Topic: Test Drive: 2011 Buick Regal CXL

[dirtyjeffer]

see, this is how you do a new car launch: http://www.canadiandriver.com/2010/09/24/first-drive-2011-volvo-s60.htm?page=all

you bring out your "Sports Sedan" model, to show everyone what you can do...then, bring your toned down model shortly after.

[toolatecrew]

see, this is how you do a new car launch: http://www.canadiandriver.com/2010/09/24/first-drive-2011-volvo-s60.htm?page=all

you bring out your "Sports Sedan" model, to show everyone what you can do...then, bring your toned down model shortly after.

+1

Its what I've been saying all along. The existance of the 2.4 Regal is not in and of itself the issue. Its introducing the new model with the 2.4 auto powertrain as the "launch" model. You want to come out with guns blazing not a step behind the class to start.

You only get one chance to make a first impression.

[TopGun]

.....
You only get one chance to make a first impression.

Looked pretty good to me...but then again, this is ImportDriver.com...



Hey, I missed Hyundai launching with the turbo Sonata...

[Jaeger]

How can you spot a Hyundai-hating troll?  He uses his sig line to bash the brand with every post.

 

1) Hyundai isn't marketing the Sonata as a premium sports sedan, but as a midsize, mainstream family sedan.
2) Within its market segment, it offers class-leading performance from its 4-cylinder - not class-traling performance like the Buick offers its class.  Class-leading fuel economy, too.
3) Even though they don't compete in the same segment, the Hyundai shows up the Buick in several respects - and costs way less, to boot.
4)  I am looking forward to seeing just how badly the Turbo Sonata blows the Turbo Regal into the weeds - it should be highly entertaiing, indeed.

Jaeger

[dirtyjeffer]

.....
You only get one chance to make a first impression.

Looked pretty good to me...but then again, this is ImportDriver.com...



Hey, I missed Hyundai launching with the turbo Sonata...

i just read a couple of reviews on Motor Trend...they were actually quite interesting...both were highly praised and didn't mention anything about its lackluster powertrain...odd, for a Sport Sedan...fine for a Family Sedan.

[toolatecrew]

Boy, the 2011 Buick Regal looks good. Mercy, the interior is a classy, inviting environment.
Geez, who let this car out the door with such a coarse drivetrain, lumbar-poking front seats and absurd — if any — logic applied to the electronic controls? Who forgot this would be sold to American buyers with different tastes and needs than Europe

No. 2's powertrain, though not as rough as No. 1's, still was a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that shuddered upon start and muttered unpleasantly underway. And its six-speed automatic transmission shifted only after a delay and then with a slur instead of crisply. It often shifted at inappropriate times (rounding a corner, for instance, or switching from acceleration to deceleration and back).

Buick says it's working on transmission improvements and making exhaust and other refinements to give the 2.4-liter four-banger a sweeter voice.

It was important to get Regal on sale as fast as possible, Buick notes, and somewhere between the shift to Canada and the launch of 2012 models next year, Regal will be right as rain, Buick says.

So, we say, wait. This is one to buy debugged.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2010-09-09-test-drive-buick-regal_N.htm

USA today essentially slags the drivetrain in exactly the same manner as many here have. Yes the turbo is coming but what we got is bottom of the barrel.

[inco]

What makes me laugh is the Buick ad saying the car has won 39 awards. Not as a Bucik mind you, but they don't say that. Too funny.

[tpl]

Why do the modern equivalents of the Chevy Nova and Plymouth Valiant ( Sonata and Regal) need 127 posts to discuss?

To me they just seem like a couple of competent bread and butter cars for old folks.  No super economy, no super use of space, no tech innovation, just competent family cars.


[flame suit on]

[Truth be told]

The Opel, a European Branch of GM has been hemorrhaging huge losses for over ten years now, GM has been unsucessful in turning Opel around since then. Even the German Goverment has turned their back to Opel, sniffing imminent company collapse and pretty much labeled it not worth saving.  This Buick is a mere rebadged Opel, Conventional Wisdom dictates that one should look at other brands and not consider this doomed rebadge Buick.  Just look at those of who bought Saturns (rebadge Opels also) that are now stuck with a discontinued brand and savage depreciation, truth be told.....

That might be relevant if we were discussing corporate financing.

I get it, you are one of those stubborn guys that refuse to believe your cruise ship is sinking.  Make no mistake, when the German Government gave the order to abandon Opel, you should find the nearest life boat.  Look around you (listen to the overwhelming postings) and jump off the sinking Opel ship, you are the only left, truth be told.....

[Truth be told]

Just look at those of who bought Saturns (rebadge Opels also) that are now stuck with a discontinued brand and savage depreciation, truth be told.....

Except for the Astra, none of the Saturns were trully "rebadged Opels".

true, but a lot of their latest vehicles were heavily influenced by Opel models...perhaps that is what he meant.

Also the Saturn Aura is an Opel Vectra C and the Saturn L series sedan and wagon were based on the Opel Vectra B, before the brand was terminated.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

How can you spot a Hyundai-hating troll?  He uses his sig line to bash the brand with every post.

 

1) Hyundai isn't marketing the Sonata as a premium sports sedan, but as a midsize, mainstream family sedan.
2) Within its market segment, it offers class-leading performance from its 4-cylinder - not class-traling performance like the Buick offers its class.  Class-leading fuel economy, too.
3) Even though they don't compete in the same segment, the Hyundai shows up the Buick in several respects - and costs way less, to boot.
4)  I am looking forward to seeing just how badly the Turbo Sonata blows the Turbo Regal into the weeds - it should be highly entertaiing, indeed.

