Road Trip In Comfort: 2013 Buick Lacrosse

Apologies for a somewhat of a long break; I didn't have time to update the blog during my tour of the West Coast, but it doesn't mean I wasn't busy collecting material.  Those who are following me on twitter and Instagram, should have seen plenty of car spottings, while next few updates will be my California special, which I start with a car that was made for swallowing endless miles of American highways. 

In this review I bring you a rental car provided by Hertz, which I drove from Los Angeles to Las Vegas: The 2013 Buick Lacrosse.

While, exciting is definitely not the right word to describe it, even with pretty much base trim it was extremely comfortable and pretty well equipped vehicle

Features on this model included comfortable leather seats with power adjustable seating positions and lumbar, elegant wooden trim around the cockpit with led mood lighting all around. It had high resolution multi function touch screen but there was no navigation system on this model. Leather steering wheel was very high quality and pleasant to touch, but other cabin materials were a mixed bag as lots of noticeable cheap plastic components were easily noticeable. It also had a remote start option, which came in very handy during Las Vegas 120F heat. My main complaint about the comfort setting was that it had American 6 foot tall drivers in mind. Unless you qualify you will not get an elbow rest on the central console as it only comes into play if you push the seat back all the way.  This is where I started missing the ergonomics of Lexus or Mercedes Benz modes that I drove previously.

The car came in beautiful pearl brown paint; standard 18 inch alloys, halogen lights, and 3.6L V6 engine sending 303HP to front wheels and producing impressive 358 N•m of torque

These numbers make this car very pleasant to drive on the interstates as it effortlessly sails along at 80MPH.  Overtaking is equally effortless, and extremely quiet cabin doesn't leave any sense of speed.

Noises, bumps and surface defects of LA freeways are very well isolated and absorbed by this car as it glides smoothly regardless of road condition. Despite of less than perfect driving position, the car is extremely comfortable and got me from LA to Vegas with only one quick stop for lunch at Barstow, without any signs of fatigue or soreness. 

The soft suspension and tires do well at interstate speed, but it all falls apart around corners.  Steering is extremely light and there is absolutely no feedback.  Tires are soft and lack grip. I had trouble keeping understeer under control coming of a ramp in Las Vegas.  I always had an opinion that dedication to comfort can jeopardize safety, and here my point was well proven.  There is no chance I would have lost grip at that speed on a Mercedes E class or Infniniti G37. 

So there we have it, another American creation that makes large steps into wrong direction.  While extremely comfortable and quiet it fails to engage or entertain. Next time Hertz tries to give me an old man's straight line car, I will pay for upgrade; and next time is coming soon on this blog: Camaro V6 convertible

Cost of ownership:
4/5
The 3.6L V6 Has surprisingly good fuel economy as trip from LA to Vegas left me with almost half tank full. This car is very simple and should be maintenance free for a while

Practicality:
5/5
Car is very comfortable and roomy. It will sit 5 people with ease and it also has very large trunk to haul everyone's luggage

Appeal:
3/5
While not design masterpiece it has modern features and recognizable design.  Buick emblem is interesting and lots of chrome add  that premium.

Fun factor
1/5
This car was designed for quiet and comfortable road trips. While you can have a conversation in quiet voice or enjoy endless selection of music from XM satellite radio through very high quality sound system, you cannot enjoy the process of driving the car, and in some situations, this can let you down.

Thanks for reading everyone, and please check back soon for next review, Chevrolet Camaro V6 Convertible.