2019 Buick LaCrosse

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Rating6.8

Ranked #12 in 

Midsize Sedan
Write Review
$29,570 - $47,070
Starting Price 
M. Hannigan's image
M. Hannigan 

Content Writer,

Updated on November 3, 2023

ProsConsWhat's New

Airy and spacious cabin

Small trunk

New Sport Touring trim with 3.6-L V6 as standard

Impressive fuel economy

Uncomfortable seating

Lackluster handling

Specs & Features

$29,570

price

194 hp @ 6300 rpm

horsepower

187 lb.-ft. @ 4400 rpm

torque

TBD

transmission

2.5L 4cyl 6A

engine

-

basic warranty

Overview

The Buick Lacrosse was first launched in 2004 and is currently in its 3rd generation of production. The car recently received a new engine that produces more power than what it used to before. It is Buick’s desperate effort to reinstate LaCrosse’s value in the luxury sedan market.

The 2020 Buick Lacrosse has 2 engines on offer, a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with the eAssist standard with the 1 SV, Preferred, Essence, and Premium trims whereas a 3.0-liter V6 engine that comes standard for the Sport Touring trim. All these trims power the front wheels of the car but you get an option to upgrade it to AWD in the Premium and Essence trims.

Buying Advice

The Premium trim is the best configuration to choose. 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 exquisite interior. The engine upgrade can cost you $4600 more but it will be worth spending.

Comparative Analysis against Competition

The sedan market is shrinking day by day. With the current trend of SUVs and crossovers, the sedan might even cease to exist in the next decade or so. But are sedans really that bad? The Buick LaCrosse has got it all but the engine feels a little sluggish and a bit underpowered lacking the sportiness that its rivals offer at lower prices. It competes against the likes of Chrysler 300, Nissan Maxima and Kia Cadenza. Let’s see how it performs.

Features
7.5/10

The 2019 Buick LaCrosse comes in 5 configurations: 1 SV, Preferred, Essence, Premium, and Sport Touring. The base trim 1 SV, Preferred, and Essence trims come with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with eAssist and is available in front-wheel drive only. The Preferred and Essence trims can be upgraded with a 3.6 L V6 engine with front-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. There is a new trim named Sport Touring for those who want a sportier driving experience. It receives a variety of upscale performance features which other trims lack. It is only available in FWD drivetrain.

Trims 1 SV Preferred Essence Premium Sport Touring
MSRP (FWD) $30,495 $34,600 $37,295 $39,595 $40,295
MSRP (AWD) N/A N/A $41,995 $44,395 N/A
Features 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot Includes or replaces features on LaCrosse (1SV), plus: Includes or replaces features on Preferred, plus: Includes or replaces features on Essence, plus: 19" aluminum wheels with Midnight Silver finish
  18" aluminum alloy wheels Power tilt and telescoping steering wheel Leather-appointed seating Heated steering wheel Darkened Black grille with body-color surround
  HID headlamps with LED signature lighting Sirius with three-month trial Heated front seats Driver and front passenger lumbar with massage Rear Spoiler
  Buick Infotainment System with phone integration Cargo net Memory settings for two drivers Head-up display 2-way power lumbar driver and front passenger seat controls
      Auto-dimming rearview mirror Forward Collision Alert  

The 2.5 L 4-cylinder engine option is paired with a 6-speed Automatic Transmission while the 3.6 L V6 engine comes with a 9-speed automatic transmission.

Confused? We’ll help you find the best trim

The Premium trim is the best configuration to choose. 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 exquisite interior. The engine upgrade can cost you $4600 more but it will be worth spending.

Fuel Economy
7.4/10

If fuel efficiency is what you look for in a car, Lacrosse is the best option for you. This Buick 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.

Model

Buick Lacrosse 1SV

Chrysler 300 Touring

Nissan Maxima S

Kia Cadenza Premium

MPG (city)

25

19

21

20

MPG (highway)

35

30

30

28

MPG (combined)

29

23

25

23

Nissan Maxima S is the second-best sedan in terms of mileage as compared to its rivals. It gives out an efficiency of 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. The reason for LaCrosse's high efficiency numbers is the regenerative braking that adds to the driving range of the car in a single gallon of fuel.

