Nov. 12 (Bloomberg) -- While I’m sure I was once aware of the Buick brand, its cultural significance is now right up there with the cancellation of the TV series “Wings” and Barbra Streisand’s last concert tour.

If you were to rank products by strength of brand loyalty, with Apple computers somewhere up near the top, Buick would be down alongside your cable-service provider (everyone loathes their cable-service provider).

General Motors consigned both Saturn and Pontiac to the guillotine and Buick would have also been an excellent candidate if it hadn’t been for one thing: China. Considered a luxury brand there, more Buicks are sold in the People’s Republic than in the U.S.

Which brings me to this rather handsome car before me, the 2010 LaCrosse. Even when well-outfitted with luxuries, the entirely new sedan comes in under $34,000. It’s far better than I would have expected -- not that I had any expectations. Hey, if Burt Bacharach and Tony Bennett can reinvent themselves, why not this 106-year-old brand?

For those born after the Eisenhower administration, a short history lesson: David Dunbar Buick incorporated in 1903; in the 1950s and ‘60s the company did brisk business with big-as-boat models like the Skylark, Riviera, LeSabre; sales plateaued in the 1980s, followed by a long slide to irrelevance into this decade with derivative SUVs and minivans like the Terraza. (What? You don’t even remember the Terraza?)

China Changes

How we got to this LaCrosse, then, is a rather unlikely cultural confluence, as this American car was in large part designed in China, with the goal of besting a car from Japan, the Lexus ES 350.

The ES 350’s success is attributable less to great styling or a fantastic ride (of which it offers neither), but rather to its posh nameplate for less than $40,000. Like other entry luxury cars such as the Acura TL, the ES 350 is a starter kit for the all-power amenities you simply can’t live without.

Like heated front seats.

So forget about scoring points when you tell friends you just bought a Buick. Instead, offer to drive everyone to dinner (preferably not the Early Bird Special), and you’ll start gaining a few.

The LaCrosse is solid-looking, with a high hood, purposeful stance and firm shoulder line. Dashes of chrome frame the side windows and adorn the rear, and cool-looking twin tailpipes keep it from the world of boring. My test car had optional 19-inch tires which commandingly filled the wheel wells.

Waterfall Grill

I’m pretty sure I spied a few other drivers squinting at the triple-shield badge on the waterfall grill, trying to figure out what the heck it was. (“What’s a Buick, daddy?”)

The interior is well-done, though it seems a tad fussy compared with the no-nonsense exterior. My test car had tan perforated-leather seats and dark burnished wood that ran along the top of the steering wheel and parts of the dash. My Oldsmobile-loving granddad would have liked that.

The Chinese also added a series of swooping designs on the interior door handles, apparently for matters of feng shui. Also befitting the Chinese market, where many owners prefer to be driven, there’s much more rear leg room than you would normally expect.

Those hungry for shiny new tech will immediately notice the standard touch-screen navigation, which includes satellite radio. It’s easy to figure out, too.

Power Sunshade

All the other Lexus expectations are there, from the standard traction control and many air bags to options like a heated steering wheel, rear view monitor and power rear sunshade.

Buyers have three engine and trim-level choices. The basic CX model comes with either a V-6 or a four-cylinder motor for $27,835. The all-wheel-drive CXL with a 3.0-liter V-6 goes for $32,570, and the 3.6-liter CXS with 280 horsepower starts at $33,765. The CX and CXS are both front-wheel-drive.

I drove the more-powerful CXS. While falling well short of scintillating, it provided the type of adequate thrust, easy shifting and drama-free drive most buyers in this segment come to expect. Essentially you’ll rarely have to think about the driving itself. The suspension evens out the bumps nicely but doesn’t wallow like a boat.

Playing Catch-Up

The LaCrosse is a likable, if not passion-inspiring, car that would probably become even more likable over time. My major complaint is that it feels derivative. While there’s all the technology you’ve come to expect, there’s nothing here that smacks of actual innovation. It’s benchmarking other models, playing catch-up rather than leapfrog.

What is very attractive is the price. With the touring package and special paint, my test car was out the door for less than $35,000. You didn’t have to grow up in the Great Depression to appreciate that.

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS at a Glance

Engine: 3.6-liter V-6 with 280 horsepower and 259 pound- feet of torque.

Transmission: Six-speed automatic.

Gas mileage per gallon: 17 city; 27 highway.

Price as tested: $34,890.

Best feature: Good bang for the buck.

Worst feature: Inevitable jokes about your age.

Target buyer: The cost-conscious Chinese driver looking for an entry-level luxury sedan.

(Jason H. Harper writes about autos for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer of this column: Jason H. Harper at Jason@JasonHharper.com.

Last Updated: November 12, 2009 00:01 EST