PRICE : For 2014 Buick LaCrosse $34090
The 2014 Buick LaCrosse ranks 6 out of 10 Affordable Large Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of published reviews and test drives of the Buick LaCrosse, as well as reliability and safety data.
Reviewers agree that the 2014 Buick LaCrosse offers a nice interior and comfortable, quiet ride. They also like the excellent fuel economy it gets with the eAssist powertrain.
The 2014 Buick LaCrosse is available with a choice of two engines. The LaCrosse eAssist is powered by a four-cylinder engine and electric motor. Reviewers like the eAssist model’s excellent fuel economy, and they say that the engine start-stop feature is seamless when it turns the engine on and off. However, they are split over whether the eAssist engine is refined or powerful enough for the LaCrosse. The eAssist model has a six-speed automatic transmission, which test drivers say shifts smoothly.
The LaCrosse eAssist gets an EPA-estimated 25/36 mpg city/highway, which is very good for an affordable large car. A more powerful V6 engine is available as a no-cost option. One reviewer notes that the V6 is better suited to the LaCrosse than the eAssist engine, because the V6 provides much better acceleration. According to the EPA, V6 models get up to 18/28 mpg city/highway, which is slightly below-average for a V6 car in this class. Test drivers say that the 2014 Buick LaCrosse has a comfortable, quiet ride, composed handling and strong brakes, though some reviewers write that the steering system could provide better feedback.
Reviewers say the interior of the LaCrosse has premium materials and comfortable, roomy seats, particularly in the rear. Test drivers write that the LaCrosse’s infotainment system is easy to use, but they also report that the LaCrosse’s trunk is quite small for the class.
The 2014 Buick LaCrosse comes standard with a power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, remote vehicle start, OnStar and Buick’s IntelliLink infotainment system, which includes an 8-inch touch-screen display, a seven-speaker stereo, satellite radio, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming and a USB port. Optional features include leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display, a sunroof, push-button start, parking sensors, a backup camera, a Bose sound system and navigation. The LaCrosse includes new optional driver aids and safety features for 2014, including blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control.
EXTERIOR
Even the nose is much cleaner than ever before, with LED daytime running lights forming a deep eyebrow above each headlamp up front. The glossy grey finish of the latest Buick waterfall grille is also handsome in person, despite seeming quite large in photos.
The more-subtle finish of the internal grille bars in grey makes a big difference for the LaCrosse. This Buick flagship still wears a double helping of chrome trim for the grille’s outside edge, but it blends with the headlights and bright-work of the wheels very nicely.
INTERIOR
►New instrument panel "center stack" and integrated floor console with more storage
►Configurable eight-inch color driver information and cluster display
►New, more comfortable front seats with four-way adjustable headrests
►New door panels with revised door lock, seat memory and trunk release controls
►New, available Ultra Luxury Interior Package with a synthetic suede headliner and pillars coverings, semi-aniline leather seating, authentic Tamo Ash wood trim and more.
While the Buick LaCrosse's new interior brings more amenities and enhanced personal technology with next-generation IntelliLink, it does so with greater simplicity. The new center stack radio controls, for example, have only seven buttons vs. the previous 17. The large, eight-inch color touch screen is designed to be easier to operate with intuitive controls and smartphone-influenced swipe recognition for easier navigation. Dual-zone climate controls also feature capacitive-touch operation and are framed in chrome.
The rear-seat headrests fold down to enhance rearward visibility, while the new four-way adjustable front headrests are designed to provide a greater range of comfort, particularly for taller drivers.
Four interior color/trim combinations are available for 2014:
►Light Neutral seating/Cocoa accents, offered with cloth or Soleil Keisel leather seats and Kyoto Maple wood-style décor
►Ebony, offered with cloth or Soleil Keisel leather seats and Cellini Wood décor
►Choccachino seating/Cocoa accents, with Soleil Keisel leather seats with contrast stitching and Phantasm Wood-style décor.
SPECIFICATION
►Make:Buick
►Model:LaCrosse
►Price:$34090
►Engine:V6
►Transmission:6-Speed Automatic
►Horsepower @ RPM:304
►MPG(Cty):18
►MPG(Hwy):28
►Torque @ RPM:264
►Energy:DI
►Displacement:3.6 L
►0-60 time:7.4 sec. (Est.)
►Top Speed:130 mph (Est.)
►Layout:Front-engine, Front-Drive (AWD Opt)
NEW OPTION & PACKAGES
►Updated exterior styling with LED lighting
►Redesigned wheel selections
►Revised interior design with new seats
►Available Ultra Luxury Interior package
►Available next-generation IntelliLink with gesture-recognition screen and natural voice-recognition technology
►Available configurable instrument panel
►Available bi-xenon articulating headlights
►Available Safety Alert Seat
►Available side blind-zone alert
►Available Lane Change Alert
►Available lane-departure warning
►Available forward-collision alert
►Available rear cross-traffic alert
►Available Automatic Collision Preparation
►Available adaptive cruise control
From the outside the changes are sparse for 2014. The grille is bigger and the trio of fake vents moves to the side of the hood. The headlights are more sculpted and sport some LED accent lights. Out back, the taillights are also sharper and there's an accent strip that runs across the top of them like a chrome unibrow.
