Driven: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist
By Joe Lorio / Photos by Joe Lorio
Hybrid or V-6? That's the choice Buick is offering LaCrosse buyers for 2012, and neither option is extra-cost.
The V-6 is a 3.6-liter that makes 303 hp, which is considerably more power than you get with the 4-cylinder hybrid. The V-6 also is alone in offering the option of all-wheel drive.
The hybrid, which Buick calls eAssist, is a mild hybrid, in that it can't propel the car solely on electric power, even at low speeds. Instead, as the car's name implies, it assists with 15 hp and 79 pound-feet of torque, helping the 182-hp four-cylinder accelerate this 3835-pound car. More importantly, it allows the engine to shut down at stoplights and then smoothly and instantly restart, aiding the cause of fuel economy. Speaking of miles per gallon, the LaCrosse eAssist is EPA rated at an impressive 25/36 mpg. That's much better than the 19/30 mpg for unassisted four-cylinder offered previously, not to mention far more economical than the V-6's 17/27 mpg.
A six-speed automatic, instead of a stepless CVT, gives the LaCrosse conventional-feeling throttle response rather than the elastic response conveyed with a CVT. Speaking of response, though, with the LaCrosse's ultra-tall final drive ratio, you really have to put your foot into it to awaken this powertrain. On a positive note, the 2.4-liter Ecotec --which, like many direct-injected four-cylinders, is not known for its mellifluous sound quality -- here has been so effectively muffled that could almost be a V-6, at least under 3000 rpm. And the car is very quiet overall.
If that's what you'd expect from a Buick, then so too is the chassis. The car comfortably sops up bumps but would benefit from greater damping of body motions, to quell squat and dive. The electrically assisted power steering is rather numb and artificial-feeling.
As in many other hybrids, the eAssist battery pack is located behind the rear seat, and it takes up a bit of trunk room (as do the old-fashioned-style gooseneck hinges and their big plastic housings).
If trunk space is not this big sedan's strong point, rear-seat space certainly is. That's not surprising given that in the Chinese market, where the majority of Buicks are sold nowadays, the LaCrosse might often be a chauffer-driven car. Those riding in back will find headroom just adequate under the sloping roofline but there's a generous 40-plus inches of legroom. A rear-seat entertainment system is also available.
In all, the eAssist system is a very painless and unobtrusive way to get compact-car gas mileage in a big, comfortable sedan. Given an even choice between it and a more powerful V-6, it will be interesting to see which way Buick shoppers vote.
2012 Buick LaCrosse Premium I Group
Base price (with destination): $33,300
Price as tested: $36,685
Standard Equipment:
2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with e-Assist
6-speed automatic transmission
4-wheel disc brakes with ABS
Stabilitrak stability control system w/traction control
6 air bags
OnStar w/6 months of Directions & Connections package
Power door locks with remote and remote start
Power windows and mirrors
Power seats
Dual-zone automatic climate control
17-inch alloy wheels
LED tail lamps
AM/FM/XM stereo w/7 speakers
Tilt and telescopic steering column
Bluetooth
Leather seating
Heated front seats
Ultrasonic rear park assist
Options on this vehicle:
Entertainment package - $600
Harman/Kardon 11-speaker, 384-watt stereo
120-volt power outlet
Driver confidence package - $1440
HID headlamps with adaptive forward lighting
Blind spot alert
Head-up display
Navigation and backup camera - $1345
Key options not on vehicle:
19-inch wheel package - $3995
Oversize power sunroof - $1195
Rear-seat entertainment system - $1295
Rear-seat side air bags - $350
Fuel economy:
(city/hwy/combined)
25 / 36 / 29 mpg
Engine:
2.4L I-4
Horsepower: 182 hp @ 6700 rpm
Torque: 172 lb-ft @ 4900 rpm
Electric motor:
Horsepower: 15 hp @ 1000-2200 rpm
Torque: 79 lb-ft @ 1000 rpm
Drive:
Front-wheel
Transmission:
6-speed automatic
Curb weight: 3835 lb
Wheels/tires:
Michelin Green X 235/55R17
Competitors:
Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
Toyota Camry Hybrid
Lexus ES350
Credit: Automobile Magazine (www.automobilemag.com)
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