Interior
7.4/10

“An impressively quiet cabin offers more passenger room, and those passengers can take advantage of an increased count of comfort and safety technology features."- Consumer Guide

Seating and Comfort

One of the best things you’ll like about the LaCrosse is its interior. The car looks stunning from the inside with no-nonsense design and features. The car has a spacious cabin and seating 3 adults in the rear is not a problem. Getting in and out of the vehicle 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.

Model

Buick Lacrosse 1SV

Chrysler 300 Touring

Nissan Maxima S

Kia Cadenza Premium

Passenger capacity

5

5

5

5

Passenger Volume (ft cube)

102

106.3

98.6

107.8

Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg)

(In.)

38.4/57.7/42.0

38.6/59.5/41.8

39.4/56.7/45

40.2/58.3/45.5

Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg)

(In.)

37.2/56.6/38.0

37.9/57.7/40.1

36.7/55.7/34.2

37.9/56.5/47.2

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

Infotainment

The 2019 Buick LaCrosse gets an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The system has large on-screen buttons with simplified menu options which make it easy to interact with. However, the display screen 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 2019 LaCrosse is pretty long but it still fails to offer a big trunk. The biggest negative of LaCrosse is its small trunk volume. It 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.

Model

Buick Lacrosse 1SV

Chrysler 300 Touring

Nissan Maxima S

Kia Cadenza Premium

Trunk Volume (ft cube)

14.3

16.3

14.3

16.0

Chrysler 300 Touring has the best trunk capacity (16.3-cubic feet) which is followed by the Kia Cadenza Premium (16.0-cubic feet). Nowadays, having a big trunk that can carry a week's luggage for a family of 5 is a basic need and marquees like Chrysler and Kia understand the need of the hour and have made the cargo space keeping that in mind.

Exterior
7.4/10

“The Buick LaCrosse has the style and design befitting a flagship sedan.”- The Car Connection

Dimension and Weight

The 2019 Buick LaCrosse looks elegant and sleek. With its redesigned exterior and improved aerodynamics, LaCrosse received heaps and praises all around the US. The car carries a curvy design and is a decent looking car. LaCrosse doesn’t look long because of its streamlined design but it stands second in terms of length and wheelbase amongst its rivals. Longer wheelbase adds up to the legroom inside the cabin making the ride comfortable for the passengers.

Model

Buick Lacrosse 1SV

Chrysler 300 Touring

Nissan Maxima S

Kia Cadenza Premium

Curb weight (lbs.)

3490

4013

3482

3633

Length(in)

197.5

198.6

192.8

195.7

Width(in)

73.5

75

73.2

73.6

Height(in)

57.5

58.5

56.5

57.9

Ground clearance(in)

6.5

4.7

5.3

6.4

Wheelbase(in)

114.0

120.2

109.3

112.4

Track width(in) F/R

62.9/63.1

63.4/63.8

62.4/62.4

63.3/63.6

In terms of height, width and weight, the car does well but it loses out to Chrysler 300 touring and Kia Cadenza Premium. LaCrosse has the best-in-class ground clearance which is a plus point as the car can cross the bumps or uneven roads with ease.

Safety
6.0/10

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 ratings of the front barrier, side barrier, and overall crash ratings. The car also passed the tests of Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) with Superior front crash prevention and has received a good crashworthiness rating.

Safety Features

Buick always has the safety-first moto for its cars and the 2019 LaCrosse doesn’t disappoint. 2019 Buick LaCrosse offers some good safety features like Electronic stability control, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring. Some of its safety features include:

  • All Speed Traction Control
  • Hill Start Assist
  • Daytime Running Headlamps
  • Electronic Roll Mitigation
  • Electronic Stability Control
  • ParkView Rear Back-Up Camera
  • Tire Pressure Monitoring Display
  • Trailer Sway Damping
  • Advanced Multistage Front Airbags
  • Supplemental Side-Curtain Front and Rear Airbags
  • Driver Inflatable Knee-Bolster Airbag
  • Remote Proximity Keyless Entry
  • Sentry Key Theft Deterrent System

Competition
7.0/10

Buick LaCrosse vs Chrysler 300

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 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 while if you look for a luxury sedan with exquisite interior then go for Buick LaCrosse.

