The 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS is one good looking luxury sedan.

It represents the mid-way point for the brands Benjamin Button-esque transformation from “vehicles fit for my grandmothers driveay” to “vehicles I would happily take on a Vegas road trip”. The first stage in this process was the Buick Enclave and the last stage will be the Regal, but for now we’ll focus on the LaCrosse.

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse has been redesigned inside and out and it looks excellent. The soft sculpted exterior lines represent the perfect yin to the much more aggressive yang of the Cadillac CTS. The lines on the shoulder, coming off the hood, move stylishly rearward with a soft dip placed in the aft doors. From grille to tail, the LaCrosse flows elegantly with the very minor exception of the chrome tail light trim. Someone got a little shine-happy in that area, but it doesn’t serve to destroy the overall wonderful appeal found outside the LaCrosse.

The interior of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse provides the right blend of comfort and modern technology. The perforated leather seats are heated and ventilated up front, which works in concert with the dual-zone climate control system. I prefer my side set to permafrost while my wife is able to enjoy the tropics from shotgun.

When my wife was out of the car, I could turn my attention away from the comfort and back toward the tech. The LaCrosse features an 11-speaker Harmon/Kardon audio system which was loud and crisp. I think people were genuinely surprised to hear a mix of Death Metal and Hip-Hop coming from a new Buick. I think they should get used to it though because the demographic stereotype is dropping like a Wall Street trader accidentally hitting B instead of the M key. The B isn’t for Billion in this case…it’s for Buick.

Since this is the CXS version of the LaCrosse, we have a 3.6L direct-injection V6 engine under the hood which produces 280 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque. Paired with a smooth six-speed transmission, the LaCrosse can get up and go with ease. If you can keep your foot out of the throttle, the LaCrosse is rated at nearly 30 mpg on the highway….this is Hooniverse.com though, so I couldn’t. I averaged about 18 mph in mixed city/highway driving but it was much more “city” (or town, since Southern California doesn’t have many real cities) which is in line with the 17 mpg city rating.

The LaCrosse CXS weighs in at 4065 lbs, so this is no luxury sports sedan. It is a wonderful cruiser though with a comfortable place to sit for driver and passengers alike. It is full of all the tech goodies you would expect in a modern luxury sedan, and it is wrapped in a very attractive package inside and out.

With every car or truck that arrives in my driveway, I play a quick game with my wife. I ask her “how much?” and she is usually close, which is surprising for someone who cares more about reality TV than MSRP. When the 2010 Buick LaCrosee showed up, we again played the game and she said $42,000. I thought this was an excellent guess until I saw the monroney. The Buick LaCrosse CXS starts at $33,015 and the one you see here runs just shy of $37,000. The CXS is the top-tier trim for the LaCrosse and I was honestly surprised that you could get this much car for under $40,000. It looks and feels like it should cost closer to $45,000. The Buick model lineup has become an enticing place for new car shoppers, young and old, to find their next vehicle (just ignore that Lucerne in the corner for now). I enjoyed the Enclave and I think the LaCrosse is a great car…I now have high expectations for the Regal to kick my ass with awesome. Benjamin Buick is getting better with each new/refreshed model and it is great to see them return to glory.