2011 Buick LaCrosse

 

What's New for 2011

For 2011, the Buick LaCrosse discontinues the 3.0-liter V6 and gains six free months of OnStar's Directions and Connections plan. Also, the four-cylinder model gets a new electric-assist power steering system.

Introduction

Redesigned last year, the Buick LaCrosse has ushered in a new era for Buick, one that emphasizes modernity and efficiency. This midsize sedan's handsome styling perfectly balances traditional Buick cues like the vertical bars of the grille and the swooping character line of the body with thoroughly contemporary detailing. And the car's elegant appearance is accompanied by surprisingly adept driving dynamics. It's enough to make you forget all about the nautical-size luxo-barges in that big book of Buick history on your coffee table.
The 2011 Buick LaCrosse has pared down its engine choices this year, as the 255-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 has been discontinued while the 182-hp 2.4-liter inline-4 and the 280-hp 3.6-liter V6 go forward. Models with the four-cylinder get a new, electric-assist power steering system to prepare for a future hybrid powertrain.
Few cars from GM look as right for the future as this one, yet there are consequences, as the four-cylinder engine is overtaxed by the package's 3,800 pounds, while the thick roof pillars restrict rearward visibility (the optional rear parking assist is a must for this car).
Overall, we're impressed by the 2011 Buick LaCrosse. Of course there are other good choices in this segment, such as the Acura TL, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Genesis and Lexus ES 350, and it could come down to what style or driving characteristics suits you best. But with its combination of classy looks, quality construction and solid driving dynamics, the LaCrosse is writing a new, more memorable chapter in that coffee-table book of Buick history.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2011 Buick LaCrosse is offered in three trim levels: CX, CXL and CXS.
The base CX includes 17-inch steel wheels, a power driver seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel with audio controls, full power accessories, OnStar and a seven-speaker audio system with a CD/MP3 player, an auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio. Options for the CX include 17-inch alloy wheels and a Comfort and Convenience package that includes dual-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming mirror, Bluetooth, power lumbar adjustment for the driver seat, a power front passenger seat and remote engine start. A premium 11-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system with an iPod/USB interface is also available.
Stepping up to the CXL nets all of the standard and optional CX equipment plus 18-inch alloy wheels, foglamps, heated mirrors, heated front seats and leather upholstery. Available on the CXL is another Comfort and Convenience package that includes rear parking sensors, driver memory settings and auto-dimming sideview mirrors. A Driver Confidence package includes adaptive xenon headlights, a blind-spot warning system and a head-up display. There's also the optional Luxury package that includes a heated leather/wood-grain steering wheel, ventilated front seats, a power rear sunshade and keyless ignition/entry.
Individual option highlights include a sunroof, chrome wheels, a navigation system (with rearview camera and digital music storage), a rear seat entertainment system (with dual display screens) and the Harman Kardon audio system.
The CXS trim level includes 19-inch alloy wheels and everything above except the navigation system, power sunroof, Driver Confidence package and rear entertainment system, which all remain optional. A Touring package is optional for the CXS and includes different 19-inch wheels and adaptive shock absorbers.

Powertrains and Performance

For CX and CXL trims, a 2.4-liter inline-4 with 182 hp and 172 pound-feet of torque is the standard engine. Optional is a 3.6-liter V6 that churns out 280 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque. The CXL is available in either front- or all-wheel drive -- a plus for those in snowy climates. The CXS is only available with front-wheel drive and comes with the V6, as does the AWD version of the CXL. All LaCrosse models feature a six-speed automatic transmission.
In our instrumented testing, a LaCrosse with the 3.6-liter engine accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds -- respectably quick, although still about a second slower than a few rivals such as the Acura TL and Hyundai Genesis. EPA fuel economy estimates stand at 19 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined for the four-cylinder LaCrosse and 17/27/20 for the V6. The AWD version rates 16/26/20.

Safety

The 2011 Buick LaCrosse features standard front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, OnStar communications, stability and traction control, and antilock disc brakes with brake assist. Rear-seat side airbags are also available as an option. In Edmunds brake testing, a LaCrosse CXS came to a stop from 60 mph in 127 feet -- a bit longer than average.
The LaCrosse has not been rated using the government's new, more strenuous 2011 crash testing procedures. According to 2010 ratings (which aren't directly comparable to the new ones) the LaCrosse scored five (out of five) stars in all frontal- and side-impact tests. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety testing, the Buick scored "Good" ratings (the highest possible) in that agency's frontal-offset and side-impact tests.

