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Compare the Buick LaCrosse to the Lexus ES350 Safety The LaCrosse offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The ES350 doesn’t offer all-wheel drive. The LaCrosse’s optional blind spot warning system uses rear-aimed sensors monitored by computer to alert the driver to moving objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The ES350 doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver's blind spots. Both the LaCrosse and the ES350 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front-wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 38.5 MPH side impact tests on new cars. In this test, results indicate that the LaCrosse is safer than the ES350: | LaCrosse | ES350 | | Front Seat | STARS | 5 Stars | 5 Stars | Thoracic Trauma | 35 | 40 | Pelvis Deceleration | 44 G’s | 66 G’s | | Rear Seat | STARS | 5 Stars | 4 Stars | Thoracic Trauma | 49 | 63 | Pelvis Deceleration | 55 G’s | 69 G’s |
More stars indicate a better chance of avoiding serious injuries. Lower numbers indicate better actual numeric test results. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the general design of front seat head restraints for their ability to protect front seat occupants from whiplash injuries. The IIHS also performs a dynamic test on those seats with “good” or “acceptable” geometry. In these ratings, the LaCrosse is safer then the ES350: | LaCrosse | ES350 | Overall Evaluation | GOOD | MARGINAL | Head Restraint Design | GOOD | GOOD | Distance from Back of Head | 8 mm | 45 mm | Distance Below Top of Head | 10 mm | 22 mm | Dynamic Test Rating | GOOD | MARGINAL | Seat Design | Pass | Fail | Torso Acceleration | 11.4 g’s | 17 g’s | Neck Force Rating | Low | Medium | Max Neck Shearing Force | 0 | 160 | Max Neck Tension | 108 | 707 |
(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.) For its top level performance in frontal, side and rear impact tests, and its standard StabiliTrak, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the LaCrosse as a “Top Pick” a rating only granted to 90 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The ES350 was not a Top Pick. Warranty Buick’s powertrain warranty covers the LaCrosse 30,000 miles longer than Lexus covers the ES350. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the ES350 ends after only 70,000 miles. There are over 14 times as many Buick dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier to get service under the LaCrosse’s warranty. Reliability J.D. Power and Associates’ surveys of the owners of three-year-old cars provide the long-term dependability statistics that show that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick first in reliability. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is ranked third. Engine The LaCrosse CXS’ standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 8 more horsepower (280 vs. 272) and 5 lbs.-ft. more torque (259 vs. 254) than the ES350’s 3.5 DOHC V6. Fuel Economy and Range To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Buick LaCrosse uses regular unleaded gasoline. The ES350 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 25 to 50 cents more per gallon. The LaCrosse AWD’s standard fuel tank has a gallon more fuel capacity than the ES350 (19.5 vs. 18.5 gallons). Brakes and Stopping For better stopping power the LaCrosse’s brake rotors are larger than those on the ES350: | LaCrosse | ES350 | Front Rotors | 12.6 inches | 11.7 inches | Rear Rotors | 12.4 inches | 11.1 inches |
Tires and Wheels For better traction, the LaCrosse has larger tires than the ES350 (245/50R17 vs. 215/55R17). The LaCrosse CX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the ES350’s standard 55 series tires. The LaCrosse CXS’ optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the ES350’s 55 series tires. For better ride, handling and brake cooling the LaCrosse CXS offers optional 19-inch wheels. The ES350’s largest wheels are only 17 inches. Suspension and Handling The LaCrosse offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The ES350’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers. For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the LaCrosse’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the ES350 (111.7 inches vs. 109.3 inches). The LaCrosse CXS handles at .79 G’s, while the ES350 pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test. Passenger Space The LaCrosse has .6 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 4.6 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear hip room than the ES350. Ergonomics The LaCrosse offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The ES350 doesn’t offer a remote starting system. The LaCrosse (except CX) offers an available heads-up display which projects speed and other key instrumentation readouts onto the windshield, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The ES350 doesn’t offer a heads-up display. The LaCrosse’s standard power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The ES350’s power mirror controls are on the dash, hidden behind the steering wheel, where they are awkward to manipulate. To help keep rear passengers entertained, the LaCrosse (except CX) offers optional rear seat controls for the radio that can play a separate audio source. The ES350 doesn’t offer rear seat audio controls. The LaCrosse offers an optional 115 volt a/c outlet, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The ES350 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.
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