2017 Buick LaCrosse

The redesigned 2017 Buick LaCrosse made its official debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show back in November, and is better than ever. I was never a huge fan of the previous two generations, but for some reason I find this new one appealing. The 2017 LaCrosse rides on a stretched version of GM's Epsilon II platform, which underpins the new Chevy Malibu, also a huge improvement over its predecessor. This car utilizes a lighter steel frame, contributing to a weight loss of 300 pounds compared to the previous LaCrosse. It is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 sourced from the Cadillac CTS and 2016 Chevy Camaro rated at 305 horsepower and 268 foot-pounds of torque, a slight improvement over the old 3.6-liter V6. The LaCrosse's motor is paired to an eight-speed automatic with Electronic Precision Shift and comes standard with cylinder deactivation. For those who aren't familiar with cylinder deactivation, it allows the engine to run on less cylinders in order to increase fuel efficiency and remove some of the strain placed on it. Front-drive models with 20-inch alloys come with a Hi-Per Strut suspension, which controls torque steer and improves the vehicle's grip in all road conditions and overall feel. The new LaCrosse, like the 2016 Chevy Malibu, is equipped with a feature known as Teen Driver. This feature is for parents with teenagers or those who allow others, especially people who these individuals can't trust behind the wheel, to drive their vehicle. It enables the owner to keep tabs on the other driver's on-road behavior released by the vehicle. Also, a variety of actions can be taken with Teen Driver, from muting the audio when the front passengers aren't buckled up to installing warning sounds when the vehicle goes past a specific speed. This is the first Buick to don a revised tri-shield logo, which will begin to pop up on future Buick models. It borrows styling cues from the Avenir concept that debuted at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. Other features that make the new Buick LaCrosse stand apart from the pack are massaging and quick heating front seats, and a frameless 8-inch touchscreen with a new version of Buick's Intellilink Infotainment system now compatible with Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto. This vehicle will hit dealerships early this summer, starting at $31,990. Because of these improvements, I think the 2017 Buick LaCrosse is a great car, even though it isn't geared towards performance by any means.