Topic: Test Drive: 2011 Buick Regal CXL

[Shnak]

Funny how the same drivetrain can be had in the Chevy Malibu and the now defunct Saturn Aura, and were found to be more than adequate in those cars.

Your comparison is out of context, the Malibu and Aura aren't billed as upscale 3-series fighters, they are family sedans. The same engine can be (and is) acceptable in an affordable family sedan but is seen as inadequate when $10K is added onto the price and marketing tends towards upscale sportiness, case in point the Regal. The turbo will change everything.

Do you want to point out where it was ever billed as a 3 series fighter?

As I've said before, it's an adequate engine nothing more, much like the Volvo S40 2.4i.

That its, or any, marketing is hyperbolic should not come as a surprise to anyone who has ever bought a car.

Go to http://www.buick.com/vehicles/current-vehicles/regal/model-overview.html and check the title of the window: Luxury Sports Sedan. When you read those words, what vehicles come to your mind?

[Allen]

Luxury Sports Sedan. When you read those words, what vehicles come to your mind?

nothing made by Buick

[aknutson]

Funny how the same drivetrain can be had in the Chevy Malibu and the now defunct Saturn Aura, and were found to be more than adequate in those cars.

Your comparison is out of context, the Malibu and Aura aren't billed as upscale 3-series fighters, they are family sedans. The same engine can be (and is) acceptable in an affordable family sedan but is seen as inadequate when $10K is added onto the price and marketing tends towards upscale sportiness, case in point the Regal. The turbo will change everything.

Do you want to point out where it was ever billed as a 3 series fighter?

As I've said before, it's an adequate engine nothing more, much like the Volvo S40 2.4i.

That its, or any, marketing is hyperbolic should not come as a surprise to anyone who has ever bought a car.

Did you read the article? Reference to 3-series and sport sedan is in the first sentence, and that's the goal of the Regal. They aren't touting the 'nurburgring-tuned suspension' and 'German-engineering' because they are competing with Honda's or Toyotas, they are gunning for the Bavarians.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Funny how the same drivetrain can be had in the Chevy Malibu and the now defunct Saturn Aura, and were found to be more than adequate in those cars.

Your comparison is out of context, the Malibu and Aura aren't billed as upscale 3-series fighters, they are family sedans. The same engine can be (and is) acceptable in an affordable family sedan but is seen as inadequate when $10K is added onto the price and marketing tends towards upscale sportiness, case in point the Regal. The turbo will change everything.

Do you want to point out where it was ever billed as a 3 series fighter?

As I've said before, it's an adequate engine nothing more, much like the Volvo S40 2.4i.

That its, or any, marketing is hyperbolic should not come as a surprise to anyone who has ever bought a car.

Did you read the article? Reference to 3-series and sport sedan is in the first sentence, and that's the goal of the Regal. They aren't touting the 'nurburgring-tuned suspension' and 'German-engineering' because they are competing with Honda's or Toyotas, they are gunning for the Bavarians.

Chris is describing what he (quite rightly) considers to be the archetypal sports sedan. Buick, to my knowledge has never mentioned BMW as a specific target. The Buick is much cheaper, much larger, and of course FWD.

Which BMW would you get for $31k?  Even the 128i starts at $36k, equipped like the CXL and you'd be well over $40k.

The references to the Nurburgring-tuned suspension and German engineering may simply be a way to differentiate its handling and design from previous Buicks. In the end though, its just marketing pap, and should be treated as such. Just like the BMW former use of "Ultimate Driving Machine" may not ring true if you current car is a Z06 or Carrera or whatever your preference.

[Vanstar]

This car really perplexes me and it kind of shows me that GM has not learned from its mistakes. First of all, it seems to be competing with the Malibu. The cars are about the same size and come with the same powertrain. It comes in at almost exactly the same price as a loaded Malibu LTZ which strikes me as really crazy. Why would a potential GM buyer want to buy a Malibu when the Buick is the same price? The V-6 LTZ is $2400 more and will handily undercut the Regal Turbo when it finally comes available.

