2017 Buick LaCrosse Premium: The Brand’s Flagship Car

Highlight: The LaCrosse shares a platform with its sibling, the slightly larger Chevy Impala.

Test Vehicle’s MSRP: $48,395 (Base Model: $32,990)

Seating Capacity: 5

Standard Safety Features: air bags; rear camera; tire pressure monitoring system; a teen driver mode alert monitor system; Daytime running lights; spare tire; electric parking brakes; and GM’s OnStar

Base Standard Features: 18-inch wheels; an 8-speed automatic transmission; a remote vehicle starter system; a keyless ignition starter system; leather-like seats; power front seats; lumbar support driver’s seat; tilt/telescopic steering wheel; a leather steering wheel; Onstar system; in-car WiFi availability; automatic headlights; heated power mirrors; and fuel saving front lower grille shutters

2017 Buicks Rolling In Near Luxury Lane: The LaCrosse, The Envision And The Encore

Buick Highlights: The Buick brand, which is slotted between the Cadillac and Chevy brands, has delivered over 1-million vehicles globally during the first three quarters of the year, up 23 percent from this same time period in 2015. Just in the U. S. alone, sales are up 11 percent.

Ironically, during GM’s turbulent bankruptcy years, Pontiac, Saturn and Hummer were all axed. However, based upon the near luxury brand sales success in China, where they rank as the second largest passenger car brand, it is quite obvious why Buick circumvented the chopping block.  So, with a slew of new products arriving for 2017, Buick sales should continue to rise.

New York Auto Show Debut: Buick Tweaks Flagship Sedan

Just ahead of the New York Auto Show, Buick is introducing the refreshed 2014 Lacrosse, the brand's flagship. The LaCrosse offers new interior and exterior design cues, advanced safety technologies and enhanced in-vehicle connectivity. New front and rear styling, featuring signature wing-shape LED daytime running lamps and LED wraparound tail lamps.

Inside the interior is more contemporary, with new seats, enhanced materials, redesigned central instrument panel and console – and an all-new, available Ultra Luxury Interior Package. The cabin also incorporates Buick’s next-generation IntelliLink infotainment system, with intuitive controls and natural voice recognition.

Will This New Buick Convert Lexus Owners?

2010 Buick LaCrosse
2009 Lexus ES 350

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GM is hoping its new Lexus-like designed LaCrosse will convert ES buyers. While this may sound like a stretch, Buick has won over a lot of buyers before with its premium level crossover, the Enclave, which is a distant second place competitor to the Lexus RX based on sales numbers.

Although GM's marketing officials are claiming that the new LaCrosse is $4,000 less than a comparably equipped ES, will consumers be willing to trade-in or trade-down and give up the snob appeal of owning a Lexus? Now according to our pricing guide, a top of the line LaCrosse can run up to $40,000, where as a top of the line ES can push upward of $47,000, which is basically a $7,000 difference.

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We know that based on the results from a variety of industry reports, the Buick brand competes neck-in-neck in quality and dependability. The Buick brand also offers a 4-year bumper-to-bumper warranty, too just like Lexus. Now the big question is ... will the Buick retain the same resale value, too, three years down the road? While we drove all three versions of the new Buick in Detroit last week, we're wondering will consumers cross-shop both brands? Buick officials are counting on it. In fact, Buick is hoping customers cross-shop the two cars just like they have done with the upscale Enclave. To price out the Buick and Lexus, visit JeffCars.com's New-Vehicle Pricing Guide .