Jaeger

1) So it's ok when Hyundai does it. Got it. What about the TSX? It was introduced with the 4 cylinder with the 6 being added in its second generation.
2) Everybody else in its segment offers V6s that spank the 4 cylinder Sonata
3) You are right they aren't in the same category, that would be the Malibu
4) How may people on this board have passed on the quicker Mazdaspeed 3 to get the slower GTI?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The Opel, a European Branch of GM has been hemorrhaging huge losses for over ten years now, GM has been unsucessful in turning Opel around since then. Even the German Goverment has turned their back to Opel, sniffing imminent company collapse and pretty much labeled it not worth saving.  This Buick is a mere rebadged Opel, Conventional Wisdom dictates that one should look at other brands and not consider this doomed rebadge Buick.  Just look at those of who bought Saturns (rebadge Opels also) that are now stuck with a discontinued brand and savage depreciation, truth be told.....

That might be relevant if we were discussing corporate financing.

I get it, you are one of those stubborn guys that refuse to believe your cruise ship is sinking.  Make no mistake, when the German Government gave the order to abandon Opel, you should find the nearest life boat.  Look around you (listen to the overwhelming postings) and jump off the sinking Opel ship, you are the only left, truth be told.....

...Similar in category, but with darker implications than ignoratio elenchi, a "red herring" is an answer, given in reply to a questioner, that goes beyond an innocent logical irrelevance. A "red herring" is a deliberate attempt to divert a process of enquiry by changing the subject.

[Mozeby]

How can you spot a Hyundai-hating troll?  He uses his sig line to bash the brand with every post.

 

1) Hyundai isn't marketing the Sonata as a premium sports sedan, but as a midsize, mainstream family sedan.
2) Within its market segment, it offers class-leading performance from its 4-cylinder - not class-traling performance like the Buick offers its class.  Class-leading fuel economy, too.
3) Even though they don't compete in the same segment, the Hyundai shows up the Buick in several respects - and costs way less, to boot.
4)  I am looking forward to seeing just how badly the Turbo Sonata blows the Turbo Regal into the weeds - it should be highly entertaiing, indeed.

Jaeger

For somebody who puts so much emphasis on blowing away other sedans, why are you so interested in a Sonata?  Even the Turbo version has an estimated 0-60 time in the mid 6s which would leave it at the bottom of the V6 pack with the Accord and Fusion, and would be whooped by the class leaders like the Altima, Malibu, Camry, & Mazda 6.

[Jaeger]

For somebody who puts so much emphasis on blowing away other sedans, why are you so interested in a Sonata?  Even the Turbo version has an estimated 0-60 time in the mid 6s which would leave it at the bottom of the V6 pack with the Accord and Fusion, and would be whooped by the class leaders like the Altima, Malibu, Camry, & Mazda 6.

I don't know how interested I'll be in the Sonata Turbo until I drive it.  Same goes for the Regal Turbo, which will have the added bonus of a manual transmission.  But I have driven the norally aspirated Regal GT (Geriatric Transport) and know it's not for me.  And the normally aspirated Sonata is nice enough to make me think the Turbo version will be quite appealing indeed.

And a car need not be a neck-snapping dragster to hold my interest - though I have much enjoyed strong pull from my VQ Altima.  But it can't be slow, sluggish, tepid and recalcitrant.  Particularly if it is being marketed as a premium sports sedan - and priced accordingly.  The Regal didn't provide much more in the way of driving enjoyment than my Dad's 4-pot Accord does.  Better chassis, similar power, more weight and a less responsive slushbox do not net out to anything resembling a sporting drive.  They are both perfectly good cars that will be perfectly satisfactory to the average commuter.  But sports sedans they most certainly are not.

Jaeger

[TopGun]

How can you spot a Hyundai-hating troll?  He uses his sig line to bash the brand with every post.

1) So it's ok when Hyundai does it. Got it. What about the TSX? It was introduced with the 4 cylinder with the 6 being added in its second generation.
.....

Hey thanks for posting his quote Sir O...I wouldn't have seen it otherwise.   

I just don't have a deep love for Hyundai as everyone else does...guess that makes me a troll...so be it.

I mention them when it fits...as Sir O very well points out.  It's Ok when Hyundai does stuff (and the TSX it seems)...but not the Buick.

[CanuckS2K]

Can this thread just die already?  Every single point made in this thread was stated in the previous thread.  Nothing new to see here, please move along.   

[CatsEye68]

Don't worry, it's a thread about a GM car, so it will be locked soon. Jaeger and his ilk ensure that happens every time. A shame, really.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

  But I have driven the norally aspirated Regal GT (Geriatric Transport) and know it's not for me. 

And yet you persist in this thread.

But it can't be slow, sluggish, tepid and recalcitrant.  Particularly if it is being marketed as a premium sports sedan - and priced accordingly.  The Regal didn't provide much more in the way of driving enjoyment than my Dad's 4-pot Accord does.  Better chassis, similar power, more weight and a less responsive slushbox do not net out to anything resembling a sporting drive.  They are both perfectly good cars that will be perfectly satisfactory to the average commuter.  But sports sedans they most certainly are not.

Jaeger

And yet the Regal has the same 0-60 as the auto TSX and is 0.5 to 1.0 second quicker to 60 than the auto 4 cylinder Accord.

[Erik]

Don't worry, it's a thread about a GM car, so it will be locked soon. Jaeger and his ilk ensure that happens every time. A shame, really.

So true.

These guys just make sure that there can be no real discussion about a GM vehicle on this board.

Man, it would sure be nice if we could actually talk cars in this place.

[dirtyjeffer]

Man, it would sure be nice if we could actually talk cars in this place.

we are talking cars...for some reason, when someone says this "Sport Sedan" isn't very "sporty", all heck breaks loose.