Buick LaCrosse vs Nissan Maxima

Nissan has gone all out power and style in the 2019 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 is what you need.

Buick LaCrosse vs Kia Cadenza

With simple looks, powerful engine, and 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.

Final Verdict

The 2019 Buick LaCrosse is a simple looking sedan with a beautiful interior, comfortable riding quality, and good tech suite. LaCrosse offers standard and additional features like Regenerative Braking, lumbar support, and 2 engine options. It is one of the best large luxury sedans in the automotive market and can compete with cars from the German trio with ease. However, a low powered base engine, above-average handling, and a small trunk are the weak-points of LaCrosse. If American heritage is what you are looking for in your car, go for the Buick LaCrosse without a hint of doubt.

FAQs about the 2019 Buick LaCrosse Sedan.

Let's go through some of the most frequently asked questions about the Buick LaCrosse.

Has the Buick LaCrosse been discontinued?

Yes, due to ever-declining sales, GM has decided to discontinue 6 sedans from the US market. Unfortunately, the Buick LaCrosse is one of them.  

Is the 2019 Buick LaCrosse a hybrid?

Yes, the 2019 Buick LaCrosse is available with a hybrid powertrain. 

Is the Buick LaCrosse expensive to maintain?

The 2019 Buick LaCrosse costs around $48,000 to own over a period of five years. This includes factors such as insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, financing, depreciation, and fuel. 

Trims

    Base
    $29,570 onwards
    • Engine: 2.5L 4cyl 6A
    • Horsepower: 194 hp @ 6300 rpm hp
    • Torque: 187 lb.-ft. @ 4400 rpm
    • 0-60 mph: 6.9 sec
    • Top Speed: TBD mph
    • Fuel Economy Combined: 29 mpg
    Preferred
    $33,670 onwards
    • Engine: 2.5L 4cyl 6A
    • Horsepower: 194 hp @ 6300 rpm hp
    • Torque: 187 lb.-ft. @ 4400 rpm
    • 0-60 mph: 6.9 sec
    • Top Speed: TBD mph
    • Fuel Economy Combined: 29 mpg
    Essence
    $36,370 onwards
    • Sport exhaust
    Premium
    $38,670 onwards
    • Engine: 2.5L 4cyl 6A
    • Horsepower: 194 hp @ 6300 rpm hp
    • Torque: 187 lb.-ft. @ 4400 rpm
    • 0-60 mph: 6.9 sec
    • Top Speed: TBD mph
    • Fuel Economy Combined: 29 mpg
    Sport Touring
    $39,370 onwards
    • Engine: 3.6L 6cyl FWD 9A
    • Horsepower: 310 hp @ 6800 rpm hp
    • Torque: 268 lb.-ft. @ 5200 rpm
    • 0-60 mph: 5.5 sec
    • Top Speed: 130 mph
    • Fuel Economy Combined: 24 mpg
    Avenir
    $44,870 onwards
    • Engine: 3.6L 6cyl FWD 9A
    • Horsepower: 310 hp @ 6800 rpm hp
    • Torque: 268 lb.-ft. @ 5200 rpm
    • 0-60 mph: 5.5 sec
    • Top Speed: 130 mph
    • Fuel Economy Combined: 24 mpg

