With even a bit of float, like the old days, the comfortable-riding 2014 Buick LaCrosse Premium with all-wheel drive carried Jan, Ruth and me into Jefferson County for a spaghetti dinner Sunday evening. Tammy Wells’ birthday was the occasion.
The Buick’s smooth ride and roomy interior pit it against the Chrysler 300, Ford Taurus, Toyota Avalon, Kia Cadenza and Dodge Charger among entry-level luxury sedans.
The review model delivered to me was equipped with the 304-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission. Available as an option is eAssist, a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder and small electric motor which can attain fuel mileage in the 30s.
With winter moving in, the V-6, though, is the stronger choice for most Coloradans – it’s a requisite for the all-wheel-drive feature. The lightly powered eAssist engine’s only driving configuration is with front-wheel drive.
The LaCrosse with V-6 and AWD matches up adequately for the snow and ice against the 300, Taurus and Charger, all of which have four-wheel traction. The Toyota and Kia do not offer AWD.
Not overly powerful, the 3.6 is steady in moving the 4,100-pound four-door, aided by a manual-mode switch on the shifter knob for upshifts and downshifts. There are no paddle-shifters. Fuel-mileage average was 21.7.
A larger waterfall grille dominates the LaCrosse front for ’14. Active grille shutters improve aerodynamic flow. The roof and rear window slope onto a short, upright rear deck, with LED taillights.
Inside, the leather-covered seats are firm and supportive. Wide rear doors lend ease of access and egress for passengers. Trunk capacity is a tight 13.3 cubic feet. A head-up display projects digital speed out front for the driver. The center stack has been redesigned, with an 8-inch touchscreen display and fewer control buttons.
The Buick’s lane-departure warning system, borrowed from last year’s Cadillacs, activates pulse patterns in the driver’s seat in the event the vehicle drifts too far off the driving lane or toward nearby objects. The vibrating nudge of the driver is effective. Among airbags are driver and front-seat passenger, front and rear side thorax and side curtains.
The LaCrosse rides on Goodyear Eagle 245/45R19 tires.
The LaCrosse was introduced in late 2004 as an ’05 model. The first one I drove was priced around $32,000. I reviewed one again in 2010, at a price just over $38,000. Now, this 2014 version with AWD shows up at a sticker price of $45,475.
Heading the list of optional equipment included in the 45 grand total are the lane-departure warning, adaptive forward lighting, adaptive cruise control, upgraded navigation/audio, front fog lamps and LED-trimmed headlights.
Among standard items are rearview camera, heated seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, push-button and remote start, Bose surround sound, four-wheel antilock disc brakes, dual exhausts and Bluetooth and USB port.
Notes from e-mail
Q: I read your columns every week, Bud. Have you ever been to New York State? I was born and raised there. New York City, its metropolitan area and a half-dozen urban areas in the state are densely populated. Ninety percent of the state is sparsely populated rural areas: dairy farms, woodlands, apple orchards and vineyards. You really need to spend a week there, maybe testing a camper, particularly this time of year. The changing of the aspens here pale in comparison to the red, yellow, orange and brown hues of fall in the Northeast. - J.R.
A: Thanks, John. We spent a week in New York three years ago, loved it. In fact, an ancestor of mine, William Wells, was an attorney with a group from England who settled the community of Southhold, Long Island. Much of that family still resides in New York, though my great-grandfather broke away and came west, and here we are. While in N.Y., we split our time between the city and Long Island. I enjoyed both, even paying $5 for the Sunday morning New York Times with my coffee at Starbucks. Bought a couple bottles of wine on Long Island, not so much for its quality, but for the beautiful classic cars on the labels.
Q: Do you know, Bud, if anyone makes an aftermarket lane-departure warning system? - G.P.
A: There are several that do, Gary; I don’t know of the products’ quality ratings. They’re reportedly very costly. I would advise you to consider with much care the addition of an aftermarket system tied to safety.
Q: Bud, I enjoyed your column Sunday regarding the Time dealer of the year award won for 2014 by Bob Ghent of Greeley. In your list of past winners, including the sons/daughters and fathers mentioned, there were two with the last name of Markley. - M.S.
A: The Markley Time winners, Milt, were brothers, Gene Markley of Fort Collins in 1971 and Bob Markley of Greeley in 1990. They were sons of Ferd Markley, who launched an auto dealership in Fort Collins in 1936. Markley Motors still operates there.
Saturday Drive can also be viewed online at DenverPost.com/budwells. Bud Wells can be reached via e-mail at bwells@denverpost.com.
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