2012 Buick LaCrosse Luxury/Driver Confidence 0-60 Times, Top Speed, Specs, Quarter Mile, and Wallpapers

The 2012 Buick LaCrosse Luxury/Driver Confidence is a Front-wheel drive Sedan. It can accommodate up to 5 passengers. It has 4 Doors and is powered by a 3.6L V6 DOHC 24-valve engine which outputs 280 hp @ 6300 rpm and is paired with 6-speed automatic transmission with manual mode gearbox. The 2012 Buick LaCrosse Luxury/Driver Confidence has cargo capacity of 377 Liters and the vehicle weighs 1794 kg. In terms of ride assists, the 2012 Buick LaCrosse Luxury/Driver Confidence has stability control and traction control in addition to anti-lock brake system (ABS). The vehicle has an optional 2.4L L4 DOHC 16-valve engine as well It offers Ultrasonic rear parking aid and Rear view camera. Safety features also include Driver side front airbag and Passenger side front airbag. The front suspension is Front independent suspension while the rear suspension is Rear independent suspension. The car also features a Tire low-pressure warning system It has 18'' machined alloy wheels as standard. Electronic features include Cruise Control. For convenience, the car has Power windows and Power door locks. There is also a remote keyless entry feature. Moreover, the car has Remote engine starter. The steering wheel has audio control buttons. In terms of performance, the car has 306 N.m of torque and a top speed of 240 km/h. The 2012 Buick LaCrosse Luxury/Driver Confidence accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds and hits quarter mile at 15 seconds. Fuel consumption is 12.1 L/100km in the city and 7.3 L/100km in the highway. The car price starts at $ 40,175

2012 Buick LaCrosse Used Price Estimates

With the 2012 LaCrosse, Buick has a fully competitive luxury sedan that doesn't nip at the heels of the big dogs, but instead can now run with the pack.

For much of the last decade, Buick's sedans held little appeal beyond those consumers still nostalgic about the traditions of this General Motors nameplate. But two years ago, Buick introduced its redesigned -- and much improved -- LaCrosse. Boasting modern styling, an elegant interior and impressive driving dynamics, the LaCrosse quickly became one of our more favored entry-level luxury sedans.

The 2012 Buick LaCrosse gets even better thanks to a new hybrid powertrain. Serving as the LaCrosse's entry-level model (last year's base four-cylinder has been discontinued), the "eAssist" combines a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with a mild hybrid system to boost fuel economy to 25 mpg city and 36 mpg highway. While these numbers are still well shy of what you'll get from the full hybrid Lexus HS 250h, the LaCrosse hybrid is roomier and doesn't come with as big of a price premium either.

Aside from basic variations in trim level, the interior of the 2012 LaCrosse stays the course, meaning you'll find an elegant cabin with sweeping lines and rich surfaces, all set off by the generous use of LED accent lighting. The serene, roomy cabin is filled with useful features and amusing toys ranging from a rearview camera to a dual-screen video entertainment system. In fact, the only significant complaints we have are the small trunk and reduced visibility caused by thick roof pillars.

Even though we're pretty impressed with the LaCrosse, there are a number of strong alternatives we'd suggest buyers also consider, including the Acura TL, Hyundai Genesis and Lexus ES 350. You could also check out the Chrysler 300 and upper trim levels of the Ford Taurus and new Volkswagen Passat. Ultimately deciding among all these likable models becomes a personal decision, but we can tell you the well-rounded 2012 Buick LaCrosse is a fine choice.

For 2012, Buick has revamped the LaCrosse model lineup, replacing last year's three relatively uncomplicated trim levels with no fewer than seven different variants.

Base models come nicely equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, full power accessories, dual-zone automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, a power driver seat and partial-power front passenger seat, split-folding rear seatbacks, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel with audio controls, cruise control, OnStar, Bluetooth, and a seven-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface. Next step up would be the Convenience model (1SD), which adds a power lumbar adjustment for the driver seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and remote ignition.

Spring for the Leather model and you get foglamps, heated mirrors with built-in turn signal repeaters, leather upholstery, heated front seats and a full power front passenger seat. The Premium 1 version adds rear parking assist, an auto-dimming driver-side mirror and driver seat memory settings. The Premium 2 (1SP) ups the ante with the 3.6-liter V6, keyless ignition/entry, perforated leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated leather- and wood-trimmed steering wheel and a power rear window sunshade. A Premium 3 model includes 18-inch chromed alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, a 120-volt household-style power outlet and an 11-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system.

