Used 2018 Buick LaCrosse for sale 

The 2018 Buick LaCrosse comes in 5 configurations: 1 SV, Preferred, Essence, Premium, and Avenir. The base three trims, 1 SV, Preferred, and Essence come with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with eAssist and is available in front-wheel drive as standard. The Preferred and Essence trims can be upgraded with a 3.6 L V6 engine with an all-wheel-drive option. The Premium Trim is also equipped with the same engine, but you get a 3.6 L V6 engine with all-wheel drive as an option. The Avenir trim has a 3.6 L V6 engine with all-wheel drive as standard.

The 2.5 L 4-cylinder engine option is paired with a 6-speed Automatic Transmission, while the 3.6 L V6 engine is coupled with a 9-speed automatic transmission. The features are spread across the trims widely and one can always choose something according to your needs.

The Premium trim is the best configuration to choose from. It comes with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with eAssist, but you can upgrade it to a more powerful all-wheel-drive V6 engine. It gets advanced safety features, better tech, and an exquisite interior comparable to the top-end Avenir trim. The engine upgrade can cost you $4,600 more, but it will be worth spending.

The 2018 Buick LaCrosse comes with 2 powertrain options. A standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 194 horsepower and 187 pound-feet of torque and powers the front wheels of the car. All other trims apart from Avenir get this engine as standard.

The other engine option is a zesty 3.6-liter V6 engine, which churns out 310-horsepower and 282-lb.-ft torque. This powertrain is available in both FWD and AWD variants. The Avenir trim gets this engine with all-wheel drive as standard. The Premium trim gets the V6 engine with both FWD and AWD as an optional upgrade while the Preferred and Essence trims get the V6 engine only with FWD as an optional upgrade.

The Buick loses out to all its competitors when it comes to performance. The Nissan Maxima S offers the best performance with a V6 engine in its base trim that too at a comparatively lower price. Chrysler 300 stands like a shadow behind Nissan with its 300hp offering. The third place on the list is held by Kia Cadenza as it provides a power output of 253hp.

Acceleration

Buick has maintained the punch in its engines, be it the 2.5 L 4-cyl or the V6 engine. The 2.5 L engine in LaCrosse snaps up the speed of 60 mph in just 7.4 seconds and reaches quarter-mile in 15.7 seconds @ 86mph. The front-wheel-drive V6 engine reaches 60mph in 6.3 seconds, while the all-wheel-drive setup takes only 6.2 seconds to do so.

Nissan Maxima's base trim takes the least time (5.8) to reach 60mph, while LaCrosse takes the most time to touch the 60mph mark. Chrysler 300 and Kia Cadenza stand close to each other as they take 6.6 seconds and 6.5 seconds to finish 0-60mph respectively. Even in the drag race, NIssan holds the top spot with a timing of 14.3 seconds.

Handling and Steering

The Buick Lacrosse is made for a comfortable ride over the bumpy roads. The car drives smoothly around the corners and also along the pavements. The suspension system absorbs most of the bumps and gives the car a stable ride all along. You can adjust the suspension as per your need in two modes: Normal and Sports. Though LaCrosse is not a sports sedan, it still has good handling around the corners and curves.

The optional 20” wheels available with the sedan can change a whole lot of driving experience. The 20” wheels help the sedan hold a better grip on terrains. Also with it also comes an upgraded suspension with continuous damping control on front-drive models. This upgraded suspension along with the damping control upgrade the overall driving dynamics of the sedan.

Braking

One of the biggest negatives that LaCrosse has is its braking. The car takes 123 seconds to come to zero from 60mph. The sedan comes equipped with all-wheel brake rotors setup. The front wheels of the sedan hold 11.8” brake rotors whereas the rear wheels work with 11.3.” The sedan takes 123ft to reach a standstill from 60mph.

Chrysler 300 and Kia Cadenza Premium are the best in terms of braking while the Maxima S has the worst braking. The only redeeming aspect of the 2018 LaCrosse in the department is that it is the only car that offers regenerative braking that will help in enhancing the fuel economy. 

If fuel efficiency is what you look for in a car, Lacrosse is the best option for you. The car has an efficiency of 25 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. Even the 3 Liter V6 engine offers the best mileage (21/30 mpg in city/highway) amongst its competitors.

Nissan Maxima S is the second-best sedan in terms of mileage as compared to its rivals. It gives 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. Both Chrysler 300 and Kia Cadenza offer a combined mileage of 23mpg.

One of the best things you'll like about the LaCrosse is its interior. The car looks stunning from the inside with a no-nonsense design and features. The car has a spacious cabin and seating 3 adults in the rear is not a problem. The front seat space is big enough for the driver to relax while taking a long journey.

