We have no idea how the 2017 Buick LaCrosse will ride, handle or drive, but, as humans, we can’t help but make first impressions.
That’s why today’s community question asks if you think the 2017 Buick LaCrosse has moved the vehicle, and the brand, upmarket.
One year ago, it was still a bit difficult to justify Buick has a luxury brand, even if executives proclaimed Buick to be “affordable luxury.” Now, it’s become much more clear. If the 2017 LaCrosse is a sign of things to come, which from a design standpoint it is, we think the brand has definitely made a catapult on the luxurious side of things.
Elegant lines are abound through the exterior, and thoughtful, well-designed shapes and materials are awash inside. The real kicker will see how Buick’s latest sedan will be priced.
Now, we turn it to you. Do you think the 2017 LaCrosse has moved upmarket? Let us know in our poll, and talk to us in the comment section down below.
Comments
funny thing this luxury question inside gm or all US market and all different brands. luxury and luxury .WTF. all time goes this stuff luxury-luxury . this is luxury – are this luxury- this car is luxury- this not. different types cars is luxury do. like gm staff and buick- buick verano is luxury, buick cascada is luxury . wtf is luxury. deffinetly wood and leather is luxury staff BUT………. . but today this not something new. all cars have same good staff and other new things. build just better and better cars and.
cool it.
.new lacrosse can be a luxury, as well as the old.
Lacrosse is a large middle class something audi a6-mb e klass- bmw 5. audi a6- mb e klass- bmw 5 is large middle class .
bmw 5- audi a6- mb e klass a large middle class that will be a luxury but all times top qality and this is imortant.
the importance of quality. and a new lacrosse is definitely still a better quality than the old one.
typically newer cars will be still better and better
I think it has moved up for sure in the interior area. I mean this car looks close to a Cadillac in terms of the layout and total design of the interior. The outer skin looks a lot more refined and luxurious as well. The only complaint I have is it sounds like the trunk is still a bit too small. The current car has around a 13 cubic foot trunk and this car moved it up a notch to around 14 cubic foot. But to put it in perspective, the current Chevy Cruze has a 15 cubic foot trunk. That is a bit concerning considering that this is a flagship Buick. But at any rate this will still be on my shopping list next year and most likely I will be buying one.
I’m with you on the trunk size. Maybe they think that the type of customers who will be attracted to the Lacrosse aren’t all that interested in overall cargo volume, but rather that it can hold four golf bags as mentioned in the press release. I don’t golf, but my wife and I do take a lot of road trips, so having space is nice. I’ve only taken one road trip in my Lacrosse so far, and more room would have most definitely been appreciated. My previous two cars were Impalas, so I’m used to having more space to work with. Even my wife’s Sonic has more trunk volume than the current and upcoming Lacrosse.
Beyond that, what is a luxury car anymore? I saw a commercial for a Hyundai Tuscon last night showing the blind spot monitors, automatic braking and lane departure warning. It just seems that the luxury features filter down so quickly anymore. Buick should really set themselves apart with warranty and service. I think that cutting back on the included scheduled maintenance from two years down to one, and reducing the mileage cap on the warranty was a bad move. Owning a luxury car going forward will be more about the overall ownership experience rather than individual features.
Trunk size today is a compromise with interior space and the size of the car. Many people who get the bigger trunk complain the back seat is not large enough then.
With styling and weight of todays cars you have to give and take as there is only so much car to work with. Lets face it the trunk has two ways to go outside the car or in. One takes back seat room and the other take more outside and that does not always suit the styling as they try to keep to a smaller size to save weight.
Generally trunks are the less likely place for people to notice anymore and it is where the most compromise it taken. Lets face it trips are limited the opening size also limits what goes in anymore. The back seat is used more often and most even fold down to take more cargo or larger cargo if needed.
The trunks of the old Duce and a Quarter is gone in todays cars as those trunks were half the size of todays car.
As fir the little things added. it is a game of compromise. They need to keep in a price range and do you offer a bunch of little options that look cool for marketing and compromise on the quality of the car elsewhere or do you build a better car and leave out the heated arm rest?
As for the warranty it is fine as it meets nearly all others and the service it is nice but I suspect it sells few cars since service today is no where near the expense it once was unless you own a exotic.
I think good compelling product in the dealers and dealers with top notch service in all areas is key. It is like a Beat Headphones and North Face jackets you create a demand for it with image and the rest becomes less a factor. They just need to make cars that are cool to own and a joy to drive at a price that is competitive and I think you will see massive growth from them in the next 10 years.
