Oldplay: Inside Line pits Buick LaCrosse against Lexus ES 350... who wins?
When it comes to isolating the two most important stats automakers consider when determining a vehicle's success or failure, the Lexus ES350 is a smash it. The stats in question are sales volume and profit, and the ES typically tops the entry-level luxury sales chart while often exceeding its competition in terms of price. Conversely, Buick has been stuck at the opposite end of the spectrum, with little in the way of product or respect – at least until recently. The well-received Enclave proved that General Motors' one-time bastard child could make competitive product, but the 2010 LaCrosse is tasked with taking on the likes of Acura and Lexus.
Inside Line was impressed enough with a LaCrosse it reviewed earlier that the online publication pitted Buick's upstart against the long dominant ES350. IL notes that the Lacrosse outweighs the ES by nearly 500 pounds, generates 2.5 fewer miles per gallon and has a .6 second slower 0-60 mph time, yet it handily bests the aging ES in nearly every category. Hit the read link below to check out the comparison. Has Buick arrived as a legitimate contender to Lexus? It's definitely too early to tell, but it looks like the division could finally be ready to put up a good fight.
Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse
[Source: Inside Line]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Serge 2:06PM (9/02/2009)
I would definitely pick the LaCrosse over the ES350... that's a car for people who think cars are an appliance to get from A to B and don't know they could have bought one for about $30,000.
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Shiftright 2:32PM (9/02/2009)
I agree. Even though I hate the Buick grille and emblem, the La Crosse has much more presence, and form what I hear the quality nowadays
Quantumphysics 2:45PM (9/02/2009)
Replace the grill and change the logo to a personal design.
Then you've got a winner.
zamafir 4:13PM (9/02/2009)
Yup, seems like a worthy competitor and a bit more badge pedigree than the genesis
anonymous j 10:25PM (9/02/2009)
"that's a car for people who think cars are an appliance to get from A to B"
This is what most people think, hence the success of the ES.
bumijaja 2:23AM (9/03/2009)
Can the LaCrosse win if the ugly grandpa grill is replaced and fog lights are added?
Ian 3:27PM (9/02/2009)
It's that 500lbs in pork which is frightening. It's a nice car, but looks set to eat brakes and tires and stuff like that.
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Serge 2:40PM (9/02/2009)
I think the Buick is bigger and if the one they tested had AWD, then it's understandable why it's heavier.
mr.ed 3:12PM (9/02/2009)
Same weight difference between the new Taurus and the Accord. Sorta makes the US product less competitive and wasteful, and makes the components work harder.
Sal Collaziano 3:22PM (9/02/2009)
...and what's even more strange is the fact that it's got less room inside than a Honda Accord.. And this is supposed to be a BIG car? It's big on the outside - but that's all. I really wish Buick would consider a Lucerne replacement.. I suppose this car could grow a little bit when the Lucerne is gone...
Sal Collaziano
http://www.buickforums.com
alex 3:22PM (9/02/2009)
the taurus and accord aren't even in the same class. of course the taurus is heavier... it's way bigger.
Ian 3:51PM (9/02/2009)
Some inside dimensions:
Hip room : Leg room : Shoulder room:
Ford Taurus:
F 56.3, R 55.8 : F 41.9 R 38.1 : F 57.9 56.9
Honda:
56.6 54.3 : 42.5 37.2 : 58.2 56.4
Buick:
55.2 53.9 : 41.7 40.5 : 57.4 56.0
No clear winner. Conclusion the Honda has similar internal room.
Gloria 4:05PM (9/02/2009)
Maybe if you want to compare the size of various vehicles, you should include trunk space, as it is very important............. especially in the large car segment.
2010 Ford Taurus: 20.1 cubic ft
2010 Buick LaCrosse: 13 cubic ft
2009 Honda Accord: 14 cubic ft
The extra size of the Taurus, is put to good use.
the friendly grizzly 8:22PM (9/02/2009)
Why? If the tires and brakes are properly sized for the vehicle, they should last quite a long time. If not, they won't.