I can sort of understand the lack of V-6 given the new CAFE and CO2 laws in the USA but it would make much more sense to offer the Malibu as four cylinder only and have the V-6 reserved for the Buick. It appears to me that the Regal was a last minute thing to bring to Buick dealers after Pontiac's demise. The car appears rushed and the marketing poorly thought out. I tend to be of the the opinion that it will not result in many conquest sales; instead it will draw from the Malibu and to some extent the older Buick product. Buick's clientèle is more mature and offering them only four bangers seems to be rather strange and Buick's concern about this is pretty obvious in their ads. I really don't think too many people buy Buicks for sport enjoyment, especially when there is so much really stiff competition in  this sector, the BMW 323i coming immediately to mind.

I honestly hope GM does well with this car, I would like to see jobs come back to Oshawa and my tax dollars come back to my wallet. Time will tell on this one.

[MKII]

The best Buick in years to hit North American soil, and I'd say probably with the most sporting intentions as well and it takes a beating from the experts at CanadianDriver.
The only Regal these poor testers can get their hands own is a 2.4L 182hp auto, what do you auto experts expect from this powertrain combo.
You all need to take a step back and take a deep breath and get real. It's a  2.4l 182hp Regal, what do you think it is going to be able to knock your socks off with this type of powertrain.
I looked on Buick Canada compare page and the direct competitors it is listing is TSX, Lincoln MKZ, VW Passat and a couple of others. I saw no BMW, Audi or MB brands listed.
So what GM is marketing it as a luxury sport sedan. It's marketing so what.
You all are smart enough to know what a 2.4l 182hp powerplant is capable of yes?
Get over it, write a letter to GM and tell them what you think if it rubs you so bad.

Like I said this is for sure the most sporty Buick that has ever been offered in North America, and if you don't agree with that then so what.

Opels are very good driving cars, they are not the benchmark but they are competitive and a hell of alot sportier then any of the past North American Buicks.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

This car really perplexes me and it kind of shows me that GM has not learned from its mistakes. First of all, it seems to be competing with the Malibu. The cars are about the same size and come with the same powertrain. It comes in at almost exactly the same price as a loaded Malibu LTZ which strikes me as really crazy. Why would a potential GM buyer want to buy a Malibu when the Buick is the same price? The V-6 LTZ is $2400 more and will handily undercut the Regal Turbo when it finally comes available.

I can sort of understand the lack of V-6 given the new CAFE and CO2 laws in the USA but it would make much more sense to offer the Malibu as four cylinder only and have the V-6 reserved for the Buick. It appears to me that the Regal was a last minute thing to bring to Buick dealers after Pontiac's demise. The car appears rushed and the marketing poorly thought out. I tend to be of the the opinion that it will not result in many conquest sales; instead it will draw from the Malibu and to some extent the older Buick product. Buick's clientèle is more mature and offering them only four bangers seems to be rather strange and Buick's concern about this is pretty obvious in their ads. I really don't think too many people buy Buicks for sport enjoyment, especially when there is so much really stiff competition in  this sector, the BMW 323i coming immediately to mind.

I honestly hope GM does well with this car, I would like to see jobs come back to Oshawa and my tax dollars come back to my wallet. Time will tell on this one.

The Buick and Malibu have almost completely different handling characteristics. The Malibu is almost Camry soft and not nearly as composed in bumpy stuff. The Buick is much, much better in the ride/handling department.

The BMW 323i starts at $37650.

[Shnak]

Chris is describing what he (quite rightly) considers to be the archetypal sports sedan. Buick, to my knowledge has never mentioned BMW as a specific target. The Buick is much cheaper, much larger, and of course FWD.

Which BMW would you get for $31k?  Even the 128i starts at $36k, equipped like the CXL and you'd be well over $40k.