Rounding things out is the top-of-the-line Touring model, which features 19-inch alloy wheels, an adaptive suspension, xenon headlights, a blind spot warning system, a rearview camera, a head-up display, digital music storage and a navigation system.

Some of the features found on the upper trim levels can be added to the lower trims as options. Other notable options include a sunroof, rear side airbags and a rear seat video entertainment system with dual headrest-mounted screens.

The 2012 Buick LaCrosse is offered with one of two new engines. For buyers interested in maximizing miles per gallon there's the new eAssist mild hybrid powertrain, which pairs a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with an 11-kilowatt electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack. This setup sends 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels by way of a six-speed automatic transmission.

In track testing, a LaCrosse with eAssist made the 0-60 mph dash in 9.2 seconds: a rather leisurely performance. Still, this powertrain is about efficiency, not speed; aided by clever aerodynamic improvements like automatically controlled shutters in the front grille, it delivers impressive EPA estimates of 25 mpg city/36 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined.

Buyers in search of additional thrust can opt for a new, more powerful version of last year's 3.6-liter V6 that now puts out 303 hp and 264 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission offered here, but buyers do have a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Despite the added power for 2012, the V6's fuel economy numbers remain virtually unchanged at 17 mpg city/27 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined with front-wheel drive and 16/26/20 with all-wheel drive.

The 2012 Buick LaCrosse's list of standard safety features includes antilock disc brakes with brake assist, stability and traction control, front-seat side-impact airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and the OnStar telematics system. Rear-seat side-impact airbags and a blind-spot alert system are available as options. In brake testing, a LaCrosse with the 3.6-liter engine and 19-inch wheels came to a stop from 60 mph in 127 feet -- a bit longer than average. A LaCrosse with eAssist and 17-inch wheels turned in a much stronger performance, stopping from 60 mph in 115 feet. That's excellent for this type of vehicle.

In government crash tests, the LaCrosse scored five (out of a possible five) stars overall, with five stars awarded for both frontal- and side-impact tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave it their top "Good" rating in both frontal-offset and side-impact tests.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the 2012 Buick LaCrosse is the driving experience. The steering feels precise, and handling is significantly better than you'd expect without sacrificing the plush ride quality one expects of a luxury sedan.

The additional horsepower that the engineers have wrung out of the V6 makes this engine even more attractive. More importantly, the new eAssist hybrid powertrain is much better suited to this application than the old four-cylinder, providing decent acceleration, very respectable fuel economy and highly refined operation.

Other items worthy of note here include the quiet interior that adds to the upscale feel. Visibility can be a problem, however, making the available blind-spot warning system and rearview camera worthwhile investments.

Slide behind the steering wheel of the 2012 Buick LaCrosse and you'll find yourself surrounded by an interior made up of graceful curves and upscale materials. Even after the sun sets, the cabin's flowing lines are emphasized by soft blue ambient lighting that adds a classy touch.

If there's a weakness in this artful design, it's that the controls aren't quite as straightforward and intuitive as some traditional Buick buyers might like. Just the same, we think the abundance of buttons and knobs used to control the audio, climate control and navigation systems is something most folks should eventually get used to.

As you'd expect in a luxury sedan, the LaCrosse's cabin is long on comfort. Seats are supportive and there's plenty of leg- and shoulder room even in the backseat. The available heated steering wheel and heated and ventilated front seats are a nice touch.

The LaCrosse's trunk is on the small side, however, with just 13.3 cubic feet of cargo room. Space is even tighter in models equipped with the new eAssist powertrain, where the hybrid battery pack reduces capacity to less than 11 cubic feet. A smallish opening can also make loading larger items problematic.

The 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist driving experience is essentially transparent. With the addition of electric boost, the LaCrosse accelerates more briskly than the 2011 four-cylinder version, though not as strongly as the 303-hp V6 alternative, and it drives absolutely normally. We found the steering precise, the brakes strong, the handling surprisingly agile, and eAssist acceleration more than adequate, even in hard driving, though the engine can get a bit (Buick atypically) raucous at high loads and wide-open throttle. You barely notice the engine shutting down during stops (the tachometer needle drops to an "auto stop" position) or restarting – without the shudder typical of some hybrids – when the brake is released. A hill-assist feature retains brake pressure to prevent rollback during uphill launches with the engine shut down, an ECO gauge helps optimize efficiency, and a central instrument panel graphic shows electric power flow from battery to front wheels during boost and back during deceleration.

eAssistWhat's not to like about a mild-hybrid powertrain that dramatically increases fuel efficiency while enhancing performance and pleasability without adding much to the price?Head-up DisplayIt displays speed, navigation instructions, audio status (including song names as they begin playing) and other key information out there over the hood in your line of sight, and its brightness and vertical position are easily adjusted. The best we've seen.

