Look, I’m not gonna lie, the 2020 Buick LaCrosse looks pretty good. Out officially yesterday, as reported by GM Authority, it’s a reminder that an old dog can learn new tricks. It’s also sort of befuddling. Why couldn’t Buick make a car that looks this good, say, 20 years ago?
Well, there was that Avenir concept they built in 2015 that looked good as hell, but beyond that Buick’s current lineup is the definition of drab.
Its top trim level—Avenir, so named for the concept—doesn’t improve things.
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These are all just cars, a version of cheap American luxury that have the personality of a sheet of toilet paper. But the 2020 LaCrosse, now, here we’ve got something real. The rear looks good, too.
Here’s some specs from GM Authority:
The 2020 LaCrosse is also the first Buick model to adopt GM’s eighth generation Ecotec engines. The new, turbo-charged 2.0L LSY engine is mated to the new GM 9-speed automatic transmission. The duo delivers 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.
SAIC-GM confirms what we already suspected: the LSY is its first engine that is capable of meeting the upcoming 6B emissions standards that will go into effect in 2020. Later on, the 2020 LaCrosse will be offered with the new, turbo-charged 1.3L L3T engine good for 160 horsepower.
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Now, nine speeds are probably too many gears, and 237 horsepower seems a little underpowered, at least in terms of its competition, if not in general. But I’m willing to forgive all that because Buick has finally built a car that looks slick. Refined, even. This will be coming to the U.S., right?
Unfortunately, the 2020 LaCrosse will not be available in the United States due to GM’s decision to shutter the GM Detroit-Hamtramck plant where the vehicle is made. In other words, the refreshed model will never make it to any North American market, including the U.S, Mexico, and Canada. Instead, the facelift will be a China-only affair, where it will go on sale in the first half of 2019.
Oh, nevermind. China is Buick’s future anyway, and, to be honest, they deserve it more than we do.
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