Have you ever been out to an event where the music is really loud, and as you leave, and the silence fills the air, you just think, “Ah! Peace at last.” It can take a moment of tranquility to make us really appreciate just how crazy and strung-out our modern world is; and this is especially true for me, given that I live near Los Angeles, which is one of the busiest cities in the country.
In LA, people are always on the go, yet traffic is always at a standstill. That always fascinated me. It’s never a surprise to see people like me, sitting in traffic, with an open MacBook or tablet, checking emails, hosting meetings, taking calls, and treating their car as their office space. Even out of hours, my car has become a workspace; a feeding station for kids, a makeup bar for my wife.
I tell you this because I think we’re missing out on a huge opportunity for some quality me time, and it appears Buick have had the same idea. Recently, I took their new Buick LaCrosse for a test drive, and was surprised to find myself in what they describe, “a peaceful quiet.” Think of think of a comfortable silence among friends; you don’t feel compelled to talk, we are content to just be.
A Peaceful Quiet
What Buick have done is brought back one of the reasons I love cars so much, which is the ability to drive without distraction, without taking away functionality. If we want to slow down and meditate, we can go to a temple. In the real world, Buick is fine-tuning our surroundings and using technology to spark a new conversation.
Now, instead of getting in a car and being overwhelmed by the roar of an engaging – which, let’s be real, while amazing occasionally, is not on everyone’s daily driver list of desires, drivers are given the luxurious space to breathe. You can take a call, with less background noise, or as I love to do, listen to a podcast without being distracted by outside noise.
The sound system is designed to create clean, crisp noise without filtering in all the sounds you expect from a car; and I appreciated all the details Buick have added, such as adjusting the direction of the AC to ensure less wind or whistling is heard. It’s these details that make the Buick feel restorative, and like you have taken a catnap between locations.
The All-New 2017 Buick LaCrosseVEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS:
- Trim range includes: LaCrosse (FWD), Preferred (FWD), Essence (FWD) and Premium (FWD and AWD)
- High-intensity discharge headlamps and LED signature lighting; LED signature taillamps are standard
- HiPer Strut front suspension available on Essence and Premium 20in FWD trims
- Electronically controlled Continuous Damping
- Control active suspension with 20in wheels
- Advanced dual-clutch AWD system is available on Premium
- Teen Driver is standard on all trims
Buick LaCrosse
On the outside, the Buick Lacrosse is an attractive sedan that doesn’t look out of place in the city; I felt confident taking this out for a spin and noticed that even when idling, the Buick is extremely quiet. I thought the clean design lines were a nice touch too. It has almost a sporty feel to it.
Inside, the unassuming Buick is comfortable and well thought out. Much like a butler, who is out of sight but attends to your every need, the Buick doesn’t distract your attention and cry out for more time with you, it gives you what you want when you need something most. The dash cluster is well laid out and has extra space, which I like. This is as much a touring car as a city car and built for comfort.
If you’re looking to upgrade your sedan from a run-of-the-mill variety, don’t be scared to check out the Buick LaCrosse. It has something different for everyone and is a refreshing take on what driving can be again.
The All-New 2017 Buick LaCrosseNEW FOR 2017:
- Redesigned to offer full-size sedan customers a striking, all-new design, sophisticated technologies, and more responsive performance
- Longer, lower and wider than the previous model, the 2017 LaCrosse is built on a stronger yet lighter structure. It is about
- 300 pounds lighter than before, thanks largely to the use of press-hardened, high-strength steels, which contributes to greater efficiency and more responsive handling
- New dissipative sound-absorbing materials that are lighter, but provide more effective sound attenuation, resulting in a new threshold for Buick’s signature QuietTuning
- Offered with a new 3.6L V-6 paired to a new eight-speed automatic transmission, featuring Stop/Start and Active Fuel Management
Sales of the Buick LaCrosse have exceeded 900,000 globally since it went on sale in 2009. For more information or to find your local dealer, please visit www.buick.com/.