The references to the Nurburgring-tuned suspension and German engineering may simply be a way to differentiate its handling and design from previous Buicks. In the end though, its just marketing pap, and should be treated as such. Just like the BMW former use of "Ultimate Driving Machine" may not ring true if you current car is a Z06 or Carrera or whatever your preference.

Well this article does say that Buick views the Volvo S60 and Acura TSX as the Regal's main competitors.

http://www.autoinsane.com/2010/06/03/reviews/first-drive/2011-buick-regal/
Buick claims the Regal’s main competitors are the Volvo S60 and Acura TSX. I’ve yet to drive either the Volvo or Acura, so I can’t give direct comparisons. However, in a pure stats game, the Regal is left underpowered compared to the upscale engines in both the S60 (300hp) and TSX(280hp). Only the TSX offers a base four cylinder, of which the Regal bests by 10hp (172hp vs 182hp).

Needless to say, both the S60 and TSX start at way over $31k, so Buick is indeed aiming pretty high with their Regal. IMO, if you're comparing your car to a $45k Volvo S60, why not also compare it to a $35k 323i?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Chris is describing what he (quite rightly) considers to be the archetypal sports sedan. Buick, to my knowledge has never mentioned BMW as a specific target. The Buick is much cheaper, much larger, and of course FWD.

Which BMW would you get for $31k?  Even the 128i starts at $36k, equipped like the CXL and you'd be well over $40k.

The references to the Nurburgring-tuned suspension and German engineering may simply be a way to differentiate its handling and design from previous Buicks. In the end though, its just marketing pap, and should be treated as such. Just like the BMW former use of "Ultimate Driving Machine" may not ring true if you current car is a Z06 or Carrera or whatever your preference.

Well this article does say that Buick views the Volvo S60 and Acura TSX as the Regal's main competitors.

http://www.autoinsane.com/2010/06/03/reviews/first-drive/2011-buick-regal/
Buick claims the Regal’s main competitors are the Volvo S60 and Acura TSX. I’ve yet to drive either the Volvo or Acura, so I can’t give direct comparisons. However, in a pure stats game, the Regal is left underpowered compared to the upscale engines in both the S60 (300hp) and TSX(280hp). Only the TSX offers a base four cylinder, of which the Regal bests by 10hp (172hp vs 182hp).

Needless to say, both the S60 and TSX start at way over $31k, so Buick is indeed aiming pretty high with their Regal. IMO, if you're comparing your car to a $45k Volvo S60, why not also compare it to a $35k 323i?

You can compare it to whatever you want, but as the article states, Buick isn't specifically targeting the 3-series, which is smaller, AWD or RWD and much more expensive when equipped the same way.

BTW the TSX starts ~34K so it's not out of the ballpark price wise, though the Regal Turbo starts at $35k.

[toolatecrew]

The best Buick in years to hit North American soil, and I'd say probably with the most sporting intentions as well and it takes a beating from the experts at CanadianDriver.
The only Regal these poor testers can get their hands own is a 2.4L 182hp auto, what do you auto experts expect from this powetrain combo.
You all need to take a step back and take a deep breath and get real. It's a  2.4l 182hp Regal, what do you think it is going to be able to knock your socks off with this type of powertrain.
I looked on Buck Canada compare page and the direct competitors it is listing is TSX, Lincoln MKZ, VW Passat and a couple of others. I saw no BMW, Audi or MB brands listed.
So what GM is marketing it as a luxury sport sedan. It's marketing so what.
You all are smart enough to know what a 2.4l 182hp powerplant is capable of yes?
Get over it, write a letter to GM and tell them what you think if it rubs you so bad.

Like I said this is for sure the most sporty Buick that has ever been offered in North America, and if you don't agree with that then so what.

