Buick Lucerne Review

2009 Buick Lucerne CXL Special Edition Sedan Shown

The Buick Lucerne is one of Buick's newest models. It is contemporary in appearance and available with such modern-day features as an MP3-player input jack, overhead-cam V8, a full menu of head- and chest-protecting side airbags, an available blind-spot alert system and even heated and cooled front seats.

At heart, though, the Lucerne is still a traditional Buick sedan. It's a front-wheel-drive, full-size car in which passenger comfort takes top priority. Seating is spacious and luxurious in both the front and rear, and Buick's "Quiet Tuning" measures, which cover everything from the thickness of the carpet padding to the design of the windshield wipers, make the Lucerne one of the quietest cars on the market. Soft suspension tuning results in a plush, absorbent ride.

Competition is tight among large sedans in the $27,000-$37,000 price range. Consumers should be aware that the Lucerne is missing several key features and lacks the handling precision of most of its competitors. Traditional Buick buyers may be willing to overlook these faults, but the younger buyers whom the company wants to attract may not be so forgiving.

Current Buick Lucerne

Introduced for the 2006 model year, the Buick Lucerne can be had in CX, CXL and CXS trim levels. Standard on the CX and CXL is Buick's 3800 V6, an engine with roots that can be traced back to the early 1960s. Despite its advanced age, the 3.8-liter V6 is reasonably smooth and refined, though at 197 horsepower it's low on power for the full-size car class. Aware of this potential deficiency, Buick offers the 4.6-liter Northstar V8 as an option on the Lucerne CXL and as standard equipment on the CXS model. Rated for 275 horsepower, the Northstar V8 gives the Lucerne plenty of vigor and moves the big sedan to 60 mph in a respectable 7.7 seconds. A four-speed automatic transmission is standard on all Lucernes at a time when most competitors are offering five-speed automatics.

While the Lucerne won't appeal to demanding drivers, its comfortable cruising demeanor is hard not to like on long road trips. Additionally, the high-line CXS model has adaptive Magnetic Ride Control shock absorbers, which tighten up the large sedan's cornering attitude and make it more enjoyable to drive on back roads. Braking is, unfortunately, not one of the Lucerne's strong points, as its stopping distances are the longest of the full-size sedan class.

Inside, the Buick Lucerne has a clean design with solid materials and simple, well-organized controls. Unfortunately, there are still a few cheaper plastics thrown into the mix, and as on past Buick sedans, build quality can be inconsistent.

Buicks are not known for their innovative features, but the Lucerne has a couple to its name, including heated washer fluid to keep the windshield wipers from freezing to the glass on cold winter days, an available blind-spot alert system (that warns the driver when other vehicles enter the Buick's blind spots) and dual-depth front airbags. Unlike conventional airbags, the Lucerne's dual-depth bags have the capability to deploy in two sizes to minimize injury to smaller drivers and passengers. Sensors monitor crash severity, occupant weight, seatbelt usage and seat position to determine the optimal inflation size.

Past Buick Lucerne Models

The Lucerne name may be new, but in purpose the car serves as the successor to the family sedan LeSabre and upscale Park Avenue. These sedans were similar in size to the Lucerne, but much more traditional in their styling. Compared to these cars, the Lucerne has superior interior materials, a quieter ride and greater availability of features, among these the optional Northstar V8. However, if you're just looking for a roomy, comfortable sedan with reasonable performance, used LeSabres and Park Avenues can be had at affordable prices.

SELECT A SPECIFIC BUICK LUCERNE MODEL YEAR*

* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.