Compare to similar cars

Price

$29,570- $47,070

Engine

Gasoline

Rating

6.77

Horsepower

310 hp @ 6800 rpm

Torque

268 lb.-ft. @ 5200 rpm

Capacity

5

Read Review

$33,100- $44,100

Gasoline

6.87

290 hp @ 6400 rpm

253 lb.-ft. @ 5200 rpm

5

Read Review

$33,000- $45,950

Gasoline

6.93

206 hp @ 6800 rpm

182 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm

5

Read Review

$54,900

Gasoline

8.33

310 hp @ 6500 rpm

272 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm

-

Read Review

$22,090- $31,820

Gasoline

7.09

160 hp @ 5700 rpm

184 lb.-ft. @ 2500 rpm

-

Read Review

$22,840- $40,015

Gasoline

6.67

175 hp @ 6000 rpm

174 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm

5

Read Review

$22,500- $32,100

Gasoline

6.93

185 hp @ 6000 rpm

178 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm

5

Read Review

$22,990- $31,990

Gasoline

7.18

185 hp @ 6000 rpm

178 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm

5

Read Review

$32,990- $52,400

Gasoline

7.83

255 hp @ 6200 rpm

260 lb.-ft. @ 1400 rpm

5

Read Review

$22,545- $32,430

Gasoline

6.85

175 hp @ 5800 rpm

174 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm

5

Read Review

2019 Buick LaCrosse vs competitor's 0-60

    Car Name
    0-60 MPH
    Quarter Mile
    Top Speed
    SourceCompare
    6.9 sec--
    6 sec14.5 sec145 mph
    6.1 sec14.6 sec-
    6.3 sec--
    6.6 sec14.8 sec148 mph
    7 sec13.5 sec124 mph

    2019 Buick LaCrosse vs competitor's MPG

      Car Name
      MPG City
      MPG Highway
      MPG Combined
      Fuel Tank Capacity
      Range (C/H)
      SourceCompare
      25 mpg35 mpg29 mpg15.8 gal.- -
      29 mpg41 mpg34 mpg14.5 gal.420.5/594.5 mi.
      30 mpg38 mpg33 mpg14.8 gal.444/562.4 mi.
      28 mpg39 mpg32 mpg16.2 gal.453.6/631.8 mi.
      29 mpg36 mpg32 mpg15.8 gal.- -
      2019 Mazda 6

      Ranked #4

      26 mpg35 mpg29 mpg16.4 gal.426.4/574 mi.

      2019 Buick LaCrosse vs competitor's dimensions

        Car Name
        Length
        Width
        Height
        Ground Clearance
        Wheelbase
        SourceCompare
        197.5 in.73.5 in.57.5 in.7 in.114.4 in.
        198.1 in.74.4 in.57.7 in.3.8 in.112.2 in.
        195.7 in.73.6 in.57.9 in.6 in.112.4 in.
        194.2 in.73 in.57.9 in.6 in.111.4 in.
        192.9 in.72.9 in.56.7 in.4.9 in.111.2 in.
        192.8 in.73.2 in.56.5 in.5.3 in.109.3 in.

        2019 Buick LaCrosse vs competitor's trunk space

          Car Name
          Trunk Capacity
          Passenger Volume
          Max Trunk Volume
          SourceCompare
          65.7 cu.ft.102 cu.ft.120.1 cu.ft.
          16 cu.ft.107.8 cu.ft.16 cu.ft.
          2019 Mazda 6

          Ranked #2

          14.7 cu.ft.99.8 cu.ft.148.9 cu.ft.
          23.3 cu.ft.93.8 cu.ft.40.9 cu.ft.
          16 cu.ft.102.8 cu.ft.83.1 cu.ft.
          14.3 cu.ft.98.5 cu.ft.69 cu.ft.

          2019 Buick LaCrosse vs competitor's cargo space

            Car Name
            Cargo Volume
            Cargo Volume w/ Seat Area
            Max Cargo Volume
            Bed Length
            SourceCompare
            120.1 cu.ft.65.7 cu.ft.120.1 cu.ft.-
            14.1 cu.ft.14.1 cu.ft.14.1 cu.ft.-
            2019 Mazda 6

            Ranked #3

            148.9 cu.ft.14.7 cu.ft.148.9 cu.ft.-
            39 cu.ft.-39 cu.ft.-
            12.3 cu.ft.14.3 cu.ft.10 cu.ft.144 ft.
            107.4 cu.ft.23.3 cu.ft.40.9 cu.ft.-

            2019 Buick LaCrosse vs competitor's towing capacity

              Car Name
              Towing Capacity
              Payload Capacity
              Weight
              SourceCompare
              1000 lbs.904 lbs.3285 lbs.
              1000 lbs.-3410 lbs.
              -1116 lbs.3212 lbs.
              -1168 lbs.3131 lbs.
              -1005 lbs.3514 lbs.
              2019 Mazda 6

              Ranked #2

              -1040 lbs.3433 lbs.

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