Domestic Brand Turns Up the Midsize Heat

The venerable Buick Century and its sportier sister, the Regal, will soon be obsolete thanks to Buick's latest entry into the

Buick's "new kid on the block" could just be good enough to take on the midsize champs with Japanese DNA. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

midsize sedan market.

Billed in Canada as the Allure and in the U.S. as the LaCrosse - due to "la crosse" being a French Canadian teen slang term for something I'd rather not say in a family publication - this four-door front-wheel drive "new kid on the block" could just be good enough to take on the midsize champs with Japanese DNA.

Outwardly, the Allure exhibits a modern, smooth shape with lines that evoke a sense of luxury car elegance. If its long hood is decidedly American, then its slim oval grille is all Buick. And while I don't foresee the Allure's shape pulling in the masses the way the Chrysler 300 does, there is little doubt that it's more

The Allure exhibits a modern, smooth shape with lines that evoke a sense of luxury car elegance. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

classic midsize lines are attractive, especially to those whose age exceeds their waist size.

Interestingly, GM is proudly touting the Allure's "sparkling chrome accents," which is a styling theme not long ago considered a domestic blight. I must say, the wisps of chrome trim and the eight-spoke chrome wheels on my tester look sharp and contribute to its upscale presence.

With an overall length of 5,032 mm (198.1 in), the Allure is considerably longer than both the Honda Accord, by 218 mm (8.6 in), and the Toyota Camry, by 227 mm (9 in).