According to company press materials, the front end of the LaCrosse is uniquely Buick. That’s true, unless compared with the eerily similar 2005 Lexus GS 300. While the face of the LaCrosse conjures up thoughts of that smart looking Japanese sedan, the rest of the the body is reminiscent of other Buicks, including the Regal and Century, albeit with a touch of modern styling. Gentle contours in the hood flow from of the inner headlights; a subtle body side crease runs along the top of the front fenders and blends into the window sills; and the rear end is accented by wraparound taillights terminating at an indented groove in the trunk lid. Finishing off the package are classy touches of chrome on the window frames and front grille, and our tester was optioned with some schwanky 17-inch chrome alloy wheels.

Matching the conservative exterior design is the 2005 Buick LaCrosse’s interior, which on our CXS tester included a tasteful two-tone black and tan color scheme, with chrome accents on the door handles, shift plate, and around the gauges. The flat dash and instrument panel lack any creativity in terms of design. More pleasing were the materials used throughout the interior, such as padded and soft-touch plastics on the dash, instrument panel, and upper door sills, along with a high-quality mesh headliner with sunvisors and plastic pillar covers to match. Even the lower dash and console panels, though composed of hard plastic, felt substantial and offered matching grain patterns. Detractors included faux wood inserts, a steering wheel wrapped in fake leather, and a few interior plastic bits that appeared unfinished.

Overall construction of the 2005 Buick LaCrosse also appeared a bit hurried. Inside, most everything was bolted down tight, but the pillar covers featured significant gaps and popped off easily, and the headliner came up a bit short by the rear window and was loose around the sunroof. Outside were a misaligned hood and a very flexible front fascia.