Opels are very good driving cars, they are not the benchmark but they are competitive and a hell of alot sportier then any of the past North American Buicks.

direct competitors it is listing is TSX, Lincoln MKZ, VW Passat and a couple of others.

Regal 182 hp
Passat 200 hp
MKZ 263 HP
TSX  201 HP

Fine compare it to exactly what Buick does on the website. Every one of the competitors base model offers a more powerful powertrain. Even when it only 200 HP the TSX and Passat offer much better more "sporty" powtrains due to the Turbo nature of the passat and the free revving nature of the TSX. Buick launched their competing sports sedan with a powertrain that simply is not in the CLASS of the competitors BUICK itself compares itself to. leave out the BMWs etc.

The Turbo is not relased yet. Its not the base. Powertrain to powertrain the Buick is simply inferior to all its targeted competion. that's inexcusable for a new model.

[TopGun]

....the Buick is simply inferior to all its targeted competion. that's inexcusable for a new model.

OMG, you guys are STILL on this?

How do you like the new Jetta TLC?  Not sure that's not in the same boat...and worse, it's interior to the previous model in many areaa (from the reports I've seen).

[Shnak]

Regal 182 hp (3600lbs)
Passat 200 hp (3331lbs)
MKZ 263 HP (3600lbs)
TSX  201 HP (3470lbs)

Something's not right in this picture... Oh right... heaviest and a lot less power than the others. Hmm... sport-injected sedan? Yeah right. GM really needs to learn how to cut some weight out of their cars.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The best Buick in years to hit North American soil, and I'd say probably with the most sporting intentions as well and it takes a beating from the experts at CanadianDriver.
The only Regal these poor testers can get their hands own is a 2.4L 182hp auto, what do you auto experts expect from this powetrain combo.
You all need to take a step back and take a deep breath and get real. It's a  2.4l 182hp Regal, what do you think it is going to be able to knock your socks off with this type of powertrain.
I looked on Buck Canada compare page and the direct competitors it is listing is TSX, Lincoln MKZ, VW Passat and a couple of others. I saw no BMW, Audi or MB brands listed.
So what GM is marketing it as a luxury sport sedan. It's marketing so what.
You all are smart enough to know what a 2.4l 182hp powerplant is capable of yes?
Get over it, write a letter to GM and tell them what you think if it rubs you so bad.

Like I said this is for sure the most sporty Buick that has ever been offered in North America, and if you don't agree with that then so what.

Opels are very good driving cars, they are not the benchmark but they are competitive and a hell of alot sportier then any of the past North American Buicks.

direct competitors it is listing is TSX, Lincoln MKZ, VW Passat and a couple of others.

Regal 182 hp
Passat 200 hp
MKZ 263 HP
TSX  201 HP

Fine compare it to exactly what Buick does on the website. Every one of the competitors base model offers a more powerful powertrain. Even when it only 200 HP the TSX and Passat offer much better more "sporty" powtrains due to the Turbo nature of the passat and the free revving nature of the TSX. Buick launched their competing sports sedan with a powertrain that simply is not in the CLASS of the competitors BUICK itself compares itself to. leave out the BMWs etc.

The Turbo is not relased yet. Its not the base. Powertrain to powertrain the Buick is simply inferior to all its targeted competion. that's inexcusable for a new model.

First off, there are a lot of people out there that that aren't interested in drag racing. Secondly for about the base price of the TSX you can get the Regal Turbo with a manual transmission.

Next year the GS will be available with ~260-280HP and AWD. There will also be cheaper versions available next year when production moves to Oshawa. This is just the first model available. Not everyone will like it, but it's a pretty good start IMHO.

[aknutson]

Regal 182 hp (3600lbs)
Passat 200 hp (3331lbs)
MKZ 263 HP (3600lbs)
TSX  201 HP (3470lbs)

Something's not right in this picture... Oh right... heaviest and a lot less power than the others. Hmm... sport-injected sedan? Yeah right. GM really needs to learn how to cut some weight out of their cars.