Inside, the changes may seem just as subtle, but they're actually quite significant. Gone are the wobbly GM parts-bin steering wheel switchgear, replaced by high-quality, usable buttons. The gauges are now stylish and sharp, with a reconfigurable center screen, and last year's roll-top-desk shutter over the center bin has been killed off in favor of a proper armrest. These are all welcome improvements to an already pleasant cabin with modern design and admirable materials.
Higher-tech safety features like adaptive cruise control, forward collision alert, cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and the Safety Alert Seat are all new options. With all of these alerts, though, anyone following anything less than perfect lane discipline and the DMV-prescribed following distance will be bombarded with beeps, flashes and buzzes on their typical commute. Fortunately, these systems can either be adjusted or disabled altogether.
DRIVETRAIN
Buick LaCrosse with eAssist uses a lithium-ion battery system and electric motor-generator to enable regenerative braking capability. Instead of providing all-electric propulsion, the system provides power assistance to the internal combustion engine. The eAssist system also allows the engine to shut down fuel delivery in certain deceleration situations, or at a stop, which saves additional fuel.
New 17-, 18-, 19- and 20-inch tires, along with revisions to some chassis and suspension elements, contribute to stronger handling across the model range, while new wheel designs - including LaCrosse's first 20-inch wheel - match driving experience with style. LaCrosse is also available with an advanced Haldex all-wheel-drive system with electronic limited slip differential (eLSD) that automatically decides how to distribute torque based on vehicle speed, throttle position and individual wheel slip. It also contributes to a refined driving experience, with minimal torque transferred to the rear wheels when all-wheel-drive traction isn't required, for a quieter, smoother ride.
Available on 3.6L front-wheel-drive models with 19- or 20-inch wheels is real-time damping and Sport Mode Selectivity, which uses four electronically controlled dampers to constantly "read" the road and make adjustments within milliseconds. It also features Buick's HiPer Strut front suspension, which enhances ride and handling by reducing torque steer, delivering more linear and communicative steering through improved camber control and delivering improved impact isolation on bumps and rough surfaces.
Electric power steering is standard on models with the 2.4L engine, as well as 3.6L-equipped front-drive models. This technology helps save fuel by drawing energy only when the wheels are turned. It also contributes to the Buick LaCrosse's driving experience with variable assistance at different vehicle speeds.
ENGINE
Both engines will be mated to a standard six-speed automatic transmission combined with either a front-wheel-drive or an all-wheel-drive system.
| Type: | 2.4L DOHC I-4 | 3.6L V-6 VVT DI |
| Displacement (cu in / cc): | 145 / 2,384 | 217 / 3,564 |
| Bore & stroke (in / mm): | 3.46 x 3.85 / 88 x 98 | 3.7 x 3.37 / 94 x 85.6 |
| Block material: | precision sand-cast aluminum | cast aluminum |
| Cylinder head material: | cast aluminum | cast aluminum |
| Valvetrain: | DOHC with four valves per cylinder; continuously variable valve timing | DOHC with four valves per cylinder; continuously variable valve timing |
| Ignition system: | individual coil-on-plug | individual coil-on-plug; individual cylinder knock control |
| Fuel delivery: | direct injection and electronic throttle control | direct injection |
| Compression ratio: | 11.2:1 | 11.5:1 |
| Horsepower (hp / kW @ rpm): | 182 / 136 @ 6,700 rpm SAE certified | 304 / 227 @ 6,800 SAE certified |
| Torque (lb.-ft. / Nm @ rpm): | 172 / 233 @ 4,900 rpm SAE certified | 264 / 358 @ 5,300 SAE certified |
| Recommended fuel: | regular unleaded | regular unleaded or E85 (E85 capability not available in Northeast states with PZEV emissions) |
| Emissions controls: | close-coupled, catalytic converter; continuously variable valve timing; positive crankcase ventilation evaporative system; supplemental air injection system, partial zero emissions vehicle capable (eAssist) | dual close-coupled catalysts and single underfloor catalyst; variable valve timing, evaporative system |
| Fuel economy (city / hwy): | TBD | TBD |
PERFORMANCE
For those looking for a little bit more punch under the hood, there is a 3.6-liter, V-6 engine available that can provide 303 horsepower on the top end while accelerating from zero-to-60 mpg in less than seven seconds. Even with the upgrade in performance, the more powerful versions of the 2014 Buick LaCrosse in San Antonio, TX will break the 25-mile per gallon barrier on the highway...SEE ALL PHOTOS
HANDLING
Those willing to trade mpgs for plentiful thrust and more trunk space can select the 3.6-liter V6 - a no-charge option on all but the base model - which produces 303 horsepower and 274 lb-ft of torque and trims about two seconds from the car's zero-to-60 mph time. The V6 model is rated at 17/27 mpg in front-wheel-drive form, while optional all-wheel-drive makes winter driving a cinch but lowers efficiency slightly to 16/26 mpg.
