The Buick Lucerne is a highly competent sedan with smooth, clean lines and driving manners to match. Underway, it’s smooth and quiet, but with precise steering and a chassis that handles winding roads with aplomb. Inside, it’s elegant, comfortable and easy.

The Buick Lucerne comes in several models. The Lucerne CX is tuned as a traditional Buick, with the Premium Ride Suspension. The Lucerne CXL comes with a firmer Ride and Handling Suspension, and is positioned to compete with the Toyota Avalon and Lexus ES 350. We found it a very enjoyable car to drive, with agile handling and plenty of performance.

A full-size, front-wheel-drive sedan, the Lucerne benefits from a larger, more powerful, and more efficient V6 for 2009. Horsepower is up 15 percent from 197 to 227; while fuel economy has improved from 16/25 mpg city/highway to 17/26. The Lucerne comes loaded with more standard features for 2009, including a Bluetooth hands-free phone interface. XM radio with NavTraffic is available.

Lucerne CXL upgrades with leather seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, universal home remote, and a cargo net. The CXL suspension is tuned a little tighter, too, and includes Airlift rear shocks for automatic level control. New for 2009 are eight-way heated front seats with power lumbar support and memory settings, a heated leather steering wheel, and turn signals integrated into the outside mirrors.

2009 Buick Lucerne CXL Gainesville FL at Paul West Used Cars, where you’ll find the best deals on used cars, trucks & SUVs.