2014 Buick LaCrosse: Up Close

Much like its smaller sibling, the Regal, Buick's full-size LaCrosse sedan gets updates for the 2014 model year that address the car's worst offenses. Specifically, the center controls for the audio and climate systems have an all-new layout. It's easier to understand and lacks the similarly shaped tile buttons that made the old LaCrosse's dashboard controls more difficult to use than they needed to be.

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Like the Regal, however, the LaCrosse's new steering wheel is practically overflowing with buttons. The setup on the front of the steering wheel is relatively tidy, but there's still a lot for the driver to consider.

2014 Buick Regal, Regal GS at the 2013 New York Auto Show

• Competes with: Acura TSX, Volkswagen CC, Audi A4, Volvo S60
• Looks like: The current Regal, which isn't a bad thing
• Drivetrain: eAssist 2.4-liter four-cylinder mild hybrid or turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, six-speed automatic or manual (GS FWD only) transmission
• Hits dealerships: Fall 2013

GM is unveiling a ton of new machinery at the 2013 New York International Auto Show, and Buick is getting some much-needed attention with its refreshed 2014 Regal and Regal GS. Sales of the sedans have suffered since the introduction of the less expensive yet equally nice Buick Verano, but with the updated-for-2014 Regal, Buick is putting some distance between it and its smaller sibling. The new Regal has sportier styling, more electronic equipment and a more powerful turbocharged engine.

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Styling changes to the 2014 Regal are minimal - new headlights and taillights are pretty much it on the outside; they incorporate the new Buick family "winged" LED running lamps and a full-width chrome trim strip across the LED taillamps.

2014 Buick LaCrosse at the 2013 New York Auto Show

• Competes with: Chrysler 300, Hyundai Azera, Toyota Avalon, Ford Taurus
• Looks like: The current LaCrosse, now with more LEDs!
• Drivetrain: 2.4-liter eAssist four-cylinder mild hybrid, 3.6-liter V-6, six-speed automatic transmission
• Hits dealerships: Summer 2013

Buick's largest sedan is getting a makeover, pushing it further upscale with a more luxurious cabin and more aggressive styling. The 2014 Buick LaCrosse, unveiled at the 2013 New York International Auto Show, features more creased front and rear styling to keep the big sedan fresh, and to put some distance between it and its platform mate, the Chevrolet Impala. Other visual updates include a new front end with redesigned headlamps that use a new signature LED running light configuration and an available bi-xenon high-intensity discharge headlight system. A full-width chrome strip and new LED taillights complete the look out back.

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Inside, new seats, updated materials and a redesigned center console create a more luxurious environment. Gone is the overdose of small, black plastic buttons that confused many drivers; in their place is a well-organized center stack with a minimal number of buttons. The setup looks far easier to use at a glance. Complaints about the last LaCrosse's button layout were apparently heard and addressed — the new radio, for example, has just seven buttons compared to the last one's 17.

Recall Alert: 2013 Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac SRX

General Motors is recalling 26,582 model-year 2013 versions of the Buick LaCrosse sedan and Cadillac SRX crossover due to a transmission problem, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Affected are LaCrosses manufactured between April 25, 2012, through March 6, 2013, and SRXs built between May 29, 2012, through Feb. 18, 2013 (check your vehicle's build date on a sticker on the driver-side doorjamb). According to NHTSA, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards because a software problem could cause the transmission to inadvertently shift to Sport mode, removing any transmission-related engine-braking effect. This could increase the risk of a crash.

GM will notify owners starting March 28, and dealers will reprogram the transmission control module for free. Owners can call Buick at 866-694-6546, Cadillac at 866-982-2339 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info. 

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Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Buick Verano Turbo

The addition of a turbocharged four-cylinder engine gives Buick's compact sedan some unexpected muscle. Overall, the new-for-2013 Verano turbo model adds some excitement to the lineup without compromising the car's refinement, Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays says. Watch out for the manual transmission, however. Mays says to skip the Verano's stubborn and clunky six-speed.

2013 Buick Verano Turbo Review

GM's Large Crossovers Earn Five Stars from NHTSA

GM's updated-for-2013 people movers just earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's top score. The 2013 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia were awarded an overall rating of five stars.

The large crossovers, which share a platform with each other, earned five stars in frontal and side tests and four stars in rollover tests; front- and all-wheel-drive versions were tested. The upscale GMC Acadia Denali received the same scores.

GM's seven-passenger crossovers got refreshed for 2013 with updated styling, more safety features and a new multimedia system.

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2013 Buick Encore: Car Seat Check

The all-new Buick Encore is part of a new class of cars: the near-luxury subcompact crossover segment, which also includes the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. The 2013 Encore seats five, but space is at a premium. The Encore is 3 feet shorter than its bigger sibling, the Enclave and it really shows.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.

GM Vehicles to Have 4G Wireless in 2014

General Motors vehicle owners will enjoy greater in-car connectivity starting next year when the automaker rolls out its first wave of cars and trucks equipped with 4G LTE mobile broadband delivered through AT&T. The embedded technology will first be offered on most model-year 2015 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles available in the U.S. in 2014, according to GM.

"With mobile data speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G technologies, increased responsiveness, and the ability to support simultaneous voice and data connections, a built-in 4G LTE connection will enable advances in a wide range of in-vehicle communications and entertainment capabilities," the automaker said in a statement.

According to GM, specific benefits of in-car 4G include Wi-Fi hot spots, streaming video in the backseat, real-time traffic and navigation updates, and faster application downloads. The 4G LTE structure is integrated into the vehicle's electrical system and includes an external antenna to maximize coverage and connectivity. A smartphone will not be necessary for connected services, GM stated.

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GM's New Framework Could Add Apps Galore

The weather map displayed on a small screen showed what anyone could gather from looking outside. I sat inside a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, tucked into a brick-lined gallery in Chicago during a recent auto show. The digital map cast most of northeast Illinois with a blue overlay — snow. Outside the gallery, the white stuff came down thick.

Sam Johnson, lead engineer for Chevrolet's MyLink multimedia system, had fired up The Weather Channel's app in the Malibu's center display screen. It works similarly to the smartphone app. He also had online radio aggregators iHeartRadio, TuneIn and Slacker on hand. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Through GM's new system, dozens of car-specific apps could be available through the automaker's touch-screen systems: Chevrolet's MyLink, Buick and GMC's IntelliLink and Cadillac's CUE. GM announced the new framework at January's Consumer Electronics Show. I saw it in action at this month's Chicago Auto Show. It's similar to the Car Connectivity Consortium's free-form MirrorLink initiative, of which GM remains a member. But here, The General gives the marching orders.

Recall Alert: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu

GM is recalling 8,519 model-year 2013 versions of the Chevrolet Malibu sedan due to suspension bolt problems, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles may have one or more suspension bolts that weren't adequately tightened. This could lead to a sudden change in handling, increasing the risk of a crash. According to a GM letter to NHTSA, "Initially, noise and a minor handling effect may be noticed. As the condition progresses, sudden changes in the vehicle handling could occur and the driver may not be able to control the vehicle."

GM has already started the owner notification process, and dealers will inspect the bolts and retighten as necessary for free. Owners can call GM at 800-630-2438 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more information.

In other GM recall news, NHTSA is expanding a previous 2012 Buick Verano, 2012 Chevrolet Cruze and 2012 Chevrolet Sonic airbag recall to include the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro. Click here for the original recall or call GM for more information.

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