2012 LaCrosse with eAssist Ready for Holiday Hauling

Whether hauling gifts for the family or the family itself, the 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist fuel-saving technology comes standard with the space and versatility required to successfully navigate the holiday season.

Now at dealers, Buick’s newest large luxury sedan delivers segment-leading highway fuel economy and more rear-seat leg room and cargo-carrying flexibility than most of its competitors – all while accommodating an electric assist power pack.

The new LaCrosse offers a 60/40 fold-down rear seat that allows pass-through between the trunk and passenger compartment on the wider side to accommodate items like a snowboard or even a small Christmas tree. Comparable hybrid sedans made by Lexus, Infiniti, and Lincoln do not have fold-down rear seats.

Vehicle	Rear Leg Room
2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist	40.5 inches
2011 Lexus GS450h	36.4 inches
2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid	36.7 inches
2012 Infiniti M45h	36.2 inches

In addition, LaCrosse with eAssist offers 40.5 inches of rear-seat leg room, as much as six inches more than its luxury hybrid and conventional powertrain competitors, and the same rear-seat roominess as the 2011 LaCrosse.

As far as Buick’s experts know, competitive gift-hauling vehicles from the North Pole don’t offer a rear seat at all.

“LaCrosse with eAssist is a no-compromise, high-mileage luxury sedan in more ways than one,” said Doug Osterhoff, LaCrosse product marketing manager. “Not only does the eAssist system enable outstanding fuel economy, the compact size of its battery helps maintain a spacious interior and enables owners to carry luggage and wrapped boxes in style.”

LaCrosse’s usefulness doesn’t end once the holidays are over. Though trunk space was slightly reduced to accommodate the eAssist power pack, it offers 10.9 cubic feet (307 liters) of storage – more than enough for two large golf bags or two sets of skis with the seat folded down. Buick market research shows that more than one in four LaCrosse owners participates in gear-intensive activities such as golfing and skiing.

The eAssist system is the standard powertrain for the new LaCrosse. It uses a 115V lithium-ion battery pack to store energy captured during regenerative braking. This energy is used to power a 15-kW electric motor-generator and to provide electricity to all of LaCrosse’s electrical systems when fuel is cut off during auto stop mode, or to provide added torque during acceleration. LaCrosse delivers an EPA-rated and segment-leading 36 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg in city driving – up to 25 percent better than the previous model.

The eAssist’s battery pack, which has a warranty of eight years, was subjected to extensive environmental and mechanical validation testing equivalent to 225,000 miles of four-season driving. Battery cell temperature is constantly monitored and managed by an onboard computer to extend cell life and optimize performance. Its cooling fan is calibrated to vehicle speed to help maintain LaCrosse’s library-quiet interior.

“The eAssist power pack was carefully designed and integrated into LaCrosse to be as unobtrusive and unnoticeable in operation as possible,” said Sheri Hickok, LaCrosse chief engineer. The only thing LaCrosse with eAssist drivers are likely to notice is how much gas they’re saving while enjoying the driving performance, quiet interior, or ride and handling they’ve come to expect from Buick.”

Buick is a modern luxury brand offering vehicles with sculpted designs, luxurious interiors with thoughtful personal technologies, along with responsive-yet-efficient performance. Buick is attracting new customers with its portfolio of award-winning models, including the Enclave crossover , LaCrosse sedan , Regal sport sedan and highly anticipated all-new 2012 Buick Verano compact luxury sedan . Buick is one of the fastest growing majors in the U.S. and remains a best-selling brand in China, with continuing record growth. Learn more about Buick cars and crossovers at www.buick.com , on Twitter @buick or atwww.facebook.com/buick.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Cruising Through A School Zone? Not So Fast

As more than 55 million students across the United States gear up for the 2011-2012 school year, AAA reminds motorists to slow down in school zones and watch for children heading back to school. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at a reduced school zone speed of 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster.


“School zone speed limits are in place to save lives,” said Jennifer Huebner-Davidson, AAA manager of traffic safety advocacy. “Motorists need to be especially vigilant during the morning and afternoon hours when school children are walking to and from school.”


AAA’s School’s Open – Drive Carefully campaign was launched in 1946 to help reduce the number of school-related pedestrian injuries and fatalities. In addition to slowing down, AAA offers the following advice for motorists to keep children safe as they navigate their way through school zones.

• Ditch distractions. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing.
• Stay alert.  Don’t rush into and out of driveways. Expect pedestrians on the sidewalk, especially around schools and in neighborhoods.
• Stop at stop signs. It sounds obvious, but research shows that more than one third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods.
• Watch for bikes. Children on bicycles are often unpredictable; expect the unexpected.
• Brake for buses. A recent National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services survey showed that over 75,000 vehicles pass stopped school buses on a typical day, with more than three percent passing on the right. Not only is it dangerous, it’s against the law.
• Plan ahead. Leave early for your destination and build in extra time for congestion. If possible, modify your route to avoid school zones.
• Look for AAA School Safety Patrollers. With more than 600,000 AAA School Safety Patrollers at 31,000 schools across the country, they’re a sure sign you’re approaching a school zone.

In addition to AAA’s School’s Open – Drive Carefully campaign, AAA has teamed up with Richard Scarry’s Busytown Mysteries with characters like Lowly Worm offering tips on to help keep children safe. 


As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 52 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.


All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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