The Buick LaCrosse quietly stood its ground till 2019. Not as a statement car, not as a rebel, but as a last surviving species. The final iteration of the LaCrosse, the third generation sold from 2017 to 2019 in North America (and continuing in China beyond that), wasn’t retro by design, but it was an old car in spirit. And that’s precisely what made it distinctive and simply better.
When it debuted, the 2017 Buick LaCrosse was praised for its refinement as it was quiet, simple and even smoother than a Lexus, while exuding a sense of calm completely out of step with the rising SUV tide. While competitors were straining to be sporty, the LaCrosse leaned towards pure old style comfort. It was a car that seemed built for people who didn’t know what Nürburgring was and nor did they need to know.
Its proportions were handsome but deliberately conservative. The interior was plush, filled with real buttons, softly lit gauges and wood trim that at least tried to look authentic. It was a modern car, but unmistakably traditional.
Comfort is a Core Principle
While other sedans pursued the lucrative “four-door coupe” vibe with low roofs, tight back seats, the LaCrosse opted for interior space and visibility. The front seats were broad and forgiving and the rear seats were capacious enough to cross one’s legs, and the ride quality soaked up asphalt imperfections almost like full-size Buicks did in 1996. The engineers knew their target market and that marked value.
And the great thing is, you can’t call it lazy. The corporate GM 3.6-litre V6 with over 300 horsepower is brisk and buttery smooth. Paired with a 9-speed automatic, it launches the car from a stop with a surge of torque that doesn’t feel abrupt. There is no harsh downshift logic as well, just smooth, effortless motion. Buick offered optional adaptive suspension, though most customers didn’t check the box. And why would they? The base setup already did what it needed to cruise in comfort.
Built for a World That Was Changing
If the LaCrosse felt like an outlier when it debuted, that was because the ground beneath it had shifted. Large sedans, once the default for American families, had been replaced by crossovers and SUVs. The people who used to walk into a Buick dealership were now shopping for Suburbans, XT5s and European equivalents.The LaCrosse didn’t ignore technology, but it certainly didn’t chase it either. It had Apple CarPlay, heated steering wheel and a heads-up display to name a few of the perks. But none of it feels like a gimmick, everything exists to support the core experience, which was comfort, peace and simplicity.
Unfortunately, this philosophy became its own paradox. By refusing to become part of the new shift in the market, the LaCrosse was never really heard in a new world that was obsessed with crossovers. Sales dwindled and GM was quick to pull the plug on “non-performers”. North American production ended after 2019. The assembly line at Detroit-Hamtramck, where the LaCrosse was built, was repurposed for electric trucks and ambitious future mobility projects. The sedan chapter of traditional American motoring that had endured for decades was closed.
Different Markets
Curiously, while the LaCrosse disappeared from the American landscape, it lived in China for a bit longer. Buick is seen there as a prestige brand and GM continues to invest in the model. New versions were released with design tweaks, advanced driver-assistance systems and hybrid drivetrains. It was a strange twist of fate: the quintessential American full-size sedan had found salvation in a completely different cultural context.
In China, the LaCrosse is driven by executives, used as a statement of quiet success. In America, it was often dismissed as a rental car or, worse, a car for the elderly. But what’s wrong with that? Older drivers tend to value the things most modern cars have sacrificed, ride quality, seat comfort, noise insulation and intuitive controls. In trying to be “youthful,” the auto industry had largely abandoned its most loyal customers.
The Last New “Old” Car
Now that it’s gone, some enthusiasts are revisiting the LaCrosse with fresh eyes. People are even looking for the “last of its kind” and beginning to notice clean examples, especially the high-trim Avenir models. There’s a subtle irony in this: a car built to avoid standing out may yet become collectible because it chose not to follow trends.
More importantly, the LaCrosse raises a question about what we’ve lost. In the rush toward electrification, autonomy, we have replaced true comfort for tech. Toyota continues to push the Avalon and Crown in new directions. Hyundai’s Genesis brand, while more modern in form, still embraces luxury rooted in ride quality. And yet none quite replicate what the LaCrosse represented: a mass-market large sedan with luxury leanings, priced for middle-class sensibilities and engineered for long miles.
For those who remember the LaCrosse, and for those just discovering it on the used market now, it may just be the last new "old" car. And that makes it, in its own discrete way, revolutionary.
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