STYLING | 7 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
perfectly balances traditional Buick cues like the vertical bars of the grille and the swooping character line of the body with thoroughly contemporary detailing
Autoblog
Chrome body appliqués are tasteful in no book we’ve ever read.
Car and Driver
Fake vents sit on top of the hood, rather than on the fenders
CNET
elegant and contemporary interior
Edmunds
When the LaCrosse was last completely redesigned, a couple of model years ago, it was at the front of a new styling philosophy for Buick--essentially meaning no more padded vinyl roofs, squishy bench seats, or stodgy interiors. In short, Buick's design attributes now have more of a European flavor.
The 2013 LaCrosse looks smooth and graceful on the outside, with a soft shoulder line, enough chrome to gently punctuate, and above all, a pleasing roofline and proportions that are better than typical for a primarily front-wheel-drive sedan. However, the tacky 'portholes' atop the front fenders, a styling detail that Buick has already brought back and retired once in recent years, should be retired for good.
Wheel configurations are one of the key differences, and ranging from standard 17-inch steel wheels with plastic covers in the base CX up to large 18- and 19-inch machined, painted, or chrome-plated alloys, they can significantly change the LaCrosse's look.
The cabin design of the 2013 Buick LaCrosse feels traditional and luxurious, and if you let any lingering GM biases shake off before stepping in, it's really everything that a Lexus shopper might expect in an ES, for instance. The modern, curvy dash design fits the premium feel, and it has a nice two-tone look, with an upper dash tier that swoops around and over the dash in a continuous arc, flowing nearly into the door trim to form an interior beltline. Warm interior hues and premium-feel materials complete a welcoming look and feel. It's worth noting that base LaCrosse models do sacrifice some of the upmarket interior trims, but the ambient lighting brings a pleasing nighttime aura.
Conclusion
Elegant and graceful, the Buick LaCrosse has nice proportions for a front-wheel-drive design.
