2012 Buick LaCrosse Hybrid Review/Release and Price

Just the Facts:

• The 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist, the brand's first hybrid sedan, starts at $30,820, including an $860 destination charge.
• The LaCrosse hybrid undercuts prices on the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid and the 2011 Lexus HS Hybrid, but is more expensive than a 2012 Ford Fusion.
• The LaCrosse hybrid is $2,830 more expensive than the base 2011 Buick LaCrosse CX, which starts at $27,990, including destination.

DETROIT — The 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist, the brand's first hybrid sedan, starts at $30,820, including an $860 destination charge.

The pricing strategy carefully slots the Buick hybrid in a near-luxury hybrid category, just above the 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid, but below the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid and the 2011 Lexus HS Hybrid.

The 2012 Fusion Hybrid starts at $29,395, including a $795 destination charge. The 2012 MKZ Hybrid starts at $35,520, including an $875 destination charge, while the 2011 HS Hybrid starts at $37,205, including an $875 destination charge.

The LaCrosse hybrid carries a $2,830 premium over the base 2011 Buick LaCrosse CX, which starts at $27,990, including destination.

No official EPA fuel-economy ratings have been released on the LaCrosse hybrid. But GM says projected EPA fuel-economy estimates are 25 mpg in city driving and 37 mpg on the highway.

The LaCrosse hybrid's eAssist system mates a 182-horsepower 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder gasoline direct-injection engine with an electric motor/generator that can deliver an additional burst of up to 15 hp during acceleration.

Buick said although eAssist is the standard powertrain on the 2012 LaCrosse, a new, more powerful version of the direct-injected 3.6-liter V6 engine is available at no additional cost on select trim levels. The 3.6-liter model is rated at 303 hp. An all-wheel-drive version, which is yet to be rated, also will be available.

New standard features for the 2012 LaCrosse include dual-zone climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, full-color driver information center, Bluetooth and USB connectivity.

Buick said it will fit the eAssist system to the 2012 Regal later this year.