A Victory & Reseda Throwback Review of the 2005 Buick LaCrosse

When you hear someone talk about the “near-luxury market,” which brands do you think of? That will depend on the type of buyer you are. Foreign-oriented buyers will tout the greatness of an Acura, Audi, and Volvo. These are fine marques to consider unless you are a domestic car buyer. Domestic brand consumers are much more conservative about their values and consider cost above all other aspects of the product. Throw both camps in together and you have an interesting dichotomy in the use of the term “near luxury.”

Buick’s position in the “near luxury market” is a solid one in North American terms. The “Doctor’s Car” has delighted owners for over a hundred years. However, Buick has suffered an image problem as they have the highest average age for consumers in the new car market. As domestic upscale brands, such as Cadillac and Lincoln, found younger buyers through exciting products, Buick continued to serve its traditional buyers. That also is changing; however, Buick wants to cater to a wider audience, including their “traditional” target markets.

However, those “traditional:” Buick buyers may be in for a shock. In 2000, Buick came out with a concept car called the LaCrosse. A cool name, especially if you are a fan of the sport played mainly on the East Coast or lives in Wisconsin. When the decision was made to christen the new entry level Buick with that “cool name,” one minor detail was overlooked. LaCrosse is also a French Canadian colloquialism for masturbation.

Despite the faux pas from a branding standpoint, the 2005 LaCrosse sedan turned out to be a very nice product for Buick. Continue reading →