New 2010 Buick Lucerne

Smooth styling and vast stretches of interior landscape combine with a very low price to make the 2010 Buick Lucerne a great, affordable alternative compared much more expensive full-size luxury sedans.

High-quality, powerful engines are a key to the value of the 2010 Buick Lucerne. A 227-horsepower, 3.9-liter V-6 blends new-school ignitions technology with an old-school pushrod valvetrain. An available 292-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 adds some serious punch. Both engines are mated to a four-speed automatic transmission, and these pairings yield 15-17 mpg in the city and 22-26 mpg on the highway. The V-6 offers power comparable to V-8 offerings such as the Mercury Grand Marquis, but with better fuel economy; power is on par with the Acura TL, and superior to the Toyota Avalon.

Interior space is a Buick specialty, and the 2010 Lucerne is king with more rear legroom, a bigger trunk, and generally better interior metrics than the Honda Accord or Toyota Avalon. The affordable CS model blends space with simulated wood trim, power driver’s seat, OnStar satellite communications, XM Satellite Radio and CD player. Choose the CXL model instead and you get leather seats with heat for both the passenger and driver, dual zone climate control, and an optional glass sunroof, Harmon/Kardon stereo and parking sensors.

The CXL Special Edition enhances seating comfort with leather and suede skins. The top-of-the-line Lucerne Super offers premium leather seating, a heated wood-and-leather steering wheel and the Magnetic Ride Control suspension, which quickly responds to changing road conditions for a smooth ride.

Safety is not a luxury at this American brand, and thus the 2010 Buick Lucerne offers front, front-side, and two-row head airbags as standard equipment, along with antilock brakes and traction control. Stability control is standard on some models. A crash-worthy chassis and the full airbag suite gives the Lucerne Five-Star front and Four-Star side impact ratings in government testing. A blind-zone warning system uses a visual display in either mirror to warn of a vehicle in your blind spot, while a lane departure warning system alerts the driver that they may be leaving their lane unintentionally.

Wood, leather, suede, and more interior room than basically everything at this price point make this an easy car to choose. Great V-6 and V-8 power that leaves many competitors jealous make the 2010 Buick Lucerne a pleasure to drive.