Getting in and out of the car is easy as the doors open quite wide. Tall people might have to bend a little bit because of the lower roof of the car. One major issue with the interior comes to the surface when you take a look at it closely.

Some of the material used in the interior does not stand strong in front of the competitors as it looks cheap for its price.

The rear seats of the car might feel a bit uncomfortable because of the low cushioning for thighs and back. The front seats are 8-way power adjustable and the seats in base trim and are covered in synthetic leather. Going up the trims, the seats get 4-way lumbar support with a massage feature. The front seats with massage features are extremely comfortable, but the rear seats don't offer the same comfort.

Infotainment

The 2018 Buick LaCrosse gets an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The system has large on-screen buttons with simple menu options, which make it easy to interact with. The infotainment is placed higher on the dash, making it difficult to operate for the driver.

The display looks crisp under dim light, but washes out in sunlight. Some standard infotainment features are:

• Bluetooth
• USB
• Android Auto
• Apple CarPlay
• 8-speaker audio

Cargo Capacity

The biggest negative of LaCrosse remains its small trunk volume. Although Buick has increased the trunk capacity as compared to the 2017 version of LaCrosse, it is still pretty small. The car has just 14.3-cubic feet of capacity, which is similar to that of Nissan Maxima S. On the other hand, the trunk is shaped in a way that it can accommodate long and wide objects easily.

Chrysler 300 Touring has the best trunk capacity (16.3-cubic feet), which is followed by the Kia Cadenza Premium (16.0-cubic feet). Nissan Maxima S takes the third spot with LaCrosse as they both offer the same cargo space of 14.3 cu-ft

The 2018 Buick LaCrosse looks elegant and sleek. The car carries a curvy design and looks pretty decent. LaCrosse doesn't look long because of its streamlined design, but it stands second in terms of length and wheelbase amongst its rivals.

A longer wheelbase adds up to the legroom inside the cabin making the ride comfortable for the passengers.

In terms of height, width, and weight, the car manages to do well but it loses out to Chrysler 300 and Kia Cadenza. LaCrosse has the best in class ground clearance, which is a plus point as the car can easily cross the bumps or uneven roads. The ground clearance of Kia Cadenza feels short and might become a big issue on uneven terrains.

The car has got 5 stars ratings in 10 out of 12 tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The tests include the ratings of the front barrier, side barrier, and overall crash ratings. The car also passed the tests of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) excellently. Buick always has the safety-first motto for its cars, and the 2018 LaCrosse doesn't disappoint. The 2018 Buick LaCrosse offers some good safety features like Electronic stability control, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring. Some of its major safety features include:

• All Speed Traction Control
• Hill Start Assist
• Electronic Stability Control
• ParkView Rear Back-Up Camera
• Electronic Roll Mitigation
• Advanced Multistage Front Airbags
• Daytime Running Headlamps

Chrysler 300 vs Buick LaCrosse

Chrysler has been producing some of the most powerful cars for a long time now, and the Chrysler 300 is one of them. The car is a combined package of performance and comfort. The car has better handling and comfort than the LaCrosse. The Chrysler 300 is the cheapest of the lot and still offers more features than some of its rivals.

If you want a sports sedan at a low price, then Chrysler 300 is the way to go. But if you look for a luxury sedan with an exquisite interior, then Buick LaCrosse should be your choice.

Nissan Maxima vs Buick LaCrosse

Nissan has gone all-out power and style in the 2018 Nissan Maxima. The car looks stunning from the outside with a hint of a sports car but also has a luxurious interior. With more legroom and better cabin space, the LaCrosse has a bit of an advantage over Maxima, but in terms of performance, Maxima leads all the way through. Go for Nissan Maxima if power is what you need. Choose LaCrosse if comfort and better ride quality remain your preference.

Kia Cadenza vs Buick LaCrosse

With simple looks, a powerful engine, and a stunning interior, Kia Cadenza is one of the best sedans. The car has the most spacious cabin amongst its rivals and offers the most comfortable ride. The car provides better legroom for the rear passengers and also has better headroom.

Cadenza offers better features and more intuitive tech features than any of its rivals. Kia Cadenza is the best option to look out for.

The 2018 Buick LaCrosse is a simple looking sedan with a beautiful interior, comfortable ride, and good tech suite. LaCrosse offers standard and additional features like Regenerative Braking. LaCrosse competes as one of the best in the large sedan category. Low power, average handling, and small trunk are the weak-points of LaCrosse. Kia Cadenza is overall the best car in this segment, which is followed by the Chrysler 300.