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2007 Buick Lucerne


by Martha Hindes

2007 Buick Lucerne
2007 Buick Lucerne Interior

You could call Buick's full-size, front-drive Lucerne sedan just the right touch. This five or six-seater has the right touch for wiggling around in front or rear seats without feeling confined, has a newly added available touch screen navigation system, and commands the road in tight corners or along a smooth straight away with equal ability.

For 2007, Lucerne gets fine tuning touches. There's a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel, expanded OnStar safety/communications with Turn-by-Turn voice navigation, and new color and trim enhancements.

Lucerne comes in base CX, mid-level CXL and performance-oriented CXS versions with about a $7,000 base price spread starting at $28,530 before options. We would run out of room listing all the standard or available amenities, but a few are factory remote start, rain sensing wipers, heated windshield washer fluid (first in class), heated and cooled leather front seats, and rear parking assist. Comfort and Convenience and Driver Confidence packages suggest the range. The legendary Buick quiet is enhanced with noise reducing outside mirrors and laminated side glass to mute wind noise.

Underhood are two powerplants, a 4.6-liter, 275-HP Northstar V8 that gets an estimated 17/26 MPG. (Premium is recommended not mandated, and it's first in segment under $30,000.) The other, a 3.8-liter, 197-HP V6 getting about 19/28 on regular. Light Quartz and Gold Mist metallics join the exterior color palette. Inside, where easy read gauges and handsome trim set the tone, there are two new color combos for '07, cocoa with cashmere or shale, joining Harman/Kardon audio among features.

Safety equipment includes dual stage front and full side curtain airbag systems. OnStar's "Safe and Sound" brings emergency help if airbags deploy.

Despite its larger size, don't expect a laggard here. The Lucerne takes advantage of its family relationship with other General Motors divisions in the driving dynamics area such as sports suspension, and GM's Magnetic Ride Control and Magnasteer for the upscale CXS model.

The result? A handsome, luxurious and thoroughly capable large sedan, for those who want premium without having to pay an import nameplate penalty.

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