New Milennium Roadmaster: The 2015 Buick LaCrosse

The 2015 Buick LaCrosse.

The headline above refers to the great Buick Roadmasters of the 30s, 40s and 50s, not the station wagon of the 90s.  Those uber-Buicks lived up to their name.  They were masters of the road, a superior means of travel.

The 2015 Buick LaCrosse has captured that spirit in a fully contemporary package.

New Car Review: 2013 Buick LaCrosse



The 2013 Buick LaCrosse.

Almost three years ago, we reviewed the then-new Buick LaCrosse and came up with the conclusion that while their advertising was targeting Lexus, the car itself was close in a lot of ways but only won when price got factored in. That Lacrosse was the CXL model and it ended up costing $31,000 and change...which put it nearly 10 grand below a comparably equipped Lexus ES350.

Well, Buick has dumped the direct hit on Lexus from their advertising, and now has five trim levels...LaCrosse (base, which starts at $31,660), Leather ($33,870), Premium I ($35,285), Premium II (also $35,285) and Touring ($39,240). As you'd expect, Touring is loaded...to the point that the only two options on our test car were rear-seat mounted thorax air bags ($350) and the Crystal Red paint ($325). With $875 destination charge, the bottom line shows $40,790.

Buick LaCrosse Review

Attitude is not an attribute one has associated with Buick for more than 20 years...since the hot Grand National models.

But Buick has decided to get in your face with its message about the new LaCrosse...with billboards and TV ads calling it "Something else for Lexus to relentlessly pursue."

Really?