2017 Buick Lacrosse Premium I Group on 2040-cars

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Buick Envision arrives in US next year

In a detailed piece on what General Motors has planned for the Buick brand stateside, Automotive News reports that the Envision will finally come to the US a little more than a year from now, in the latter half of 2016. The size gap between the small Encore and the large Enclave is a perfect fit for the Chevrolet Equinox-sized Envision. Assuming this actually happens, it should excite both customers and Buick dealers. In China, the Envision uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 256 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed transmission. Before then, dealers sales forces will be preparing for the Cascada convertible, expected in Q1 next year. Later in 2016, around the same time as the Envision gets here, we can expect a redesigned Verano sedan. AN says it "should grow in length and interior roominess, similar to the Chevy Cruze," but the Verano already roughly matches or exceeds many Cruze dimensions. The Chinese-market Verano that premiered at the Shanghai Motor Show earlier this year probably holds some clues to what we'll see, but our version might not be an exact copy. A redesigned, lighter, and slightly larger LaCrosse will be right there with it. In 2017 the redesigned Regal appears. Following the trend, it also gets larger, but that's required because it needs to be more distinct from that larger Verano. AN suggests a new base engine will go in the Regal, perhaps something as small as the 1.5-liter turbo being lined up for the 2016 Chevy Malibu. At the other end, executives are said to be considering importing the diesel Opel Insignia wagon for the Regal lineup. If they bring the manual over, auto scribes will probably take the day off when the first one arrives, and make it an industry holiday.

2014 Buick LaCrosse updated with new styling, tech

Buick might have one of the smallest lineups among major automakers, but by the time the 2014 model rolls around, it will definitely have one of the freshest. Debuting at the New York Auto Show this week, the 2014 Buick LaCrosse receives numerous styling changes inside and out, and it benefits from many of the same new features found on closely related models like the Cadillac XTS and the 2014 Chevrolet Impala.
Exterior changes are relatively minor, but they still help give the car a fresh, new look. The new face of the 2014 LaCrosse fits in with recently new or redesigned Buick models with its oversized waterfall grille, LED-trimmed headlights and the signature hood vents being moved to the side of the hood rather than the top. Similar changes have been made to the rear, like the reshaped LED taillights, the full-width chrome trim and a new fascia design; LaCrosse models equipped with the 3.6-liter V6 will still get the integrated exhaust finishers but they're executed in a more stylish manner than the current model. Finishing off the exterior, new wheel designs are also being introduced, which will include bringing 20-inch wheels to the sedan's option list.
Inside, Buick redesigned almost the entire cabin to create a more luxurious and upscale appearance. The instrument panel is essentially carried over, but pretty much everything else has been redesigned and updated with the biggest change being to the driver's area. Dual eight-inch configurable displays make up the center stack and gauge cluster, while the overall number of buttons have been reduced from 17 down to just seven. The 2014 LaCrosse will also be offered with the next-generation IntelliLink, which receives many of the same enhancements as Chevy's latest version of MyLink adding better customization, improved voice commands and more features including Pandora. Additionally, new door panels, seat and center console complete the LaCrosse's interior redesign.

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.