I'm a LaCrosse fan and have been for a while. Pre-Avenir, I sampled a similarly well-equipped sedan and came away with positive impressions.
"You might say that the total LaCrosse package sounds pretty boring, but it's the opposite: it's exciting to experience a car that is reassuringly unlikely to let you down, all while delivering a level of comfort, technology, and refinement that's about as close to a proper luxury vehicle as you can get for under $50,000," I wrote in a 2016 review.
"The bottom line is that I liked the LaCrosse so much that I didn't want to give it back."
Of course, I wouldn't normally even think about packing my entire family and pet into even the largest four-doors. But obviously, I should do some rethinking. The LaCrosse Avenir was just what we needed for a not-overly ambitious road trip.
Because each kid didn't have his or her own seating region, as they would have in a three-row configuration, conversation broke out! My eight-year-old even played a license-plate game! It was like 1979 all over again!
OK, not exactly. The 4GLTE wifi meant that everybody could get lost in their devices. But such is modern life.
The LaCrosse is really a joy to drive on a freeway-heavy journey. Smooth, quiet, powerful, with supportive seats and a distinct lack of interest in emulating a BMW or Audi, this big Buick cruises like no other. Around town, the power-steering has that old-time feel, so you can whip the wheel around with one hand and glide in and out of driveways and parking lots.
Admittedly, the values embodied by the LaCrosse Avenir are those of a fading generation, but the cycle could be turning. Literally everybody has tightened up their sedans to match the Germans, but for the most part, performance driving isn't in the picture for most families. Highway piloting is.
This remains a wonderful niche for Buick, and one that as it adds more premium content and technology to its vehicles can help the brand stay relevant. Sure, Buick's crossover SUVs are where the action is. But it's great to know that they still build the great American car.