Mother Proof's view

Having anticipated the arrival of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse for more than six months now, I can officially say this shining star was well worth the wait. I know what you’re thinking: “Buicks are for grandparents.” Au contraire. This luxurious car caters to families with its roominess and stunning good looks both inside and out.

One of the reasons I’ve been so interested in the LaCrosse is it could make a fine family car. It could even spur the renaissance of the family sedan.

Although the LaCrosse comes with a V-6 engine – my CXL test car’s made 252 horsepower – it isn’t going to break any zero-to-60-mph records. This car felt like it didn’t have enough power for hills, and it took a significant amount of time get up to speed from a stop. However, it did fare well on the highway once I reached cruising speed. Forget about driving fast in the LaCrosse, with its slow response time this car is for the driver who wants to be seen.

The LaCrosse’s ride is softer and quieter than I expected. With little engine or road noise creeping into the cabin, it was a pleasure to drive in silence – especially without the kids.

She’s a beauty all right. The LaCrosse’s eye-catching LED lights, portholes on the sides of the hood (bling!) and broad chrome grille punctuated by fog lights all stand out on the sedan’s exterior. A wide, gleaming piece of chrome also adds flavor to the LaCrosse’s rear end. The well-integrated front and rear bumpers create a seamless look.

Despite its refinement, the LaCrosse is approachable. On a night out with my hubby, a pedestrian stopped us in a parking lot for a sneak peek at the LaCrosse. It turns out the 2010 LaCrosse tops his new-car list, and he was thrilled to get a look at it and pleased by how impressive it looked in person. You’re welcome Buick sales team!

The LaCrosse is a sedan, so it was easy for my kids to get into and out of it. Its cargo area is big, and it easily hauled tons of groceries, an oversized stroller or even a kid’s bicycle.

The LaCrosse’s only downfall is its visibility. Oversized A- and B-pillars made quick maneuvers difficult as I’d always have to look, then look again and then look one more time to be sure I wasn’t going to hit something when I changed lanes. While the low-profile rear window looks good from the exterior, it does nothing for rear visibility.

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Excellent

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Good Times

Exterior

She’s a beauty all right. The LaCrosse’s eye-catching LED lights, portholes on the sides of the hood (bling!) and broad chrome grille punctuated by fog lights all stand out on the sedan’s exterior. A wide, gleaming piece of chrome also adds flavor to the LaCrosse’s rear end. The well-integrated front and rear bumpers create a seamless look.

Despite its refinement, the LaCrosse is approachable. On a night out with my hubby, a pedestrian stopped us in a parking lot for a sneak peek at the LaCrosse. It turns out the 2010 LaCrosse tops his new-car list, and he was thrilled to get a look at it and pleased by how impressive it looked in person. You’re welcome Buick sales team!

The LaCrosse is a sedan, so it was easy for my kids to get into and out of it. Its cargo area is big, and it easily hauled tons of groceries, an oversized stroller or even a kid’s bicycle.

The LaCrosse’s only downfall is its visibility. Oversized A- and B-pillars made quick maneuvers difficult as I’d always have to look, then look again and then look one more time to be sure I wasn’t going to hit something when I changed lanes. While the low-profile rear window looks good from the exterior, it does nothing for rear visibility.

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Excellent

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Good Times

Interior

The interior is where the LaCrosse really brings its “A” game. When I turned on the ignition, a soft, blue light blanketed the interior. Glowing wood and chrome accents made for several oohs and aahs as my family took everything in.

The LaCrosse was my first chance to use of a heads-up display, and I quickly became a fan. I could see my speed, direction of travel, outdoor temperature and occasionally what was playing on the satellite radio (as a song changes or as you change the station, the new information will briefly appear in the display) while keeping my eyes on the road. It took me a while to adjust to this immediate information access, but in the end, it really did reduce my distractions.

My test car had standard heated seats and an available heated steering wheel. Awesome! One thing I missed out on with my test model is the available DVD entertainment system ($1,295). At the 2009 Detroit auto show in January, I was able to see the backseat system, which incorporates a screen in each front seatback. The units fold into the seatback when not in use. My boys and I were disappointed that we couldn’t give the entertainment system a real-life test.

However, my sons quickly got over it when they saw the huge power sunroof with sunshade. My boys also appreciated the two cupholders in the backseat armrest as well as the two in the back of the center console.

I was thankful for the LaCrosse’s impressive navigation system; its mapping system shows the names of all of the side streets, not just the major thoroughfares. Since my family had just moved into our city, we were grateful that the LaCrosse’s navigation system showed us where all of our neighborhood parks were. In five short days, I’m pretty sure we got to all of them.

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore

Safety

The 2010 LaCrosse has been named a Top Safety Pick for 2010 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Only 27 cars from the 2010 model year earned the nod. This year, the IIHS added a roof-strength test to its rollover crash tests, which greatly reduced the number of cars that were named 2010 Top Safety Picks. To earn this honor, a car must receive the highest score – Good – in front, side, rear and rollover crash tests. These cars also must have electronic stability control.

Besides electronic stability control, the LaCrosse has standard antilock brakes and traction control. It also has front- and side-impact airbags as well as side curtain airbags for both rows. Rear side-impact airbags are available for $350. The LaCrosse has optional adaptive headlights, which swivel in the direction of the car’s wheels to illuminate curves, and an available blind spot warning system.

A free yearlong subscription to OnStar is also standard, and it includes automatic crash response, stolen vehicle assistance and, everyone’s favorite, remote door unlock.

My boys were able to buckle up by themselves without any problems, but I had problems finding the Latch connectors. The second-row’s seatback and bottom cushion are both so plump that it was hard to pry them apart long enough to get a child-safety seat installed. The second row’s legroom is good, so it shouldn’t be a problem to install a rear-facing child-safety seat. However, parents might have to do a lot of maneuvering to get a bulky child-safety seat through the small door openings. Make sure to bring along your car seat if you decide to test drive this sedan.

FAMILY LIFESTAGE

In Diapers: The trunk is roomy enough to haul an oversized stroller.

In School: Kids can get in and out of the LaCrosse without any help from Mom or Dad.

Teens: You can rest easy knowing that this car has plenty of safety features to keep your teen driver safe.