Attractive exterior design; athletic driving experience; long list of standard features
Tight interior space; small trunk; disappointing interior quality for a premium model; unremarkable acceleration and fuel economy
With a full redesign due next year, the current Buick Regal heads into 2017 without significant changes. You can no longer get a 6-speed manual with the Regal GS, but a minuscule number of buyers actually opted for it. See the 2017 Buick Regal models for sale near you
The Regal Turbo trim level is where you should start. Its upgraded suspension and steering are welcome, and its turbocharged engine is a must given the weakling base motor. Its elevated feature content is also quite appealing considering the price. Find a Buick Regal for sale
The 2017 Buick Regal offers five trim levels: base 1SV, Sport Touring, Regal Turbo, Premium II and GS.
The base-level Regal 1SV ($27,000) comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, a backup camera, automatic headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a power driver's seat, leather upholstery, GM's OnStar system, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hot spot and Buick's IntelliLink touchscreen infotainment system, which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Sport Touring ($28,600) adds unique styling flourishes and, like all other higher Regal trims, the 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.
The Regal Turbo ($31,500) doesn't have the Sport Touring's snazzier styling, but it does come standard with all-wheel drive, upgraded steering and suspension.
The Premium II trim ($31,600) comes standard with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is an option. It further adds bi-xenon headlights, rear parking sensors, keyless start, remote ignition, rear-side airbags, a power passenger seat, a heated steering wheel, a navigation system (optional Sport Touring and Turbo) and a 9-speaker Bose sound system.
The Regal GS ($34,100) is also available with front- or all-wheel drive. It adds special styling, 19-in wheels, upgraded brakes, continuously variable suspension damping, two driver-selectable vehicle-dynamics settings, front parking sensors, upgraded gauges and sport seats.
The Driver Confidence I package adds to the Premium II and GS a variety of warning systems: a blind spot monitoring system, rear cross-traffic, lane-departure warning and forward collision alert. Driver Confidence II upgrades these systems with automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.
| Sedan | Original MSRP / Price | Engine | Horsepower | City MPG / Hwy MPG | Transmission | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regal 4dr Sdn FWD | $27,065 / N/A | 4 Cylinder Turbo / 4 Cylinder | 182 | 19 / 30 | 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD / AWD4WD |
| Regal 4dr Sdn GS AWD | $36,540 / N/A | 4 Cylinder Turbo | 259 | 19 / 27 | 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD / AWD4WD |
| Regal 4dr Sdn GS FWD | $34,115 / N/A | 4 Cylinder Turbo | 259 | 21 / 29 | 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD / AWD4WD |
| Regal 4dr Sdn Premium II AWD | $34,040 / N/A | 4 Cylinder Turbo | 259 | 19 / 27 | 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD / AWD4WD |
| Regal 4dr Sdn Premium II FWD | $31,615 / N/A | 4 Cylinder Turbo | 259 | 21 / 29 | 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD / AWD4WD |
| Regal 4dr Sdn Sport Touring FWD | $28,615 / N/A | 4 Cylinder Turbo | 259 | 21 / 29 | 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD |
| Regal 4dr Sdn Turbo AWD | $31,465 / N/A | 4 Cylinder Turbo / 4 Cylinder | 259 | 19 / 27 | 6-Speed Shiftable Automatic | FWD / AWD4WD |
Occupant protection comes from standard front, front-side and full-length side-curtain airbags. Additionally, the Premium II and GS trims include rear-side airbags. The Regal is also equipped with an anti-lock brake system, stability control and OnStar emergency telematics. The top two trims can also be equipped with lane-departure warning, a blind spot monitoring system, rear cross-traffic alert and forward collision warning. The latter can be upgraded with automatic braking.
In testing by the government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Buick Regal earned a perfect overall 5-star crash-test rating. The rating included 4-star frontal and rollover ratings, along with a 5-star side-impact score. The Regal received the best-possible rating of Good in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's moderate-overlap front crash, side and roof-strength tests, but it has not been subjected to the newer, more vigorous small-overlap front crash test. Its forward-collision automatic braking system received a Superior rating.
Behind the Wheel
Base-level Regal models are smooth and quiet, though acceleration is poor for a midsize sedan -- especially one with premium aspirations. It does a good job at splitting the difference between ride and handling, though, displaying a good bit of nimbleness without completely ignoring the fact that people expect a Buick to ride nicely (though plush it is not).
Things improve with the Regal Turbo trim and above, which features improved steering and a more sophisticated suspension. As a result, the car has a more dynamic feel, although it certainly can't match the best rear- and all-wheel-drive luxury sedans. Its turbocharged engine also disappoints. Though certainly far stronger than the anemic base engine, acceleration is still unremarkable, and there is noticeable turbo lag.
And for those expecting the Regal GS to offer a significant performance upgrade, you'll probably be disappointed. Yes, its adaptive suspension yields improvements to ride and handling, but it doesn't come with the power upgrade you might expect.
| Basic | 4 Years/50,000 Miles |
| Drivetrain | 6 Years/70,000 Miles |
| Corrosion | 4 Years/50,000 Miles |
| Rust-Through | 6 Years/Unlimited Miles |
| Hybrid/Electric Components | 8 Years/100,000 Miles |
| Roadside Assistance | 6 Years/70,000 Miles |
2017 Acura TLX -- Acura's TLX offers handsome styling, powerful engines and all-wheel drive. It's an excellent Regal competitor with slightly better badge appeal.
2017 Audi A4 -- The all-new Audi A4 essentially represents the same overall concept as the Regal but with far superior interior quality, driving dynamics, engines and overall refinement. It's more expensive, but you get what you pay for.
2017 Nissan Maxima -- The Maxima is another car that splits the difference between mainstream and luxury, and it arguably does a better job of it than the Regal. It's better to drive and has a nicer cabin, and its standard V6 engine blows the Buick's humble 4-cylinder away.
Used Lexus ES -- The Lexus ES does a great job at offering a comfortable driving experience with a hint of performance, especially if you opt for the V6-powered ES 350. It comes at a price premium over the Regal, though, so you may want to consider used models.
Halloween is here, so I'm taking a look at the cars whose front ends scare us the most.
