With the introduction of a single large sedan called Lucerne, Buick has replaced two of its aging monikers - Park Avenue and LeSabre.

Buick sales have been less than impressive of late being down for 2005 and down thus far for 2006. Part of Buick's rebuilding effort, Lucerne is called upon for flagship duty. Built on the same chassis as the all-new Cadillac DTS, the front-wheel-drive Lucerne is an entry-level full-size luxury sedan. On sale since last October, it is the top selling Buick nameplate among generally unknown brands.

It's no secret that Buick is considered a top-choice among Sun City denizens and, in fact, enjoys one of the most loyal American consumers. While Buick wants to pump some youth into its ranks with vehicles that are more attractive to the 50-something crowd (what Buick considers youth), it can't afford to alienate its core group of Buick loyalists.

Buick's fresh answer to both groups is the surprisingly nice Lucerne. While you wouldn't find a Lucerne in my garage, Buick loyalists will love it, especially the classic styling and big car room and comfort.

Yet, while trying to create a new image, Buick has brought back the ventiports that first adorned their front fenders in 1949. Lucernes with a V-8 (the first Buick V-8 in more than 10 years) get eight shiny chrome "portholes" - four on each front fender - and the V-6 versions get three per fender. The vents are non-functional, and are meant to suggest a potent engine with required exhaust outlets. Some thought they looked hokey, others were indifferent, but they are undeniably a Buick signature.

Lucerne is a pleasant enough looking vehicle. Its style didn't turn heads like the Chrysler 300, and it certainly isn't controversial. Buick retains its traditional "waterfall" grille, clean body lines with nice touches of chrome on the door handles, side windows and dual exhaust tips.

From the rear I thought it strongly resembles a 2006 VW Passat. Overall, I wondered if the pleasant but certainly conservative styling would be enough to attract 50-something boomers away from contenders like the Lexus ES 350, Toyota Avalon or Infiniti G35.

Lucerne is offered in three models: CX, CXL and CXS. I tested the top-of-the-line CXS with optional chrome wheels, remote starter, rear parking assist, heated and cooled sets, an upgraded audio system and a first-ever heated washer fluid option. Base price of $34,990 and $2,145 in options brought the total vehicle price to $37,135. That seems high to me.

The base CX V-6 model starts at $25,990, CXL V-6 at $27,990, CXL V-8 at $29,990. Standard features include air conditioning; power steering, brakes, locks, windows, mirrors, driver's seat; AM/FM/CD audio system; cruise control; rear window defroster; keyless entry and tilt-steering. I was surprised, given the price, that the wheel didn't telescope, that a sunroof wasn't standard, and that one-touch power windows, HID headlamps, adjustable pedals, navigation system or DVD entertainment system aren't available. All are oversights on a near-luxury sedan.

I like the interior, which is well executed but not lavish. Lucerne is roomy and comfortable with fit and finish comparable to the best sedans from Japan and Europe. The two-tone ebony-cream leather finish is trimmed with nice touches of wood and chrome. The lower half of the dash should have been finished with a soft-touch surface rather than the pebble textured hard plastic - an odd place to save a buck or two.

Seats are comfortable and a bench seat can be ordered so the Lucerne can seat six. The trunk holds up to 17 cubic feet of cargo with a ski pass-through to the back seat.

My V-8 test car provided ample acceleration with a 4.6-liter V-8 that delivers 275 horsepower. Unfortunately, Lucerne only offers a four-speed automatic transmission where Chrysler and Ford use five- and six-speed transmissions. Premium unleaded is recommended but not required. My actual fuel economy for the week, with approximately 50 percent highway driving, was less than 16 miles per gallon. Here is where I wished for displacement on demand to improve fuel economy.

Thanks to Magnetic Ride Control that automatically adjusts the suspension damping to keep the 17-inch radials in firm contact with the road, the ride is ultra-quiet and smooth without the traditional Buick "floating" sensation. Standard on the CXS, this feature is optional on the CXL. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes and traction control are standard on the CXS, along with stability control and BrakeAssist, but optional on the CXL.

A trade-off for the suspension and larger tires is a large turning circle - some 44-feet - that makes it hard to park.

Other standard safety equipment on the Lucerne includes dual front and head curtain airbags and tire inflation monitors. In NHTSA crash tests, the Lucerne received the highest possible five-star rating for its protection of the driver and front passenger in frontal impacts. A four-star rating was given for side-impact protection of front and rear occupants.

The all-new Buick Lucerne is classic Buick styling that's is as quiet and comfortable as large sedans can get. There's ample room inside, loads of trunk space, spirited V-8 power and above average safety features and crash test ratings. Whether this is enough to keep buyers out of the top foreign offerings like Lexus, Infiniti and Acura remains to be seen.