Seating & Cargo

The standard eight-way power driver's seat offers plenty of adjustment range, so spouses of wide-ranging sizes should have no trouble finding their fit. If you're much taller than 6 feet, avoid the optional dual-pane moonroof, as it cuts headroom significantly. At 5-foot-11, I found the driver's seat roomy enough, and the optional leather seats have enough side bolstering to provide un-Buick-like levels of curvy-road support without being so sculpted that it's hard to slide into the car. On the flip side, I found the driver's seat had too much lumbar support even with it dialed back to zero, and a vertical seam in the backrest kept digging into my spine. The cloth seats in the LaCrosse CX don't have these issues, and they're exceptionally comfortable. They're less expensive, too.

Less comfortable is the backseat: Legroom and headroom are good, but the seat sits too low to the ground to provide adult-sized thigh support. It's a more generous setup than small luxury cars like the Acura TSX or BMW 3 Series, but others in this price range — particularly the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord — have roomier confines.

The trunk has a narrow opening, made narrower on both sides by trunklid supports. At any rate, it's not particularly roomy: Overall volume, at 13.3 cubic feet in the CX and CXL, leads the TL (13.1 cubic feet) but trails the ES 350 (14.7) and MKZ (16.5). Subwoofers for the upgraded stereo, which is standard on the CXS, reduce volume to 12.8 cubic feet.

    See also:

    Engine Power Messages
    ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED This message displays when the vehicle's engine power is reduced. Reduced engine power can affect the vehicle's ability to accelerate. If this message is on, but there is no ...

    Delayed Locking
    When locking the doors with the power lock switch and a door is open, the doors will lock five seconds after the last door is closed. You will hear three chimes to signal that the delayed lo ...

    Where Are the Airbags?
    The driver frontal airbag is in the center of the steering wheel. The front outboard passenger frontal airbag is in the passenger side instrument panel. Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side ...