All LaCrosse models shift through a six-speed automatic transmission.
Buyers in the large, plush premium car segment probably aren't looking for a sport sedan, and they won't find one in the LaCrosse. However, it does provide faithful steering and composed handling without a tradeoff in ride quality, which is decidedly cushy. Suspension revisions for the latest model year help give the LaCrosse a slightly more agile feel.
COMFORT & QUALITY
The first impression of the LaCrosse from the driver's seat isn't necessarily of spaciousness, though. The roofline is tall enough for good head room, but the console design is fairly tall and wide--more so than in the related 2014 Chevy Impala. The seats are supportive but soft to the touch, and adjust eight ways even in base trim. Upper models also get upgraded perforated leather and ventilated heating and cooling features, along with more adjustments and memory settings.
The back seat is where the LaCrosse makes its case for premium status, above and beyond Buick's smaller Regal, and above some of the more popularly priced family four-doors. Head room remains rather regal, and the LaCrosse is wide enough and long enough for two adults to sit very comfortably, and for a smaller adult to ride comfortably in between. It's still ideal for four adults, but can pinch-hit capably for a crossover when it needs to.
The console and glovebox are big enough for the usual collection of CDs, owner's manuals, pens, sunglasses, and bagfuls of change. A huge trunk, as well as folding seatbacks, can hold plenty of cargo or accommodate larger items.
The interior appointments and standards of refinement in the LaCrosse's cabin are truly luxury-car caliber. Across most of the interior, materials are lavish, with fine detailing, ambient lighting, and nicely done faux-stitching on the dashboard, along with plenty of soft-touch surfaces. The materials have been updated for the new model year, along with the seats, with a new "Ultra Luxury" cabin option with a less heavily treated leather and a new woodgrain trim complementing a slightly reshaped center stack.
Only the base models can feel just a little bit simple and plasticky, and the woodgrain trim can seem a little out of place in some of the models. But otherwise there's a wide range of materials, including plastic, wood and leather, with quality rising as you move up the model line.
Ride quality in the LaCrosse fits the premium look and feel, with the measures of Buick's 'Quiet Tuning' philosophy damping out nearly all wind and road noise. The only thing we've noticed with V-6 models is that they tend to have more of a raspy sound under acceleration than you might expect from a quiet luxury car.
SAFETY
►Driver Confidence 1 package includes Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Change Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, High-Intensity Discharge headlamps with Articulating Headlamps, fog lamps and Head-Up Display.
►Driver Confidence 2 package adds Collision Preparation (with Collision Mitigation Braking), full-speed-range Adaptive Cruise Control and the Safety Alert Seat.
The Collision Mitigation Braking feature can intervene in certain crash-imminent situations, automatically triggering emergency braking if the driver fails to respond to a previous alert. The Safety Alert Seat vibrates on the left or right side, or both sides simultaneously, depending on the direction of the crash threat.
The Buick LaCrosse is one of the first vehicles to offer Lane Change Alert, which warns the driver of fast-approaching vehicles in the next lane that are up to 230 feet (70 meters) behind the car.
LaCrosse's safety features also include eight standard air bags, including rear-seat thorax air bags, StabiliTrak, traction control and four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and Intelligent Brake Assist. A rear-vision camera is available.
FUEL ECONOMY
The LaCrosse comes in two models, one specifically geared toward higher fuel economy, the other with more ample luxury-minded performance. For 2014, the eAssist mild-hybrid powertrain delivers an EPA-rated 25 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, for a combined gas mileage figure of 29 mpg. That's a very good number for a large sedan, and in real-world driving, our editors have seen about 30 mpg in 270 miles of mixed driving.
A word of caution, though. While we've been able to come close to replicating the LaCrosse's 36-mpg highway rating, we've found it challenging—virtually impossible—to see the EPA test's 25 mpg in city driving. The trip computer's figures in typical city driving have been more in the 19 to 21 mpg range.
With the available V-6 engine, the LaCrosse's fuel economy is less impressive. Its EPA figures come in at either 17/26 mpg or 20 mpg combined for the all-wheel-drive version, or 18/28/21 mpg for the front-drive V-6 car.
VIDEO ( 2014 BUICK LACROSSE )
Video by : Testdrive
SEE ALL PHOTOS
By : Automotive News & Super Modified Sports Cars
Posted by : Shahen Tharammal
SEE ALL PHOTOS
By : Automotive News & Super Modified Sports Cars
Posted by : Shahen Tharammal
No comments:
Post a Comment