Interior Design and Special Features

The 2011 Buick LaCrosse boasts an elegant and contemporary interior. The front seats are enveloped by a graceful dashboard arc that stretches from door to door, and the tastefully integrated simulated wood accents contribute to the decidedly upscale feel. At night, passengers are bathed in a soothing blue glow from the ambient lighting. The center stack controls are certainly more complicated than the simple controls found in past Buicks, but operation of the audio, climate control and navigation systems should be easy enough to decipher for those used to more modern cars and electronics.
Despite its generous cabin space, cargo capacity measures just 13 cubic feet, significantly smaller than the trunks of competing sedans. The trunk is fairly deep, but the lack of height and width may be problematic for bulky items.

Driving Impressions

From the driver seat, the 2011 Buick LaCrosse exhibits an enjoyable blend of luxury and engagement. The cabin remains blissfully quiet without becoming a sensory deprivation chamber, as there's just enough wind and road noise to remind you that you're not sitting on your couch. Considering all the nautical Buicks of the past, the LaCrosse's handling ability is a surprise. The car responds confidently to inputs and is certainly more engaging to drive than the Lexus ES 350. Rear visibility, however, is compromised by the car's high rear deck and thick roof pillars.
As for power, the 3.6-liter V6 is the obvious choice. We'd steer clear of the four-cylinder engine, as it's overtaxed by this car's substantial weight and has to work so hard that real-world gas mileage will likely suffer.

Buick prices 2012 LaCrosse with eAssist

Today, General Motors has finally added pricing to the list of information it has shared about the next LaCrosse, with the base price starting at $29,960 plus $860 destination. The total $30,820 base price will come with the eAssist-equipped 2.4-liter engine, but a 3.6-liter 303 horsepower, 264 lb-ft of torque V6 is also available on some trim levels at no extra charge.
Buick also promises an all-wheel drive variant with the V6, but specs have yet to be announced, along with pricing.
Other new features arriving for 2012 include a dual-zone climate control system, 17-inch alloy wheel, a full-color driver information display center and both USB and Bluetooth connectivity. The 2012 LaCrosse will also have a late-year change that sees the addition of IntelliLink as standard, which will utilize Bluetooth and USB technology along with an eight-inch touch/display screen. IntelliLink is Buick’s latest telematics system and it will cover several functions ranging from phone pairing to music management.
This jump in fuel economy is made possible by adding a 115-volt lithium-ion battery, paired to a 15-kilowatt electric motor that is capable of producing 15 horsepower and 79 lb-ft of torque. The system is also capable of regenerative braking, which combined results in a 25 percent increase in fuel economy to 25 city, 37 highway.
In addition to this mild hybrid technology, Buick also equipped the 2012 LaCrosse with Start-Stop engine technology, which seamlessly powers down the engine at idle to conserve fuel, despite current EPA regulations failing to reflect savings in fuel economy ratings. Rounding out the changes that make these fuel economy figures possible is a six-speed automatic transmission, underbody aerodynamic tweaking and low-rolling resistance tires.
Like many other hybrids on the road, Buick will also equip the LaCrosse with an ECO gauge that allows drivers to see real-time usage and adjust driving accordingly for optimal economy.
The trade off for such a welcome gain in fuel economy comes in the form of a somewhat smaller trunk space, as well as the addition of approximately 65 lbs.

Quick Spin: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist

 The LaCrosse is a sharp-looking sedan, and Buick made a point of not changing 98 percent of the car's exterior design in fitting it with the eAssist package. The only real change is the addition of model-specific 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Energy Saver A/S 245/50-series rubber. These tires were designed by the Bibendum Bunch specifically for GM, and while we're perfectly happy with the use of these energy-saving tires, we'd be thrilled if they were fitted to slightly larger wheels, if only for aesthetics. The LaCrosse's large dimensions and wheel wells designed to properly house 19-inchers at all four corners just make this eAssist-specific set look teeny-tiny.