Inside the nicely-crafted cabin, warm wood, smoked chrome accents and ice-blue ambient lighting in the instrument panel, console and door-handle pockets create a comfortable, upscale environment. Complimenting the exterior, the flowing design theme wraps around the instrument panel into the doors, and the high-grade leather has handsome contrasting stitching. All major buttons and controls – including those on the leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel – are conveniently large, well-marked and intuitive to use. Most notable is the LaCrosse interior's almost eerie quiet thanks to Buick's "QuietTuning" process of systematically reducing, blocking and absorbing interior noise.

GM previewed its future passenger-car-styling on the 2009 Buick Enclave, a Buick look that continues through the midsize 2011 Regal and the upcoming 2012 Verano compact. On the 2012 Buick LaCrosse, that look features a big, bold waterfall grille, a sculpted side "spear" sweeping from the wraparound headlamp to taillamp design and a roofline that curves gracefully into a short rear deck. Thanks to electronically-controlled lower grille shutters that close at higher speeds to push air over and under the car and strategically-placed underbody aero panels, the eAssist LaCrosse is slightly more aerodynamic over the standard car.

To keep the starting price down while replacing the previous base four-cylinder with the costlier eAssist propulsion system, a few items that should be standard – remote start, a set of universal home remote buttons – turn up on the options list. That said, a full-color driver information center, OnStar (with a one-year subscription), XM Radio, a manual tilt/telescoping steering wheel, remote keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels and both Bluetooth and USB connectivity are standard, plus such important safety features as traction and stability control, brake assist and six airbags.

The 2012 Buick LaCrosse's extensive options list includes high-intensity-discharge headlamps, "Side Blind Zone Alert" to help spot vehicles hiding in your blind spots, a (terrific) head-up display, heated and ventilated perforated leather-covered seats, power-adjustable lumbar support for the driver (but not the primary passenger), a heated steering wheel, premium audio, GPS navigation, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, a power rear sunshade and even a 110-volt power outlet for charging your phone or computer. All are available either stand-alone or in packages.

Standard eAssist (also on the 2012 Buick Regal and coming soon on the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu and other models), provides a 15-hp on-demand boost to the 182-horsepower four and shuts off its fuel during off-throttle coasting and deceleration, yet both engine and motor/generator keep spinning, ready to provide smooth, immediate power when needed. The motor-generator helps bring the engine to a smooth stop when the car stops, then smoothly restarts it when you lift off the brake. When you're off the throttle, regenerative braking charges the 115-volt lithium-ion battery to power the car's electrical systems with recaptured energy instead of fuel. The 303-horsepower direct-injected, DOHC 24-valve 3.6-liter V6 is flex-fuel capable and pleasingly muscular with front-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive. Both drive through GM's latest six-speed automatic transmissions.2.4-liter four-cylinder (with eAssist)182 horsepower @ 6,700 rpm172 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4,900 rpmEPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/373.6-liter V6 (Flex-fuel E85 capable)303 horsepower @ 6,800 rpm264 lb.-ft. of torque @ 5,300 rpmEPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/27

The 2012 Buick LaCrosse wears a starting sticker of $ 30,820 (including $ 860 destination) with either an upgraded 303-horsepower V6 or the much more fuel-efficient new eAssist "mild hybrid" system. That compares to $ 37,205 for the full-hybrid 2011 Lexus HS 250h, $ 35,520 for the full-hybrid 2012 Lincoln MKZ and $ 40,220 for the conventional V6-powered 2012 Acura TL – all of which are smaller cars. Yet the LaCrosse eAssist competes well in EPA-rated economy at 25 mpg city, 37 highway vs. 35/34 for the Lexus HS, 41/36 for the MKZ Hybrid, and 18/26 for the Acura TL. Kelley Blue Book estimated residual values are not yet in for the 2012 LaCrosse eAssist, but the 2011 models (prior to eAssist) are estimated to retain 27-28 percent of their value after five years.

2012 Buick LaCrosse Consumer Reviews