2017 LaCrosse. Has anyone test driven it?

[DonP]

... Did you find a reason for a reason for the suggestion to not let the car sit for more than 10 days without runtime? ...

I believe it was related to justification for the On-star remote start/stop capability with the related On-star app. The point being that parasitic drains (On-star receiver, remote keyless receiver, security, clock, etc.) can run down the battery over a few weeks if the car just sits without running to recharge the battery. I suspect 10 days is a worst case situation in cold weather with an old battery.

 

[Greg B.]

Premium, White Frost, with everything but the sport suspension & 20" wheels. Mainly the wife's drive. So far so good. All the electronics and configuration via touch screen is different, and it takes quite a few minutes to run through the settings and sort out where everything is and how it works. It is smaller than the LeSabre, noticeably less trunk space. I think the biggest improvements over the '04 include are the back-up camera and some of the accident avoidance features. The parking assist is, well, different, and useful I guess. Interesting that the manual suggests not letting the car sit without some run time for more than 10 or so days. Much smaller gas tank - 15.8 gal vs. 18.5 gal - that is a bummer and a with the funky cap-less filler to boot! {Not all progress is.]

Lack of an available CD player is also a bummer.

As best I can sort guess the FSM will not be available from Helm until perhaps March 2018. (The 2016 is due out in March 2017)

Quite a culture shock going into this from a 2004 LeSabre, I imagine.

That seems the perfect example of going from the traditional Buick to the new idiom. I expect that the power, roadholding, handling, steering and brakes in the new car are a noticeable improvement. Some of the tech like the backup camera is a positive development - I quickly fell in love with the one in my car. Some of the other tech is simply there for the iPhone generation and is neither simple nor intuitive. I have come to the conclusion that touchscreens make no sense in automotive applications and are actually quite a dangerous distraction. That screen aside, some of the other tech employed these days is a good example of the old saying in the IT world, "just because it lets you do something doesn't mean you should do it". It is a very complicated machine in comparison to your '04 and I doubt a service manual would be particularly useful without the diagnostic equipment required. And then there is the electronic shifter unfortunately, which I find poorly designed. Good luck with your new car.

 

[DonP]

I suspect that a lot of it is the fall-out of the GM bail-out that forced downsizing of the cars. Adding the new stuff is probably OK, one does not have to use it, but the loss of many of the old features is to be lamented.

 

[mikewo6o]

It took awhile but I am finally the owner of a 2017 Buick LaCrosse. It is Summit White with the Brandy interior. Came with the Confidence, Sun & Shade, and Sights & Sounds packages. Love it so far. The start/stop feature is absolutely seamless. I would like to thank those who responded to my request earlier in this thread for input.

 

[Rick341]

It took awhile but I am finally the owner of a 2017 Buick LaCrosse. It is Summit White with the Brandy interior. Came with the Confidence, Sun & Shade, and Sights & Sounds packages. Love it so far. The start/stop feature is absolutely seamless. I would like to thank those who responded to my request earlier in this thread for input.

Congratulations on your new Lacrosse.

 

[lbeck]

I suspect that a lot of it is the fall-out of the GM bail-out that forced downsizing of the cars. Adding the new stuff is probably OK, one does not have to use it, but the loss of many of the old features is to be lamented.

I've had my 2017 for about a month and 1000 miles. I agree that some of the stuff should not have been removed, like the speed limit recognition, but some new stuff is great. I especially like the way that lane departures nudge you back to center rather than buzzing your butt. I had the buzz feature turned off but keep the nudge active. I also like the fuel economy bar that lets you know fuel consumption. Another change that I don't like from my 2015 is the amber turn signal light on the side view mirrors. I'm still getting it confused with the blind spot warning light. Maybe I'll get used to it.