Buick remains to be all the rage in China, and we think the country’s people will quite like the 2017 Buick LaCrosse. After grabbing our first impressions of the 2017 LaCrosse, it’s clear Buick means business, calling the sedan its flagship. For China, this is even more so.
The 2017 Buick LaCrosse is styled identical, and receives nearly every option the U.S.-spec LaCrosse does, save for a powertrain difference. The 2017 LaCrosse 28T, the top-end of the LaCrosse range, receives the familiar 2.0-liter LTG four-cylinder turbo engine. All other LaCrosses will arrive with GM’s new 1.5-liter SIDI four-cylinder. A V6 option is not available.
Buyers choosing the 2.0-liter turbo will receive a six-speed automatic transmission, while the 1.5-liter four-cylinder LaCrosse gains an extra cog and arrives with standard start-stop technology.
Finally, Buick China will introduce Continuous Damping Control, Buick’s intelligent chassis system which monitors the road 100 times per second. The system maximizes comfort, but also benefits handling when sport mode is selected.
The 2017 Buick LaCrosse shouldn’t have much of a problem finding buyers in the country. Last year alone, 83,000 LaCrosse sedans were purchased nationwide.
Comments
different front lamps- full led ?
Wow LaCrosse looks like a Chrysler from the mid 2000s. I guess that is that market position, unfortunately, that Buick seems to be chasing in NA.
I actually saw one of these today and it really looks like it is ready to take on Lexus.
This like so many cars today do not photograph well and it is much nicer in person.
I really think no one is Chasing Chrysler at this point at time.
This is more fitting for a Lincoln challenger.
I had a chance to see the car at the NAIAS and it is a very nice car . It’s bigger than you would think from the pictures . I can see the car doing very well in China , where they like to be the passenger and not the driver .
I do’t see it going against the Lexus though , maybe Hundai ‘s flagship or possibly the K-900 from Kia . The latter offering a V-8 engine . I really don’t even see the Continental loosing sales from the LaCrosse , thats the CT6’s market.
Although I like the CT6 , Ford finally give Lincoln the car they have wanted for some time instead of a gussied up Crown Victoria .
Here in the states any / all sedans are going to have to fight for what little market share there is when SUV’s and CUV’s are whats hot in the auto world .
It depends on which Lexus you are talking about. LaCrosse goes against Lexus ES all the last years, and a lot of comparisons are made on the web, because both are FWD entry level luxury sedans.
If you mean Lexus GS, however, not to say LS, then that’s not the LaCrosse territory at all.
Lincoln Continental and CT6 is way higher class, than the LaCrosse. Both Continental and CT6 pretend to be somehow comparable to e.g. MB S class or BMW 7 series (though the majority of people you ask, I think, would say both Continental and CT6 won’t reach S class in luxury and tech level, and nearly the same with 7 series).
no this isn’t the big RWD Buick like the golden ages.
I drove many Buicks, including a 1995 Regal with the famour 231 CI (3.8 L) V6. Modern Buick cars don’t need such large engines anymore. Only specializaed sportscars will be using V8s, and they will be expensive!
General Motors may need to consider following the approach of Europeans in turbocharging engines by having a small turbocharger unit for low speeds and then a second unit once the engine is up to speed; thus, this would do two things the elimination of lag.. or, another possibility would be to make almost every car that General Motors builds a hybrid which means on acceleration before the turbocharger can build boost, the electric motors of the hybrid kicks in and give instant power and torque as suggested by Dan Nicholson GM’s VP of Global Propulsion.
GM will apply the same Chevy Malibu Hybrid tecnonoly to the Buick LaCrosse as anothe GM hybrid, using technology from the gen 2 Chevy Volt.
No complex turbocharger needed!
Lag is not so much a problem. Most of todays cars use smaller Turbochargers that are duel scrolled that are very effective. Also they are going to offer duel turbo where two small units are used to cut the lag.
To be honest the V8 LT engines and LS engines have more lag in their kick down of the transmission than the Turbo engines have in turbo lag. While they may have some lag it is no where near what the GN used to have. I am not sure what it is on the trucks the tranny or the cylinder drop but that lag is the one that is annoying.
In mine the power is there when you hit it. Now it does hit with ton as it will give me full torque 315 FT LBS at very low RPM just under 2000 to 5300 RPM.
I was a never give up the V8 guy but I have no complaints of the new Turbo engines. I hated the old ones because of the lag and today no complaints.
Now in mega HP applications and larger engines there may be a need but in what is offered at GM now it is not a major issue.
TO be honest most people could not handle anything more as the loss of traction on FWD is so easy at the low speeds. The nose unloads under wight transfer as it is now.
2nd gen LaCrosse did not get 3.6 V6 in China (neither LLT or LFX) – it only had 3.0 V6 LF1 as a top version, which was phased out later on in favor of LTG. And naturally aspirated 3.0 V6s are generally not in favor in GM now, because of their lack of fuel economy. So, it does not come as a surprise, that 3rd gen LaCrosse in China won’t get V6 altogether.
It should be fine with LTG, I think, especially taking into account its reduced weight (as advertised, it is around 300 lbs lighter than 2nd gen LaCrosse).
New turbo 1.5 is like in Chevy Malibu, I guess. If so, it doesn’t look like a compelling engine for LaCrosse (which is bigger than Malibu), but still should be enough for Chinese city traffic jams, I guess.
I’m just curious if 3rd Gen LaCrosse will get only 3.6 V6 LGX in North America as its sole powertrain, or there would be an LTG or some eAssist option(s) too. This should be revealed soon, in a matter of few months, I guess.
GM will apply the same Chevy Malibu Hybrid tecnonoly to the Buick LaCrosse as anothe GM hybrid, using technology from the Gen 2 Chevy Volt.
Sharp looking car. I hope Buick really means business and customer service. Our Buick Enclave has been EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE and has cost us thousands of dollars in out of pocket repairs (engine, trans, steering, sensors, throttle body, pumps, sensors). We have also received very poor customer service from Buick: 1-800-521-7300. I would encourage all owners with problems to Google these common issues and contact Buick and the NHTSA. This has definitely been a “different kind of luxury”
Well, it’s a pity you had such an experience. This was a mess, I guess. I can’t say anything about Enclave, but I have 2nd gen 2010 LaCrosse (6 years old now), which I bought a year ago as certified-pre-owned having almost 60000 miles on it. Now it has almost 70000 miles, and it does not break so far. Almost – the only thing which started failing four months ago was a wheel bearing of one of the wheels – it was replaced in one day under certified-pre-owned warranty I got at purchase (it is so-called GMPP, GM Protection Plan), for a deductible of $200.
Just to be clear, I’m in no way affiliated with GM and with automotive industry in the slightest; just want to say, that some Buick sedans seem to have longevity – for example, in Toronto, where I live, I regularly see 10-15 years old Centuries, LeSabres and Regals rolling here and there all the time.
So, not all Buicks are like yours.
I agree. I have a 1995 Buick Regal that is 26 years old (it will hit 27 on October), and it still runs as new with no major repairs, and an original 3.8 L V6 engine (only the plugs are different – I use E3 DiamondFire).