Recall Alert: 38,197 Chevrolet, Buick Hybrids

GM is recalling 38,197 model-year 2012-13 Chevrolet and Buick eAssist light hybrid cars due to a problem with circuit boards in the trunk that could cause a fire, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Affected vehicles include Chevrolet Malibu Eco, Buick LaCrosse and Buick Regal sedans. Circuit boards in the trunk could overheat, causing the cars' 12-volt battery to drain and one of several indicator lights to turn on. If owners ignore the warning lights, the engine could stall and a fire could occur in the trunk, the newspaper reported. The issue is not related to the lithium-ion battery that is part of the eAssist hybrid system.

Owners will be notified "soon," according to the newspaper, though no specific time frame was given. Owners of Malibu Ecos, Buick LaCrosses and Buick Regals who notice any kind of warning light are encouraged to take their car to a dealer immediately. For more info, owners can call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov.

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GM recalls more than 38,000 Chevy, Buick hybrids due to fire risk (Los Angeles Times)
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Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Buick LaCrosse

The 2013 Buick LaCrosse eAssist doesn't offer the Volkswagen Passat TDI's value or the high-end Lexus ES 300h's fuel economy, but Cars.com reviewer Jennifer Geiger says it "pleasantly" splits the difference between practicality and price. The mild hybrid version of Buick's largest sedan improves gas mileage with its lithium-ion battery pack and 15-kilowatt electric motor combined with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine; the result is seamless acceleration and a "pillowy" ride. While the LaCrosse's lush interior draws nearer to "luxury" than "near-luxury" competitors, backseat comfort and cargo space may necessitate hanging on to that hyphen.

2013 Buick LaCrosse Review

2013 Buick LaCrosse Video

The 2013 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist is a midsize mild-hybrid sedan that in some ways feels full size and surprisingly luxurious. Cars.com Editor-in-Chief Patrick Olsen says the LaCrosse offers adequate passing power and a smooth, comfortable ride, along with some well-executed eco features. That's in addition to luxury-type interior flourishes like sophisticated stitching, rice wood grain trim and a head-up display. But do the LaCrosse's fuel economy and features stack up to lower-priced competitors? Watch the video and find out.

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GM Aims for 500,000 Vehicles With Electrification by 2017

Call it a power play in the electric-car market: GM projects that by 2017 it will have as many as half a million vehicles on the road with some form of electrification. Its next plug-in vehicle will be the Chevrolet Spark EV.

The focus will be on plug-in technology; GM's introduction of the extended-range Chevrolet Volt has energized the automaker to focus on the electric-vehicle market.

"What started out as a technology proof point … has turned into a real-world starting point to push EV technology further and faster than we thought possible five years ago," Mary Barra, GM's senior vice president of Global Product Development, said in a statement. "The unique propulsion technology pioneered in the Volt … will be a core piece of our electrification strategy going forward."

Not all of that experience has been positive, though. A report released by Reuters in September alleged that GM loses tens of thousands of dollars on every Volt due to development costs. Although the automaker disputed that figure, it acknowledged that Volt profits would not be immediate, but insisted that startup costs would be spread over future models.

Buick LaCrosse Pays Visit to Cars.com in New Commercial

We couldn’t help but notice that some of the streets look awfully familiar in the commercial for the new 2010 Buick LaCrosse.

That’s because they filmed it at the intersection of LaSalle Street and Jackson Boulevard in Chicago. This intersection is known as “the scene from ‘The Dark Knight’ where Batman flips the Joker’s big rig” or its otherwise known as “right outside our office building.”

There’s even a parting shot of the El running around the Loop, and for those of you who have no idea what that means, you should pay a visit to Chicago.

This isn’t the first time we’ve found ourselves being stalked. Lincoln tried to sneak a camouflaged MKX right by us on the other side of the building only to get caught for a few spy pics.

In our office, we found this commercial to be preposterous. We have to get test cars in and out of a nearby garage all the time, and that LaCrosse should have been sitting in traffic for at least 30 minutes. The scene of the pedestrians walking in the middle of the street, however, is spot on.

