One of the star debuts at the ongoing LA Auto Show is the new-for-2017 Buick LaCrosse, which we’re pitting against its predecessor.
Redesigned from scratch, the third generation of Buick’s sedan slims down both in looks and on the scale where it weighs about 300 pounds less, all while maintaining an almost identical footprint to the car it will replace next year.
The exterior styling takes a few notes from this year’s well-received Buick Avenir Concept, but in an evolutionary way that won’t put off buyers of the current car, with the brand’s designers giving it a more planted and wider stance with contemporary details such as the slimmer and darkened waterfall grille.
Buick took a similar approach with the car’s restyled interior that feels more modern and less cluttered, without completely breaking ties with the past.
GM calls it “drop-dead gorgeous” and hopes that its bolder styling will attract a younger crowd in North America, where according to a Chicago Tribune report that cites San Diego-based consulting firm Strategic Vision, the average Buick buyer is already eligible for full retirement benefits at 66 years old. That compares to an average age of 50 for BMW and 59 for Lexus buyers.
Nevertheless, Buick won’t chase after BMW and Mercedes customers with the 2017 LaCrosse, which is benchmarked against entry-level luxury sedans such as the Lexus ES, with other potential rivals including Hyundai’s Azera and Toyota’s Avalon.
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