Review Buick's campaign to remake itself as an American version of Lexus began last year with the LaCrosse, which was a valiant effort flawed by somnambulant styling. In developing its new Lucerne flagship, which effectively replaces both the aged Park Avenue and the LeSabre, Buick continued its case of Toyota envy by benchmarking the Avalon and the ES330. Slide into the Lucerne's driver's seat, squint at the creamy, finely stitched leather and the close tolerances of the interior trim pieces, and you might actually think you're in one of those cars. Run your hands over the plastics, though, and you'll realize that the materials are, alas, not quite as rich as the Avalon's.
Yet despite its considerable heft, the Lucerne is more entertaining to drive than the floaty Avalon, thanks to firmer damping and better body control, particularly in the CXS model, which offers magnetic ride control and has the same Northstar V-8 as the far more expensive but mechanically identical new Cadillac DTS. (GM's old 3.8-literV-6 is standard in the $26,990 CX and the $28,990 CXL.) GM aimed at Lexus with the Lucerne, but the bull's-eye turned out to be Cadillac.
Specification
2006 Buick Lucerne Performance
- 3,791 cc 3.8 liters V 6 front engine with 96.5 mm bore, 86.4 mm stroke, 9.4 compression ratio, overhead valve and two valves per cylinder L26
- Unleaded fuel 87
- Fuel economy EPA highway (mpg): 28 and EPA city (mpg): 19
- Multi-point injection fuel system
- 18.5 gallon main unleaded fuel tank
- Power: 147 kW , 197 HP SAE @ 5,200 rpm; 227 ft lb , 308 Nm @ 3,800 rpm
2006 Buick Lucerne Handling
- Four-wheel ABS
- Four disc brakes including two ventilated discs
- Electronic traction control via ABS & engine management
- Immobilizer
- Spacesaver steel rim internal spare wheel
- Strut front suspension independent with stabilizer bar and coil springs , multi-link rear suspension independent with stabilizer bar and coil springs
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