They come from around the world to duke it out in the US of A: mid-size sedans from Germany, Japan and South Korea.  Each arrives armed with a unique selling point: German engineering, Japanese quality and South Korean value.  Their upbringings differ but their mission is the same: capture the hearts and minds of Middle American car buyers– and keep them.  The clear winner in this automotive Battle Royale is the American consumer, who’s never enjoyed so much quality and choice for so little money.  Meanwhile, once stalwart American brands and models are falling by the wayside, as their “foreign” competition continues their ceaseless campaign for mid-market hegemony.  One such victim is the Buick LaCrosse CXL.   

Appearances deceive; for Buick has mad coach building skills.  The LaCrosse blends feminine curves and masculine edges with continental flair.  Buick's ovoid adaptation works at every angle that the last Ford Taurus failed: gentle creases accentuate the toned quarter panels, while the rakish c-pillar puts the Ghost of LeSabres Past to rest. Witness the minimalist approach to body cutlines, a lost art in these days of excessive plastic ornamentation.  (Never mind the dorky fender-mount GM badge: five minutes with a hairdryer and they’re a memory.) The LaCrosse' true visual appeal lies in its perfect proportions: badges, lights, trim, glass and sheetmetal all know their place, harmonizing like a barbershop quartet on ecstasy.