Buick LaCrosse
For the 2014 model year, the LaCrosse will get a major reskin and updated technology, including the latest touch-screen iteration of the Intellilink infotainment setup. It’ll be mechanically similar to the new Cadillac XTS and introduced-but-not-on-sale-yet Chevy Impala, offering a hybrid four and a 3.6-liter direct-injected V-6 and either front- or all-wheel drive. Once fairly suave, the current LaCrosse’s interior hasn’t aged well; for 2014 it’ll be all new, and judging from the XTS and Impala, modern and high-quality.
Buick Regal
Unlike the LaCrosse, which will be heavily reworked, the Regal just gets a face lift next year. Figure on some shuffling of the powertrain lineup, which is now out of sync with the rest of GM’s fleet. The Regal eAssist with a 2.4-liter four and small hybrid system probably will remain the base car, but don’t be shocked if a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four shows up beneath it.
The real changes could happen in turbo territory. Where the current Regal Turbo is rated at 220 hp, a newer version of that car’s engine—different turbocharger, altered intake and exhaust—delivers 259 ponies in the Malibu Turbo and 250 in the Verano Turbo. Sure, Buick has a 270-hp Regal GS, but why set up the middle child of this premium brand get trounced at stoplights by Mom’s Chevy?
If the Regal Turbo does hop to 250-ish hp, the GS still could carry over its powerplant. The horsepower advantage would be small, but beyond that the Regal GS is supposed to be a full-on performance car, with a sportier suspension and extroverted styling compared to the Regal Turbo. In fantasyland, the 2014 Regal GS would get all-wheel drive and a 400-hp twin-turbo V-6 currently slated for an uplevel version of the Cadillac XTS and—in a different state of tune—the forthcoming ATS-V.
GMC Sierra, Yukon, and Canyon
GMC still is the money factory for GM, selling similar cars to Chevy at higher—or in the case of Denali models, much higher—prices. But the new Sierra and Yukon won’t just be pricier clones of their bow-tied brethren.
Last January, GM’s North America president Mark Reuss promised that the next big trucks and SUVs will be more cosmetically distinct from each other. The Yukon may have some significant interior upgrades, not just in aesthetic and materials but in functionality, too, Reuss told us, which we’ve read to mean better packaging for folding seats and improved passenger space.
GM also quietly, suddenly confirmed that, yes, GMC will get a new Canyon mid-size pickup spun off of the all-new global Chevy Colorado that’s also coming to the U.S. Both mid-size trucks will target both fuel-conscious truck buyers and also the Toyota Tacoma’s substantial audience for lifestyle sport trucks. Figure on V-6 engines for the Canyon and Colorado, but there’s a strong chance that the Opel diesel four being prepped for our Cruze also could be slotted into the trucks.
- Comparison Test: 2012 Buick Regal GS vs. 2012 Volvo S60 R-Design
- Comparison Test: 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 LTZ 4WD Crew Cab vs. 2012 Ford F-250 Super Duty King Ranch 4×4 Crew Cab, 2012 Ram 2500 Laramie Longhorn 4×4 Mega Cab
- Comparison Test: 2013 Ford Escape SEL 4WD vs. 2012 Honda CR-V EX-L AWD, 2012 Hyundai Tucson Limited AWD, 2012 Kia Sportage EX AWD, 2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD, 2012 Toyota RAV4 Limited 4×4
The mid-size-truck news is significant unto itself but also for the rest of the brand’s lineup. Mr. Reuss has said it’s far easier to design a mid-size truck to be efficient from the start than to try to “lightweight” a Silverado or Sierra. GM doesn’t want to risk durability for its big trucks by bringing in expensive, lightweight materials or using lighter components. Instead, the General will look to boost fuel economy via improved aerodynamics and the adoption of electric steering, as well as direct injection and the expansion of cylinder-deactivation tech across the latest-generation V-6 and V-8 engines.
Naturally, every new GMC will be available in fully loaded Denali trim, from the Sierra HD to the 4×8-sheet-of-plywood-hauling Yukon XL.
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