 

That seems to be a lot of their problem - I've heard a lot of complaints about new GM product being obese. Trim the weight and you won't need 300 hp to pull it around, everybody wins.

[dirtyjeffer]

Which BMW would you get for $31k?  Even the 128i starts at $36k, equipped like the CXL and you'd be well over $40k.

the "as tested price" of this Buick is $36k though...and for that money, you can get a BMW 323 or a MB C

a 2011 BMW 323i Luxury Edition is $37,650 (as you mentioned)
a 2011 Mercedes Benz C250 is $35,900

both of these cars are certainly in similar price ranges and drive considerably better.

all many of us have been saying is the Buick would be just fine if not for a couple of things...for one, this model (at least) wasn't touted as a "Sports Sedan"...secondly, if it were priced more comparably to a Ford Fusion...a Ford Fusion Sport is less money and will walk all over it on any comparison...and Ford doesn't market that car as a "Sport Sedan"...it is simply a sporty version of their regular "people hauler".

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Which BMW would you get for $31k?  Even the 128i starts at $36k, equipped like the CXL and you'd be well over $40k.

the "as tested price" of this Buick is $36k though...and for that money, you can get a BMW 323 or a MB C

a 2011 BMW 323i Luxury Edition is $37,650 (as you mentioned)
a 2011 Mercedes Benz C250 is $35,900

both of these cars are certainly in similar price ranges and drive considerably better.

all many of us have been saying is the Buick would be just fine if not for a couple of things...for one, this model (at least) wasn't touted as a "Sports Sedan"...secondly, if it were priced more comparably to a Ford Fusion...a Ford Fusion Sport is less money and will walk all over it on any comparison...and Ford doesn't market that car as a "Sport Sedan"...it is simply a sporty version of their regular "people hauler".

Not apples to apples. That $36k Regal is pretty much loaded, the 323i and C250 are pretty basic. The Regal Turbo starts at $34k.

The Malibu V6 is the GM equivalent model to the Fusion. Buick as a whole is moving back upmarket, where it always used to be. For some that won't make sense, for others it will. I like the Fusion a lot, but I like the Regal too. It would be a difficult choice.

[aknutson]

The best Buick in years to hit North American soil, and I'd say probably with the most sporting intentions as well and it takes a beating from the experts at CanadianDriver.
The only Regal these poor testers can get their hands own is a 2.4L 182hp auto, what do you auto experts expect from this powetrain combo.
You all need to take a step back and take a deep breath and get real. It's a  2.4l 182hp Regal, what do you think it is going to be able to knock your socks off with this type of powertrain.
I looked on Buck Canada compare page and the direct competitors it is listing is TSX, Lincoln MKZ, VW Passat and a couple of others. I saw no BMW, Audi or MB brands listed.
So what GM is marketing it as a luxury sport sedan. It's marketing so what.
You all are smart enough to know what a 2.4l 182hp powerplant is capable of yes?
Get over it, write a letter to GM and tell them what you think if it rubs you so bad.

Like I said this is for sure the most sporty Buick that has ever been offered in North America, and if you don't agree with that then so what.

Opels are very good driving cars, they are not the benchmark but they are competitive and a hell of alot sportier then any of the past North American Buicks.

direct competitors it is listing is TSX, Lincoln MKZ, VW Passat and a couple of others.

Regal 182 hp
Passat 200 hp
MKZ 263 HP
TSX  201 HP

Fine compare it to exactly what Buick does on the website. Every one of the competitors base model offers a more powerful powertrain. Even when it only 200 HP the TSX and Passat offer much better more "sporty" powtrains due to the Turbo nature of the passat and the free revving nature of the TSX. Buick launched their competing sports sedan with a powertrain that simply is not in the CLASS of the competitors BUICK itself compares itself to. leave out the BMWs etc.