The SUV’s will be key at Buick as they will deliver the profits and the dealers will also make a killing on the GMC models as well.
The way I see the trunk it is like when you build a garage. No matter how big you build you wish it were just a little bigger. In this case you have to consider what would be compromised in a larger trunk and how it would affect the other buyers as for most that one foot size is only missed several times during ownership but the back seat room is missed several times a month for most.
Not saying you are wrong as a larger trunk is always welcome but what is the priority for most owners. That is who they are targeting.
I realize that we’re never going to see a trunk like the old deuce and a quarter. Although some quick research turns up the trunk of a ’76 Electra to be 20.3 cu. ft, its shallowness and odd shape surely reduced usefulness…. but that’s neither here nor there, and before my time anyway.
Having the ability to fold down the rear seats does come in handy for bringing home large items from a store, and I do use the rear seats for groceries more often than the trunk. I do miss having the flip-and-fold seat of my ’09 Impala as a place to corral groceries and put dirty/wet things like shrubs from the nursery. Sure, I could just drop a suitcase in the back seat if it doesn’t fit in the trunk, but I’m a paranoid person that doesn’t like to leave anything out in the open that might tempt a passerby to break in for, and also assuming that I wouldn’t need use of the rear seat at the same time.
I know the space has to come from somewhere, and that I probably have the Chinese customers to thank (or blame) for the emphasis on rear seat legroom over luggage space, but all I’m asking for is something comparable to what the competition, and many smaller cars have to offer. They were starting with a blank slate, and an extra inch in length or a less sloping deck lid might have actually helped the rear end, which is arguably the weakest link in the new design.
From smallest to largest:
2016 Lacrosse: 13.3
2017 Lacrosse: 14.2 (now the same size as a smaller Regal & .1 smaller than Verano)
2016 Lexus ES: 15.2
2016 Lincoln MKZ: 15.4
2016 Toyota Avalon: 16.0
2016 Lincoln MKS: 19.2 (closing in on duece and a quarter size)
Even the smaller 2016 Malibu, on its related platform with a similarly sloping trunk has 15.8 cu. ft. of space.
The thing that hasn’t been mentioned is that the current Lacrosse has pockets in the trunk liner to prevent the hinges from crushing the luggage. Those have been removed in the 2017 model, allowing the space that will still be occupied by the hinges when the trunk is closed to be accounted for as an “increase” in cargo volume. My concern is that the actual usable space may not really be any larger, or might even be slightly less than now.
Drop in the Hybrid items and you lose about a 1/4 of the trunk anyways,
The only time I have had issues with trunks is when I go on vacation and the rental cars trunk is too small even in a larger model.
Packaging of the trunk is key as so many the wheel wells are in so far that they limit much of the extra space in many anyways,
just curious as to what crowd the buick is trying to appeal to. I’ve always seen buick as an old person’s car, even with these new generation Buicks the brand still appeals to me as an old person’s car. imo
Why didn’t the new Lacrosse get the more powerful 335 hp v6 . I know its in the Caddys. But it also is the standard v6 in the Camaro? Come on Buick, {and GM} you want to offer a brand new premium model. Give it the top notch V6!
LaCrosse did get the new 3.6L V6 DI VVT LGX engine. The engine is toned down for FWD application. 305hp is still plenty in my opinion.
Yes, Buick continues its march up market. If nothing else, the interior proves this. Removing the cheap plastic portholes is yet another example. While I’m not a fan, the new grill is, too, as is the fact that this vehicle outclasses Lincoln in both quality and execution.
GM will never go all the way with Buick because of management’s urge to prop up Cadillac. This is the wrong outlook–VAG proves that brand overlap can be healthy and that customers are capable of distinguishing between marques.
I do wish LaCrosse was less Lucerne, egg-like and bulbous. The rear sweep is cool and should be the rear focal point. Instead, the hacked off C-pillar and ME TOO Audi flashback styling distracts the eye. It’s just too busy!
I see your point. In some instances GM is a bit scared of brand overlap….then yet there is the Chevy Trax & Buick Encore.
Yes this car has made a move up in size and status. It also will be a little more in price.
As to answer some of the questions here this is what is taking place.
Buick is moving to the volume Luxury car like Acura, Lexus and Lincoln. Today we have 3 real luxury segments
Volume Luxury
Lower volume higher priced
Ultra low volume mega priced.
