Topic: Buick Regal turbo rental review

[lebowski]

We just rented a Buick Regal Turbo for 5 days, and I came away very impressed. It probably doesn't get more "sleeper" than a midsize Buick in Metallic Beige, with AWD and 295 lbs/ft torque 

Here are some Pros and Cons:

Pros

- abundant passing power and straightline performance
- predictable, if slightly wallowy, cornering and handling
- sleeper appearance
- comfortable
- confidence-inspiring AWD
- very audible turbo "whoosh"
- smooth and steady highway ride
- responsive manual-mode (given it's a slushbox with only 6 speeds)
- decent mileage, given weight and performance
- it takes 87 octane

 
Cons

- vague and overly-boosted steering
- busy and unintuitive infotainment controls
- too much chrome, inside and out
- somewhat inefficient packaging: short-ish wheelbase for a long-ish car, including long front overhang
- very audible turbo "whoosh" (I could see it getting old)
- would have liked a sport-mode in the transmission
- Uninspiring - though inoffensive - exterior styling

I believe some of the performance/handling quibbles would be addressed with the uplevel "GS" trim, but I wouldn't have been so interested in the GS's low-profile 19-inch tires.

Having enjoyed Dodge Chargers and Ecoboost Fusions that i've rented in the past, this Buick was more of the same: a quick, dynamically competent - if not pulse-quickening - American mid-size AWD sedan, and a great used value.

[lebowski]

I would agree with you except for me the interior is awful and the front seats are like park benches. The front end needs a redesign 5 years ago, though the GS addresses this somewhat.

Yeah, I can see long-term, the annoyances I noted on the interior would become increasingly bothersome - I found the seat comfort decent, once I played around with the  lumbar support, but they no doubt pale in comparison to, say, Volvo's seats.