Well into its second century of existence, the Buick brand has always had a long-standing reputation of premium elegance and dependability.  When you think of Buick, you probably envision a comfortable ride in a cushy luxury sedan.  But do you immediately think of fuel economy?  Probably not.  You might want to think again, though, because Buick's latest eAssist technology is on track to be a game-changer for this premium brand.

Buick's eAssist Technology adds a compact electric motor and lithium-ion battery to a 2.4L four-cylinder ECOTEC engine, which all work in sync to improve fuel economy by an estimated 25%, with highway performance reaching 36 mpg. A standard feature on the 2012 Lacrosse and optional upgrade on the 2012 Regal, features of this innovative engine system include: 

• An automatic start/stop technology that shifts from gas to electric power to conserve fuel
• A process called regenerative braking, which transforms the vehicle's forward momentum into energy when it slows down or comes to a stop
• A state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery pack which uses the energy created via regenerative braking to power vehicle accessories

No matter how you explain it, the eAssist engine translates into huge fuel economy boosts, all of which can be monitored on the Power Flow Display in the center of the vehicle's instrument cluster.  The technology even beats out hybrid competitors, with the Lacrosse outperforming the Lexus HS Hybrid and Infinity M Hybrid. The Regal with eAssist also bests its competition, getting better fuel economy than the Acura TSX, Audi A4 and Volkswagen CC.

And the best part about eAssist is that you don't have to give up style and comfort for great fuel economy.  The Buick Lacrosse and Regal offer the type of refinement that you expect from Buick, with the type of fuel economy that is normally only offered in a compact car.  Not to mention, the price tag won't break the bank like most hybrids.  It's clearly a winning combination for customers across the country.  In fact, the 2012 Lacrosse is spending just 14 days on dealer lots nationally before being sold, and Buick retail sales through November are projected to be up more than 17 percent year to date.