2006 Buick Lucerne Review (continued)
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Walkaround

There is no mistaking the Lucerne for anything other than a Buick. The Lucerne has a handsome appearance with a good stance thanks to its long wheelbase and wide track. The classic Buick waterfall grill blends in well with the large integrated headlamps. The side profile, with its steeply raked windshield, is reminiscent of several recently introduced European sedans such as the VW Passat and Audi A6. The rear of the Lucerne features a high trunk line with nicely integrated tail lamps.

Chrome trim is kept to a minimum. The only stylistic link to Buicks of old are the small portholes on each side of the front fenders. They are also the only clue to what's under the hood: the V6-powered Lucerne gets three portholes on each side while V8-powered models get four on each side. (They are not functional, however.)

Interior Features

The Buick Lucerne is built on the same platform as the Cadillac DTS, also new for 2006. That means the Lucerne benefits from the newest techniques for building a quiet luxury car.

These include hydroformed frame rails for a stiffer body and use of laminated steel with plenty of sound deadening material placed in strategic locations. Buick engineers shaped the outside of the door mirrors to lessen wind noise. Laboratory test results show that the Lucerne is quieter than a Lexus ES 330 and this was evident in a back-to-back driving comparison.

Much like the exterior, the Lucerne's interior is cleanly designed with just enough touches of wood and chrome trim to make it luxurious without being too opulent. The dashboard is fairly traditional in design with a smallish instrument pod containing three round gauges in front of the steering wheel.

The center stack with large knobs for operating the climate control and audio system is located high up for easy access.

Six airbags provide plenty of protection in a crash. Along with the Cadillac DTS, the Lucerne gets the first ever application of a dual-depth passenger airbag. It has two sections; a smaller section deploys in a less severe crash or if the passenger is small or seated nearer the dashboard. In a bad crash or if the passenger is not wearing their seat belt the full bag deploys for maximum effect.

For those who need seating for six, Buick continues to offer a traditional front bench seat in all but the performance CXS model. Most people opt for front bucket seats, which provide a good level of comfort and have an armrest in the center console.

Rear-seat passengers are well taken care of with good headroom and excellent leg room. The long wheelbase also allows for a wider opening rear door with almost no intrusion from the wheel well, making it easy to get in and out of the car.