The Turbo is not relased yet. Its not the base. Powertrain to powertrain the Buick is simply inferior to all its targeted competion. that's inexcusable for a new model.

First off, there are a lot of people out there that that aren't interested in drag racing. Secondly for about the base price of the TSX you can get the Regal Turbo with a manual transmission.

Next year the GS will be available with ~260-280HP and AWD. There will also be cheaper versions available next year when production moves to Oshawa. This is just the first model available. Not everyone will like it, but it's a pretty good start IMHO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0d779CBq_E

Spoiler alert: Last line is "...that's when you discover the beauty - german engineered, sport injected 2011 Regal, from Buick". You can't sell 'sport injected' and say performance isn't important. Even the Buick Turbo has 220-hp, all the base model competition offers around 200 to start and have an optional 300-ish hp. And when the Regal GS DOES arrive, it won't be the price of a base-model TSX. If this is a new model, and indeed a 'new Buick' (if you believe the taglines), it should offer something more than cheaper MSRP's. This is the perennial problem of high-end GM products - they are seen as 'good for the price', not just 'good'.

[Calvin]

Nice car...looks good in person.  But only you and your front seat passenger can be anywhere near comfortable.  My 14 yr old kid is too tall for the back seat (5'10") - he could not sit without his head touching, unless cranked over sideways (seems to be a problem in a lot of cars nowadays).  Monthly chiropractor visits probably aren't included in the price, are they?  Maybe it's the Chinese Canadian market that will buy it in droves...lots of them scoping it out in the center of the mall when I saw it, all smaller than my kid.  I do like it though, I think it's an attractive car - but 182 hp for $36g?  Sure, different "league" - I guess, but a Fusion Sport with AWD and 80 more horses is 36g.  With all the credits I can get one for $27 right now.  Plus my kids can sit straight in the backseat.  Even with a Turbo (in the Buick) the Fusion is still the better performance buy.  The GS will be sweet when/if they bring it, but it needs to pack more than "just" 250 hp if it's price point is going to be north of $40 grand.  Or am I wrong? (nope)

I also can't believe it only averaged 27 mpg - that itself is pathetic (unless you were on the gas...a lot).  Gm's own V-6's get that.  Or better.  

[Sir Osis of Liver]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0d779CBq_E

Spoiler alert: Last line is "...that's when you discover the beauty - german engineered, sport injected 2011 Regal, from Buick". You can't sell 'sport injected' and say performance isn't important. Even the Buick Turbo has 220-hp, all the base model competition offers around 200 to start and have an optional 300-ish hp. And when the Regal GS DOES arrive, it won't be the price of a base-model TSX. If this is a new model, and indeed a 'new Buick' (if you believe the taglines), it should offer something more than cheaper MSRP's. This is the perennial problem of high-end GM products - they are seen as 'good for the price', not just 'good'.

If 0-60 is your only yardstick, then the base engined Buick will fall short, and that's fine. Other people have different priorities.

I'm sure GM thought about bringing over the Insignia OPC powertrain with the 320hp turbo V6 and AWD, but how many would they sell at $60k?

[toolatecrew]

....the Buick is simply inferior to all its targeted competition. that's inexcusable for a new model.

OMG, you guys are STILL on this?

How do you like the new Jetta TLC?  Not sure that's not in the same boat...and worse, it's interior to the previous model in many are (from the reports I've seen).

From what I've seen so far I dislike the new Jetta. I dislike VWs plan to try to get a huge boost in volume by decontenting the car and moving it way down in price. I'm not a big fan of the Jetta the Golf makes more sense to me and is better looking.

The Jetta however is being released with the 170 HP (one of the higher outputs in its class) 5 cyl engine at the same time as the decontented 115 HP version. All the media tests you read seem to be of the uplevel Jettas and by sheer coincidence I'm sure no base Jettas are present at the press events.

I continue to question Buick's approach  what is there catch phrase "The new regal for all of you who think 'barely adequate is all you deserve".