When it comes to Buick’s modern model lineup, the LaCrosse is by far the brand’s most traditional offering, as it follows the feature-filled, four-door sedan formula that has most famously flowed from its Flint, Michigan assembly lines for the last 50-plus years. But as its traditional clientele is “aging out,” Buick’s moving to appeal to a (relatively) younger demographic by updating its gear and adding a Sport Touring trim to the 2019 LaCrosse.
What's New for 2019
A Sport Touring trim joins the LaCrosse lineup, along with two new exterior color choices and an air ionizer on the Premium trim.
Choosing Your Buick LaCrosse
While “full-size Buick sedan” and “hybrid propulsion” may seem antithetical, Buick’s flagship sedan is powered by a surprisingly-small 2.4-liter inline-four-cylinder gasoline engine with automatic start/stop and eAssist “light electrification technology” producing a total of 194 horsepower and 187 pound-feet of torque as standard for most of the line.
Paired exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, this setup is standard on every LaCrosse trim save the Sport Touring and Avenir which are V6 only. The system earns EPA fuel economy ratings of 25 miles per gallon city, 35 mpg highway, and 29 combined.
The six-cylinder is a 3.6-liter that puts its 310 hp and 268 lb-ft to the front or all four tires through a nine-speed automatic. Adding it where needed runs $2,500. All-wheel drive comes at less of a cost, adding $2,200 on V6 Essences and Avenirs and $2,300 to Premiums. In all cases, it drops fuel economy by five across the board to 20/30/24 mpg (city/highway/combined), and all-wheel drive drops it a tad more to 20/29/23 mpg.
The aptly-named Essence trim is the best of all worlds, offering a well-appointed vehicle to start with plus access to nearly everything else the 2019 Buick LaCrosse lineup has to offer including the V6 engine, all-wheel drive, the Dynamic Drive Package, and the full range of interior and exterior colors.