There are no eAssist badges on the LaCrosse, either – an intentional omission that GM admits will have both positive and negative ramifications. While having a badge on the car is basically free advertising for one's green initiatives, GM didn't want to alter any other parts of the LaCrosse's design, however small. This is an interesting decision, especially from the company that was perfectly okay with fitting an obnoxious decal package.
he GM engineers assigned to the LaCrosse eAssist project don’t want you to be able to tell they’ve done anything to the car. The goal of the eAssist was to create a more-fuel-efficient version of the four-cylinder LaCrosse using an evolution of the mild hybrid system from the old Chevrolet Malibu  and hybrid Saturn Aura Green Line. Their benchmark? Last year’s nonhybrid LaCrosse, so the system had to be more economical and undetectable. Talk about a thankless task.The one place they want you to notice a difference, however, is on your gas bill. If the engineers have done their job, fuel economy will rise by about 25 percent, from 19 mpg city/30 highway for a four-cylinder 2011 LaCrosse to 25/37. That’s a better highway number, Buick notes, than that of smaller luxury hybrids like the Lincoln MKZ and Lexus HS250h. Incidentally, all four-cylinder LaCrosses will be eAssist-equipped beginning in 2012. We drove a development car to see and feel—or not—the differences.
eAssist? What eAssist?
The LaCrosse’s 2.4-liter four-cylinder is largely unchanged, save for a belt-driven electric motor/generator hanging off the front instead of an alternator. It can apply 15 hp and 79 lb-ft of torque to complement the engine’s 182 hp and 172 lb-ft. A 0.5-kWh battery feeds—and is fed by, during regenerative braking—the motor/generator and sits in a lump at the front of the trunk, obscuring 40 percent of the seatback and blocking part of the pass-through on the other 60 percent. (The Malibu and the Aura used a motor with 5 hp of assist attached to a nickel-metal hydride battery.) We’re told to expect a 0.2-second improvement in 0-to-60-mph times compared with the four-cylinder LaCrosse.
As the car comes to a stop, fuel flow is cut, and the electric motor takes over, guiding the car to a stop and capturing brake energy through regen. There’s a hint of nonlinearity in the first bit of brake-pedal travel as the vehicle slows without the expected pressure buildup in the pedal. Once you get past that brief oddity, braking feels normal as the regen tapers off, giving way to mechanical operation. With a tender right foot on the pedal minimizing waste heat through the binders, the system can capture up to 15 kW of power during regeneration. The engine shuts off when the car is stopped and fires back up once the driver’s foot leaves the brake pedal, one of the only hints a buyer will have that all is not conventional in his or her LaCrosse.
Buick messed with the transmission as well. The eAssist LaCrosse will be the first model to use GM’s next-generation six-speed automatic, which we’re told improves on the old transmission by reducing friction losses and improving shift response. The eAssist car can get away with a numerically lower final-drive ratio—2.64:1 versus the 2011 four-cylinder’s 3.23:1. The electric assist means the transmission can hold a higher gear in steady-state situations and has to swap gears less often, with electric boost taking the place of some downshifts. Indeed, this was one of our biggest complaints with the four-cylinder LaCrosse, and the eAssist development vehicle we drove did seem to hunt for gears less, especially on inclines.
This electric give-and-take is happening all the time in the background, but if you want to cheat and peek behind the curtain, there’s a screen in the color display between the gauges that shows what the system is doing—sort of. It doesn’t report each and every time the boost is activated (denoted by a “hybrid power” message and an animated graphic) because the motor cycles so frequently and briefly at times that the displays would have to flash on and off—no need to throw the driver into an epileptic seizure. When the juice is providing substantial assistance, though, you’ll get the message, and there’s also a “battery charging” graphic that displays during deceleration and braking.
Other Economy Tricks
A switch to new low-rolling-resistance tires also helps save fuel, and the engineers claim the rubber doesn’t sacrifice any lateral grip compared with that of the current car. A smaller gas tank is fitted—15.7 gallons versus 18.4—which reduces the curb weight by limiting the maximum amount of fuel, but the eAssist car’s range is still said to be greater than the 2011’s. Electronically controlled shutters in the lower grille, borrowed from the Chevy Cruze Eco , can open or close to balance cooling needs with aerodynamics. Three underbody panels further improve the car’s slipperiness. Smoother airflow means better regeneration, since drag that would normally be eaten by air resistance can now be captured through the wheels. We asked why these aero tweaks weren’t being applied to the V-6 LaCrosse and were told that, without regenerative braking to recapture that energy, the economy improvement wouldn’t be significant.