Case in point: compare brake mileage between a previous-gen Toyota Tundra and a same-year Ford or GMC/Chevy. One has properly-sized brakes, the other does not.
dal20402 2:08PM (9/02/2009)
Buick is killing Lexus in the soft luxury products: the Enclave is far more interesting than the RX and now the LaCrosse looks very compelling next to the ES. I expect that there will also be a hybrid Regal that will demolish the poorly executed HS250h.
Will GM have the guts to let Buick compete against Lexus's sportier models, like the IS and GS? Time will tell.
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SkiD666 2:11PM (9/02/2009)
That's for Cadillac to compete with.
Serge 2:38PM (9/02/2009)
Cadillac is way above Lexus in terms of sporty luxury... the CTS-V and XLR-V are way better than anything Lexus offers or probably will offer in the near future.
Gloria 3:50PM (9/02/2009)
The XLR is dead, thus, it does not count.
The only car that Cadillac has, that is ahead of Lexus, is the CTS and its dirivatives. Everything else pretty much competes with Lexus............. and Buick............. since Buick also competes with Lexus.
(sigh)
Mike 5:11PM (9/02/2009)
Come on people.. Cadillac, Buick etc.. they all need a MASSIVE DIET!
I don't care if they pump more hp etc into these things.. they need to make LIGHTER cars.
They say in this review the car weighs 500lbs MORE! NOT FUN! NOT SAFE!
The CTS-V (4300lbs) weights a solid 450lbs more than an ISF (3780lbs.) the CTS is a bigger car.. but come on Cadillac.. give us something FUN and smaller. We don't always need to have a LARGE executive backseat. If we did, we'd all be driving Crown Vics!
1. MAKE A SMALLER Buick / Cadillac. RWD Platform to compete with 3series. AWD as an option.
2. MAKE A LIGHTER CAR. 3450lbs rwd / 3550 awd. +option weight.
3. Throw any of your nice engines into it (V6 from Camaro is more than enough if the weight is right).
4. Price is accordingly. $1500 -2000 less than a BMW. and it will sell!
the4thheat 5:44PM (9/02/2009)
OK this Inside Line "review" is the pinnacle of ridiculousness. For one thing they randomly picked 10 things that they decided the car should have and then penalized the ES for not having them.
One of these things that the LaCrosse got points for but the ES lost points on was...a 4-cylinder engine option.
Because really, it's fair to penalize a FRIGGIN' LUXURY CAR FOR NOT HAVING A 4-CYLINDER OPTION? Yeah it happens to have the option too, it's called buying the Camry instead.
Here's the nonsense that has the 500 pound heavier, worse mileage getting, slower to 60mph, Buick magically "beating" the ES. They chose 10 random features that they decided luxury cars "have to have" that the Buick just happened to have, hilarious:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=156106/pageId=177124
Since when did every luxury car have to have AWD? That would penalize everything from an S Class to a Genesis to the LS460...wtf?
4-Cylinder engine? Is Inside Line on drugs or something? That's like doing a supercar comparison then penalizing Lambos for not having V6's available.
And other crap like perforated vs unperforated leather borders on ridiculousness for being the measurement they're using to compare these cars. You might as well use the ES' leather trim package as a must have feature.
I could make a ridiculous "must have" features list that just happens to have what the ES has and the Lacrosse doesn't.
Like say, rear seat air conditioning/heating ducts-which the ES has standard and the Lacrosse has as an option package (seriously on a luxury car? Even the Camry LE has one).
Or maybe I'll arbitrarily proclaim that all luxury cars "have" to have a 72 month powertrain warranty then give the ES points.
Or a folding center seat armrest that the ES has and the Lacrosse doesn't, or the option of rear privacy glass, etc.
All of these stupid things are totally random and arbitrary features that make no sense to use in a point scoring system. This is probably the worst review I've ever read-how can ANYBODY take this seriously when having a 4-cylinder engine is one of the "requirements" of a luxury car?!?