2010 Buick LaCrosse: Love/Hate
The last time I spent any considerable time in a Buick was as a tot when my parents owned a really sweet wood-paneled Buick Century wagon. From the looks of the sleek, new LaCrosse, Buick certainly isn’t aiming at that market anymore.
Love: Backup indicator lights
As much as I loved the heated steering wheel in the frosty Chicago weather, my favorite feature was the backup indicator lights, which are being phased out these days in favor of fancier backup cameras. The version I drove didn’t have a camera but did have a series of three lights over the rear window that lit up in succession as I got closer to obstacles behind the car.
The LaCrosse is a substantial sedan with a high trunk, so some sort of backup aid is almost necessary. Placing the lights over the rear window was incredibly smart, and I preferred relying on the lights as opposed to a fisheye lens backup camera.
Hate: The visibility
The low-profile windows limit visibility significantly. Add to that the enormous front and rear pillars, and there were a few times I felt like I was piloting a submarine instead of luxury auto. The bulky side mirrors don’t help matters when trying to navigate cross-traffic at a four-way stop. On more than one occasion, a cyclist or small car almost completely disappeared behind the A-pillar and mirror. But at least my hands were nice and toasty on the heated steering wheel as I double- and triple-checked my blind spots.
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