Is the Toyota Camry more reliable than the Buick Lacrosse?

Yes, but only slightly. The Camry has lower estimated repair costs and fewer complaints per car sold, 2.1 per 10,000 versus 7.9. Both models rate good and need the same 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year. The Lacrosse has only two model years of data, so its record is thinner.

Which has more recalls, the Camry or the Lacrosse?

The Camry has more. Federal recall records show 35 recalls across its 9 model years, while the Lacrosse has 5 across its 2 model years. The Camry has been sold for more years, so more recalls is expected. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before buying.

Which costs less to repair, the Camry or the Lacrosse?

The Camry costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $388 a year for the Camry and $569 for the Lacrosse. Over five years that adds up to roughly $905 more for the Lacrosse. The chance of a major repair is close, at 11% and 12%.

What goes wrong with the Buick Lacrosse?

Lacrosse complaints mostly involve power delivery. Owners describe hesitation when merging, sudden shut-offs, reduced engine power messages, and the car surging at a traffic light. Some report it rolling backward during a failed start from a stop. Dealers sometimes find no fault once the codes clear.

Which Toyota Camry years should I avoid?

Avoid 2018 and 2019 if you can, since they are the weakest Camry years. Look at 2022 instead, one of the strongest. On any year, ask about the coolant bypass valve, which owners report failing around 30,000 to 34,000 miles.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Buick LaCrosse vs Toyota Camry: Reliability Compared

Buick LaCrosse

Good

More Reliable

Toyota Camry

Good

Reliability favors the Toyota Camry over the Buick Lacrosse, mainly on repair cost. Independent data puts the Camry at $388 a year against $569 for the Lacrosse. Both sedans rate good, and both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year.

How Do the Buick LaCrosse and Toyota Camry Generations Compare?

Most Camry shoppers will see cars from the eighth generation (XV70), which covered US model years 2018 to 2023. The seventh generation ran 2012 to 2017, so older used cars are a different design. The weakest Camry years, 2018 and 2019, came at the start of the eighth generation, while 2022 came from late in it. The Lacrosse sits in its third generation (2017 to 2019), and both model years covered here fall inside it. A facelift arrived for 2019, so 2018 is the pre-facelift car. A fourth generation followed for 2023.

Verdict

The Toyota Camry is more reliable than the Buick LaCrosse, scoring 78/100 vs 76/100.

A slight edge goes to the Toyota Camry. Both cars land in good standing, and both need unscheduled shop visits about 0.3 times a year. The Camry pulls ahead on cost and complaint rate. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $388 a year against $569 for the Lacrosse, and owners filed 2.1 complaints per 10,000 sold versus 7.9. The Lacrosse sample is small, only 18 complaints over two model years, so the gap is narrow rather than decisive.

Key Differences

1Toyota Camry costs $181 less per year to repair
2Buick LaCrosse has 30 fewer total recalls
3Toyota Camry has 5.8 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

1Buick LaCrosse

—

4Toyota Camry

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Buick LaCrosse vs Toyota Camry: Which Is More Reliable?

Buick LaCrosse vs Toyota Camry at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Buick LaCrosse	Toyota Camry
Reliability Score	76/100	78/100
Years Tracked	2	9
Total Recalls	5	35
Complaints per 10k Sold	7.9	2.1
Annual Repair Cost	$569/yr	$388/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	12%	11%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2019 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Buick LaCrosse and Toyota Camry?

A wide spread of faults shows up on the Camry. The engine can be shut off and the key removed with the shifter still in Drive, brake pedals feel spongy or sink, and a failing coolant bypass valve brings a check engine light. Air bag complaints are the most serious, with 58 crash-linked filings, including cars where front air bags did not deploy. Lacrosse complaints center on power delivery: hesitation when merging, sudden shut-offs, reduced engine power messages, and surging at a traffic light. The Lacrosse data lists no crash-linked counts, though owners describe near rear-end collisions.

Buick LaCrosse vs Toyota Camry common problem areas comparison
Component	Buick LaCrosse	Toyota Camry
ENGINE	2.2Low	0.1Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.3Low	0.2Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.3Low	0.2Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.9Very Low	0.4Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.9Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	0.2Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	—None	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
STEERING	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	—None
STRUCTURE	—None	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Buick LaCrosse or Toyota Camry?

Lower repair bills favor the Camry. Independent repair-cost data estimates $388 a year for it and $569 for the Lacrosse, which adds up to about $905 more over five years with the Lacrosse. Shop-visit frequency is identical at 0.3 unscheduled visits a year. The chance a repair is major is close, 11% for the Camry and 12% for the Lacrosse, so the cost gap comes from price per repair rather than how often you go.

How Does Buick LaCrosse vs Toyota Camry Reliability Compare by Year?

Buick LaCrosse vs Toyota Camry year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Buick LaCrosse	Toyota Camry	Edge
2019	76/1002R / 6C	70/1008R / 364C	Buick LaCrosse
2018	75/1003R / 12C	65/1008R / 708C	Buick LaCrosse

Best years to cross-shop: The 2019 Buick LaCrosse scored 76/100 and the 2019 Toyota Camry scored 70/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Buick LaCrosse vs the Toyota Camry?

Choose the Camry if you want lower running costs and more cars to shop from. Target 2022, one of its strongest years, and avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest. Ask whether the coolant bypass valve has been replaced, since owner reports cluster around 30,000 to 34,000 miles. Also check the service history for any air bag warning light, because that area carries the most crash-linked complaints. Choose the Lacrosse only if you find a clean example at a good price and want this particular sedan. Only the 2018 and 2019 model years exist in the data, and you should expect higher repair bills than on the Camry. On the test drive, press the pedal hard when merging and watch for hesitation. Ask for records of any reduced power messages or stalling. Owners say dealers sometimes decline repairs once the warning light clears, so documented fixes matter.

Buick LaCrosse vs Toyota Camry: Common Questions

Is the Toyota Camry more reliable than the Buick Lacrosse?: Yes, but only slightly. The Camry has lower estimated repair costs and fewer complaints per car sold, 2.1 per 10,000 versus 7.9. Both models rate good and need the same 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year. The Lacrosse has only two model years of data, so its record is thinner.
Which has more recalls, the Camry or the Lacrosse?: The Camry has more. Federal recall records show 35 recalls across its 9 model years, while the Lacrosse has 5 across its 2 model years. The Camry has been sold for more years, so more recalls is expected. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before buying.
Which costs less to repair, the Camry or the Lacrosse?: The Camry costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $388 a year for the Camry and $569 for the Lacrosse. Over five years that adds up to roughly $905 more for the Lacrosse. The chance of a major repair is close, at 11% and 12%.
What goes wrong with the Buick Lacrosse?: Lacrosse complaints mostly involve power delivery. Owners describe hesitation when merging, sudden shut-offs, reduced engine power messages, and the car surging at a traffic light. Some report it rolling backward during a failed start from a stop. Dealers sometimes find no fault once the codes clear.
Which Toyota Camry years should I avoid?: Avoid 2018 and 2019 if you can, since they are the weakest Camry years. Look at 2022 instead, one of the strongest. On any year, ask about the coolant bypass valve, which owners report failing around 30,000 to 34,000 miles.

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Decided between Buick LaCrosse and Toyota Camry? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Buick LaCrosse and Toyota Camry

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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