2012 Buick LaCrosse

The LaCrosse is a sharp-looking sedan, and Buick made a point of not changing 98 percent of the car's exterior design in fitting it with the eAssist package. The only real change is the addition of model-specific 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Energy Saver A/S 245/50-series rubber. These tires were designed by the Bibendum Bunch specifically for GM, and while we're perfectly happy with the use of these energy-saving tires, we'd be thrilled if they were fitted to slightly larger wheels, if only for aesthetics. The LaCrosse's large dimensions and wheel wells designed to properly house 19-inchers at all four corners just make this eAssist-specific set look teeny-tiny.

What is it?

The midsize Buick LaCrosse looks about the same for 2012, but buyers will notice more oomph with better economy. This extra power boost comes from a new light-hybrid system called eAssist, which will be standard on the four-cylinder LaCrosse going forward.The technology uses stored electric power to provide extra juice, adding up to 15 hp and 79 lb-ft of torque to augment the 182-hp, 172-lb-ft 2.4-liter Ecotec engine. Buick swapped out the alternator for a belt-driven, 15-kilowatt electric-motor generator and a 115-volt lithium-ion battery pack.In launching eAssist, Buick claims its intent is to improve performance and mileage without making any sacrifices to the familiar styling or essence of the LaCrosse. Regenerative braking and fuel shut off during deceleration are meant to cast a green halo on the car without overwhelming its personality or familiar driving dynamics.

What is it like to drive?

The 2012 LaCrosse doesn't feel like a typical “green” car. The eAssist technologies at work manage to exist humbly in the background of the driving experience instead of stealing the limelight.

Buick is advertising the LaCrosse with eAssist as a more refined ride than that of the standard LaCrosse, claiming the system provides a quicker throttle response at cruising engine speeds, thereby creating smoother transitions and reducing the need to downshift as often. We sampled it on various terrains around San Francisco--in rush-hour traffic, on winding roads and coasting on the highway. No matter the circumstance, any hint of electric assist was only apparent with heavy acceleration. The vehicle wasn't fussy going up and down hills or sitting in stop-and-go traffic. It felt as if we were driving the standard LaCrosse, with more of a fun factor when hitting the on-ramp for less money at the pump.
Meanwhile, though it might not meet full-electric standards of silence, the four-cylinder was refined and the ride was Buick-smooth, further camouflaging the green technologies at work.Transitions from one mode to the next didn't produce the slightest shudder, even when repeatedly lifting off and hitting the brake to restart and shut down the engine. If it weren't for the “auto stop” marking where the “0” would typically reside on the tachometer, the stop/start system would have gone unnoticed.

One subtle reminder that this LaCrosse is different is a green ECO gauge below the speedometer--a neat little nonintrusive feature that lets you monitor and correct your sloppy driving to maximize efficiency. If you slam on the brakes or speed up too quickly, the needle wags a disapproving finger by sliding out of the green zone.

One big qualm: the counterintuitive functionality of the control knob in the center display when using the navigation. You zoom in on the map by spinning the knob to the left and minimize by spinning to the right, in total defiance of human instinct. We eventually gave up trying to zoom.

Do I want one?

If you're in the market for an efficient, larger midsize sedan, the LaCrosse with eAssist is worth a close look. This car performs better than the current four-cylinder model, with 26 percent better fuel economy. With eAssist, Buick has done an admirable job of creating a green car with minimal compromise.

2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist

On Sale: August

Base Price: $30,820, including destination

Powertrain: 182-hp, 172-lb-ft Ecotec 2.4-liter DOHC inline-four; 15-hp, 79-lb-ft, 15-kilowatt electric motor; FWD, six-speed automatic

Curb Weight: 3,835 lb

0-60 MPH: 9.0 sec (est)

Fuel Economy: 25 mpg city, 36 mpg highway

There are no eAssist badges on the LaCrosse, either – an intentional omission that GM admits will have both positive and negative ramifications. While having a badge on the car is basically free advertising for one's green initiatives, GM didn't want to alter any other parts of the LaCrosse's design, however small. This is an interesting decision, especially from the company that was perfectly okay with fitting an obnoxious decal package