First Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

An engine for every driver Buick will offer three engines in the LaCrosse, all using direct injection and mated to six-speed automatic transmissions. The top-tier CXS model comes with the 3.6-liter V-6 engine found in the Chevrolet Camaro and Cadillac CTS. In the LaCrosse, output is about 20 hp lower, rated at 280 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque. But unlike the Camaro and the CTS, power in the Buick is routed through the front wheels. That means there's ample torque steer with spirited acceleration. In casual driving, the 3.6-liter is exceptionally refined, creating a smooth and authoritative driving experience. The most popular engine will be the 3.0-liter V-6 found on the CX and CXL. It cedes some power to the larger-displacement V-6, with a rating of 255 hp and 217 lb-ft, but returns the same fuel economy at 17/27 mpg with front-wheel drive. The CXL with the 3.0-liter V-6 is the only LaCrosse model that will offer all-wheel drive, which knocks off 1 mpg from both the city and highway ratings. Later in the year, Buick will add a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that will take the place of the 3.0-liter in the CX. Buick made a late decision to add the fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine to the LaCrosse lineup to meet rising fuel economy standards. Also found in the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossovers, the engine makes 182 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque. GM predicts about 25 percent of buyers will opt for the more fuel-efficient engine, and we hope they're right. In order for GM to continue building performance-oriented models like the Camaro and the CTS-V, it'll need to move a substantial number of fuel-sippers in other models. GM hasn't yet certified the fuel economy of the smallest engine in the Buick LaCrosse but is estimating it will achieve a 20/30 mpg rating. Chassis by Europe The LaCrosse rides on the Epsilon II platform that also underpins the European Opel Insignia. The front suspension setup uses MacPherson struts, and the rear uses a multilink design on the base CX trim and H-arms on the CXL and the CXS. Continuously variable dampers had been fitted to our test car with the $800 touring package. Disc brakes are standard on all four corners, as is antilock braking. On the base CX, seventeen-inch steel wheels with covers are standard, a decidedly downmarket offering on a $28,000 entry-luxury car. But eighteen-inch aluminum wheels are optional on the CX and standard on the higher trims. Nineteen-inch wheels are also available for the CXS. Buick takes pride in the fact that the LaCrosse suspension was tuned in Europe, a land that is famed for turning out solid chassis that inspire confidence without sacrificing comfort. That focus is a stark change from Buick's reputation for cars that float down highways like a piece of driftwood rising and falling in rolling waves. It's certainly a welcome effort, but can a company so ingrained in comfort do athletic? And what about the risk of taking it too far? If grandma's dentures fall out over a stretch of rough road, is it still a Buick?