New York Auto Show: 2014 Buick LaCrosse Introduces Ultra Lux Interior

Building on a 2012 in which it outsold rivals like the Lexus ES, Lincoln MKS and Acura TL, the refreshed 2014 Buick LaCrosse will first meet the public at the New York Auto Show on March 29, then go on sale at U.S.dealerships this summer.

"We evolved the interior and exterior design, increased luxury amenities and materials, and enhanced the safety and personal technologies to give customers more reasons than ever to rediscover Buick,” according to Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of marketing for the brand.

Chief among those reasons: A new Ultra Luxury Interior package that—in conjunction with Buick’s standard QuietTuning system—helps create one of the most lavish and premium cabin environments in the country. Using a palette of Sangria and Ebony for the package’s semi-aniline leather seats and trim, designers showcased Shadow Tamo Ash wood for accents, and also complemented the look with a synthetic suede material for the car’s headliner and door pillars.

“The warm color combinations, premium interior materials and advanced technology in the 2014 LaCrosse provide the interior environment our discerning luxury customers are seeking,” added Ven Lai, creative designer for Buick color and trim.

This available materials upgrade comes in addition to a thorough redesign of the interior of the 2014 Buick LaCrosse. New, more comfortable seats, a revised center instrument panel and console, and a selection of fresh technologies are all in the mix to provide a more contemporary appearance to LaCrosse customers, who also will be able to choose between a standard e-Assist powertrain that delivers EPA grades of up to 25 mpg city/36 mpg highway/29 mpg combined or a high-power direct-injection V6 that makes 304 hp and 264 lb.-ft. of torque.

Both powertrains are mated to six-speed automatic transmissions, and the LaCrosse can be configured with front- or all-wheel drive.

Other notable changes to the 2014 Buick LaCrosse for the 2014 selling season include …

2014 Buick LaCrosse: Tech Check

The 2014 Buick LaCrosse signals its high-tech aspirations right from the start, with the introduction of new LED light treatments for its daytime running lamps and wraparound tail lamps, a bolder iteration of the brand’s waterfall grille, and a more detailed rear fascia. Then, delivering on that promise, the LaCrosse will boast Buick’s next-generation IntelliLink infotainment and connectivity system, enhanced by more intuitive controls, improved natural voice recognition capabilities, and a standard eight-inch color-display instrument panel.

Engineers also have deployed a comprehensive suite of electronic safety measures to provide superior occupant protection in the 2014 Buick LaCrosse. Leveraging both radar- and camera-enabled technologies, the LaCrosse offers: 

• Side Blind Zone Alert
• Lane Change Alert
• Lane Departure Warning
• Forward Collision Alert
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Automatic Collision Preparation
• Adaptive Cruise Control

Further, the 2014 Buick LaCrosse makes it simple for drivers to take advantage of these features with GM’s patented Safety Alert Seat. With this technology, different areas of the driver’s seat will vibrate when the system detects a potential concern coming from that specific direction.

It’s also worth pointing out that the LaCrosse was one of the top three cars in its segment in the 2013 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study and also won its class in this year’s Best for Families competition from U.S. News & World Report.

Pricing for the 2014 Buick LaCrosse will be revealed closer to its on-sale date this summer.