Buick Announces Pricing for 2010 LaCrosse

Buick announced that the base 2010 LaCrosse luxury sedan will start at $27,085. Other trim levels include the CXL FWD for $29,645, the CXL AWD for $31,820 and the CXS for $33,015. We guessed at a $28,000 starting price when the car debuted in January.

The LaCrosse looks to offer a lot of value at that price. The Acura TSX is one of the few entry-level luxury cars that competes in the price range, starting at $29,160. The new VW CC is another new model that offers similar power and amenities. It starts at $27,100 and is selling well.

The 2010 LaCrosse is scheduled to begin production this summer.

More Buick LaCrosse News

2010 Buick LaCrosse Video

Cars.com’s Joe Wiesenfelder explains the three generations of GM interior quality, which would be reason enough to check out this video. In addition, though, you get a tour of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, a vehicle he finds to be vastly improved compared to its previous incarnation. While not the sleek, hip car all the kids will be talking about, GM shows its stylized side in this new design.

Up Close: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

The Buick LaCrosse is catching up with the rest of the GM pack. To be blunt, GM vehicles fall into three basic categories, dictated — or at least indicated — by their interior quality, which in turn depends on the era in which the model was introduced or redesigned: before GM had a clue; after GM got a clue and was at least trying; and after that, when it finally began to succeed. (For successes, see the Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Vue and Cadillac CTS.) The first-generation Buick LaCrosse, introduced in 2005, belonged to the middle group, with inoffensive, thank-you-for-playing interior styling and decent but uninspiring performance.

2010 Buick LaCrosse at 2009 Detroit Auto Show

• Competes with: Acura TSX, Lincoln MKZ, Lexus ES
• Looks like: Buick might have hope yet
• Drivetrain: 255-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 or 280-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 with six-speed transmission; front or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Late summer 2009

Buick is hoping its complete redesign of the LaCrosse sedan will be as successful at bringing in new buyers as its Enclave crossover was last year. After perusing the specs and these eye-catching pics, we’d have to say it’s got a shot, especially compared to the model’s sedate predecessor. 

The new LaCrosse may look more compact than the 2009, but it’s only 1.1 inches shorter. It’s nearly 500 pounds heavier, however, and that’s without the optional all-wheel drive. Not to worry: The 2010 offers a pair of more powerful direct-injected V-6s that should return mileage similar to the outgoing model’s 17/28 mpg. Both are based on Cadillac’s new V-6.

In the base LaCrosse CX and midlevel CXL, drivers get the 255-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 that was introduced in the 2010 SRX a few days ago. The old LaCrosse had 200 hp. The CXL will also have optional all-wheel drive. The top-of-the-line CXS will have the same 3.6-liter V-6 as Cadillac’s CTS, but with less horsepower, at 280. Both engines are teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission. Mileage numbers have not been released, but we’d expect the CXS to do slightly better than the CTS’ 17/26 mpg.

The LaCrosse is based on GM’s new global midsize sedans, but is slightly larger. GM has not revealed interior specifications, so we don’t how headroom, legroom and the size of the trunk measure up. Because it’s based on the global sedans, we expect/hope that the new LaCrosse will handle better than the old one; perhaps the characteristic floaty driving feel of big Buicks is at an end. The company promises “quiet tuning” to keep the cabin isolated from road and wind noise.

Oh, and did we mention the gadgets? Standard features weren’t broken down, but offered in the car will be navigation, Bluetooth, a USB port, a backseat DVD system with dual screens, and more. Buyers will be lucky if the USB input comes standard. And yes, it has a Heads Up Display too.

Pricing for the 2009 LaCrosse starts at $25,640, and we’d hope the 2010 stays near that mark. Because of the advanced engines, though, it’s more likely to start around the $28,000 range to be competitive with the Acura TSX, which starts at $29,000. More photos below. 

Would You Buy a Buick?

Tonight at midnight EST, Buick will drop the veil on its all-new 2010 LaCrosse sedan. It’s the largest leap the brand has made to reach new buyers with its sedans. For the past few decades, Buick has been seen as a car company for the senior set, but that changed with the introduction of the Enclave crossover in 2007.

Would a competitive sedan get you into a Buick dealership to cross-shop with Acura, Lexus and Lincoln?