Buick is moving into that first segment that they once filled and kind of slipped out of as they lost models and cheapened up some of their offerings over the last three decades. They always has a top car but relied on cheaper cars like a Sky Hawk and Somerset that really did not fit their image well.
Now that Cadillac is really starting to move up it has given Buick a place to move to. Before they had a narrow slot and just not a lot of room to operate. Today they can take a car like the Lacrosse and really compete with Lincoln on all levels. Even the Enclave as old as it is still can take it to the Lincoln models.
Buick is looking to fit people from about 30-65 and offer luxury and I expect some sporting models like a GTI fighter. We also will see a much more advanced and upscale Regal too.
Now keep in mind with the Lacrosse we have only seen the show car. We have not see the other things and version they will do. I expect to see a Touring model and a very upscale model to come. I really expect a Turbo V6 here at some point with some good power.
As for some who are upset about trunk space. Well most cars today do not have a 10 body trunk anymore. Even if the trunk is large you can not fit anything tall in the opening. Hence most people who plan to haul are now going CUV. I know that is why we went Terrain over Regal.
The thing we all should take away here is this Lacrosse and the entire Buick line has just hit reset. This is only the jumping off point and there is so much to come that will change the face of this division.
Pay close attention to the White Space that Duncan spoke of. This could really bring in a variety of cars that could really make Buick the most interesting division at GM.
Again this is a deal where it is going to be where you have to look at the big picture and not just focus on just one show car with limited information. Let this play out and I think you will like what you see.
Agreed, Buick by 2017 will finally be a player on par with Acura and Lexus sans any RWD models which could, maybe, be on the pioe line.
Brands change, shift and sometimes evolve. No one would have guessed Buick and Lincoln equals thirty years ago. Buick is still evolving and, in the long run, may end up an Audi-like Cadillac price peer provided quality stay high and innovate design trump besn counting.
I’m in the minority in thinking that GM can manage two unique luxury brands and embrace price overlap. I’m excited to see what innovative models color the brand’s white space and hope to see a Regal coupe and tourer as well as a modern and beautiful take on the Opel GT. I also think that Buick needs to answer Jaguar’s F-Pace meaning a second small SUV. Lastly, I dream of an Astra raised up, tweeked and sold as an SUV variant on par with Adam Rocks.
Buick only needs to more hit vehicles to outsell all Asian luxury brands except Lexus.
Ah , severe windshield slope , swoop up the greenhouse and Voila , you have a youth minded WOW car . This is definitely not going to intrude on the more refined shaped Cadillacs . It is meant for those who have not quite MADE IT , perhaps , but want to feel young and foolish again….maybe !!
First thing that comes to mind when I see the 2017 Buick LaCrosse is Jaguar’s XJ sedan.
First thing comes to mind OLD LUCERNE – WONT SELL
I have owned a MBZ S55 AMG, two BMW 740ILs, Jaguar VDP Majestic and numerous other vehicles. I really like this new LaCrosse in the gray with Brandy color interior. Great Styling and fantastic interior. I plan on voting with my wallet and ordering one in that color combination. Much better styling than the new MBZ S-Klasse !!
I did get to the L.A Auto Show and spent much time at the Buick exhibit. The 2017 Lacrosse is in my opinion looking much better than the pictures. I did get to sneak my way into the interior of the car as well. And admit I am quite impressed. I admit I didn’t have the time to go from the back seat to the front positioned for my 6’2″ frame. The front is roomy. I like the layout of the dashboard. The trunk was opened, but I didn’t get a chance to look at it up close, but can see that it is larger than my 2012 Lacrosse. This automobile looks so good I had to ask which one of them I could take with me right then. I can’t wait to see the road tests results for the 2016 Malibu which is on the same platform. The A frame and C frame issues have been resolved. I really believe not having the boat tail back to this vehicle helps with the rear seating and trunk space. The back of the car is very reminiscent of the Lucerne. Hopefully when this vehicle is released to showrooms, Buick still has their 24 hour test drive promo in place…because this one I will definitely take for the 24 hours. My only concern is how they will market this. With the 2012 all the options I wanted plus more were on the Premium III and it didn’t cost me my arm and leg. And I am as happy today with my 2012 as I was when I pulled it off the dealer’s lot brand new. ‘When better cars are built, Buick will build them’ is true.
Latest news says that the 2017 Buick LaCrosse will have optional AWD and a dual clutch transmission which means the LaCrosse will be more attractive in regions with severe weather conditions and give Audi some competition.