots of chrome spell a new kind of luxury for Buick. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
In fact, I've been waiting to check this car out for so long that the name has changed in the interim. This sedan was dubbed the Allure here in Canada, but in the US it's always been LaCrosse. In some markets, specifically Quebec and France, LaCrosse also has some slang references depending on which side of the Atlantic. Here, LaCrosse is not only Canada's national sport, but it can also mean self gratification – NOT a national sport. Promotional budgets win the day here and the global Buick gets one name.
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| Wood grain, leather, cloth pillars, chrome-rimmed instrumentation, and great visibility enhanced by head-up display on the windshield (see the little blue image covering the left taillight of the Honda in front). (Photo: Canadian Auto Press) |
It's important to note that this is not a dressed up Chevrolet Malibu, a fine award winning machine in its own right. This is a new Buick from the ground up. The 2010 LaCrosse was designed for global markets and by global engineers. It's a European platform by GM Europe's Opel division (the company Canada's Magna almost owned) with a Chinese designed interior and body lines sculpted and powertrains engineered in Detroit. The result is a car that looks and drives great anywhere.
