Milford, Michigan Buicks campaign to remake itself as an American version of Lexus began last year with the LaCrosse, which was a valiant effort flawed by somnambulant styling. In developing its new Lucerne flagship, which effectively replaces both the aged Park Avenue and the LeSabre, Buick continued its case of Toyota envy by benchmarking the Avalon and the ES330.
Model Lineup
The 2006 Buick Lucerne is offered in three trim levels. All come standard with a comprehensive list of safety features including six airbags that include a dual-stage drivers bag and a dual depth front passenger bag. Traction control, anti-lock brakes, and a tire pressure monitor are standard on all models. OnStar comes standard with the first year of Safe and Sound service; OnStar operators will dispatch rescue crews if your airbag deploys and you dont respond to calls.
The CX ($26,265) comes standard with the V6 engine cloth seats for five people, a power drivers seat, power windows, power door locks, manually operated heating and air conditioning, AM/FM/CD with six speakers and steering wheel audio controls, cruise control, remote keyless entry, 16-inch aluminum wheels. Six-passenger seating is available by ordering the front bench seat ($250). The optional Comfort and Convenience package ($450) includes features an electrochromic rearview mirror, Universal Home Remote, illuminated visors with vanity mirrors, intermittent front wipers with RainSense, and body-colored outside power, heated, mirrors. The Driver Confidence Package ($595) includes rear park assist, remote vehicle start and theft alarm.
The CXL upgrades with leather seats (for five or six passengers), a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a power passengers seat, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The Comfort and Convenience package comes standard. The CXL also comes with 17-inch painted aluminum wheels and slightly firmer suspension tuning. The CXL is available with the V6 ($28,265) or V8 ($30,265). The CXL V8 comes with firmer suspension damping and GMs magnetic assist steering system. To help maintain better control in adverse conditions GMs StabiliTrak electronic stability control system is available as an option on the CXL V8 model ($495).
The CXS ($35,265) comes standard with the V8, 18-inch wheels, StabiliTrak, and Magnetic Ride Control for sportier handling. CXS also has upgraded leather seats with eight-way power seats with memory for driver and front passenger. The CXS also features a nine-speaker, 280-watt Harman Kardon audio system with XM Satellite Radio.
Options for the Lucerne include heated/cooled front seats; factory-installed remote start; Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist; rain-sensing windshield wiper system; the first heated windshield washer fluid application in its class; six-disc in-dash CD changer with MP3 capability; and a DVD-based navigation system.
Interior Features
The Buick Lucerne is built on the same platform as the Cadillac DTS, also new for 2006. That means the Lucerne benefits from the newest techniques for building a quiet luxury car.
These include hydroformed frame rails for a stiffer body and use of laminated steel with plenty of sound deadening material placed in strategic locations. Buick engineers shaped the outside of the door mirrors to lessen wind noise. Laboratory test results show that the Lucerne is quieter than a Lexus ES 330 and this was evident in a back-to-back driving comparison.
Much like the exterior, the Lucernes interior is cleanly designed with just enough touches of wood and chrome trim to make it luxurious without being too opulent. The dashboard is fairly traditional in design with a smallish instrument pod containing three round gauges in front of the steering wheel.
The center stack with large knobs for operating the climate control and audio system is located high up for easy access.
Six airbags provide plenty of protection in a crash. Along with the Cadillac DTS, the Lucerne gets the first ever application of a dual-depth passenger airbag. It has two sections; a smaller section deploys in a less severe crash or if the passenger is small or seated nearer the dashboard. In a bad crash or if the passenger is not wearing their seat belt the full bag deploys for maximum effect.
For those who need seating for six, Buick continues to offer a traditional front bench seat in all but the performance CXS model. Most people opt for front bucket seats, which provide a good level of comfort and have an armrest in the center console.
Rear-seat passengers are well taken care of with good headroom and excellent leg room. The long wheelbase also allows for a wider opening rear door with almost no intrusion from the wheel well, making it easy to get in and out of the car.
Driving Impressions
We sampled three different levels of the all-new 2006 Buick Lucerne over the course of several hours, winding among the vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley just north of Santa Barbara, California. The mid-range Lucerne CXL is expected to be the most popular model, and we spent most of our time in a CXL V8.
Overall, the Lucerne proved to be a spirited car along the not always smooth roads, even at high speeds. The Lucerne handled with aplomb, exhibiting no wallowing or causing any untoward moments. A rigid chassis is the key to balance sharp handling with a smooth ride, and the new Lucerne really delivers.
The Lucernes ride is excellent, thanks to the long wheelbase and stiff body structure. In back-to-back driving along a stretch of less than perfect road, we found the Lucernes ride quality comparable to that of the benchmark 2006 Toyota Avalon. Buick loyalists who are used to a cushy ride will not complain about the Lucerne. It might be stiffer than they are used to but its still plenty smooth enough. And the steering is precise and responsive.
The CXS features GMs Magnetic Ride Control, a sports suspension designed to enhance overall ride performance. Magnetic Ride Control uses magnetically charged particles suspended in a synthetic fluid to continuously adjust the fluids viscosity to varying road surfaces and driving characteristics. The system, which first appeared on the sporty Cadillac XLR and then the Corvette, delivers a quicker response than conventional valve-damping systems. We tried a CXS with the system and found it did handle better but not significantly.
Indeed, when we tried a CXL V6 we were pleasantly surprised at just how well it performed. With the lighter V6, the CXL seemed more agile on twisty roads and the front end felt a bit lighter. The V6 models also suffer less from torque steer, a slight tugging felt through the steering wheel when turning and accelerating at the same time.
So which model? If you dont require instant power when accelerating away from traffic lights or merging onto freeways, the V6 model is probably a better bet because it costs less and gets better fuel economy. We were pleased with its performance. However, GMs excellent StabiliTrak electronic stability control system is available with the V8 models, which improves driving control by reducing the chance of skidding. StabiliTrak is well worth having.
Price: $38,775 (as tested, CXS)
Engine: 4.6L V-8, 275 hp, 295 lb-ft
Drive: Front-wheel