Cars.com Reviews the 2011 Buick Regal

Last week, I wrote about the Regal turbocharged prototype that Buick let me pilot around California’s curvaceous mountain roads. Today, my full review of the base model is ready for your perusal. How does it hold up to the turbo? In terms of performance, it doesn’t, but that’s not what you’re asking for in this $27,000 sedan.
 
When you break down the value and features and combine that with the impressive ride and handling, Buick has another solid vehicle to add to its rapidly evolving lineup. It may be one reason why the brand saw a 93% spike in purchasing intent on Cars.com last month. And that number was behind only Land Rover and Hyundai.
 
2011 Buick Regal Review

Comments

I wonder if the Regal will continue to earn its "premium" status in CX trim. Why are they bothering with anything lower than CXL trim anyway? What models are they competing with in lower trim levels?

I disagree about the lighter interior. I like that BETTER than the all black interior. It looks even more upscale with the tan leather and faux wood trim. That is a very attractive car inside and out. The TSX cannot compare with regards to interior or exterior styling. The TSX is decent inside but at the end of the day its interior is no nicer than that of a $20k Honda Accord which features a very similar interior design.

Buick is dropping trim levels for MY2012. There will be no more CXL or CX. And why ask why Buick offers CX models when most German luxury cars come with vinyl seats and 16" wheels standard?

Buick lacks cache and the brand name is still synonymous with AARP. GM can compare all it wants to the luxury German and Japanese cars but they are only fooling themselves.

no bob actually you are fooling yourself by acting like times haven't changed. In Germany Audis and MBs are used as taxis and police cars and you have the nerve to say Buick can never be held in the same regard as those brands. Well I agree with regards to MB because their cars are RWD and they are so obscenely expensive that Buick isnt even gunning for them. In terms of interior design, quietness, etc. the modern Buicks can compare to other luxury models. I think the Regal's interior looks better than that of the C class or 3 series. It costs less but has a better looking interior and more space than either. Not a bad deal in my book.

In Germany MB and BMW have models that run from non-luxury to luxury and some of the non-luxury models have been used as taxi's, specifically MB B & V Class, but it's very rare and a thing of the past. The overwhelming majority of taxi's in Germany are VW, Opel, and Mazda and have been for many years. Only an uneducated American believes that German taxi's are still E & S Class MB's. You are a Putz.

actually i just spent 3 years in Deutschland...& MB E wagons r used ALOT as Taxi's!! When wuz the last time u were there?? I doubt we'll see Regal taxis here....

Why on earth would you pay (starting price) $27,000 for this car when you can get a japanese or german sedan (G37 or 328) for 4k more? This is why you see more foreign luxury cars around today...

Alan I was thinking the same thing. $27,000 starting price for a Buick is an awful lot of money.

I like this car a lot, but this is going to fail. The younger clientele this car targets simply WILL NOT take a Buick seriously. I'm a college-educated, independent-minded person in my 20s, but the idea of owning a Buick is just too much. Does GM seriously think people have forgotten the LeSabre, Roadmaster, Terazza, or even the last Regal? Sorry, but brand equity counts for something.

This is no Buick. Literally.

Honestly, I would not like to buy a car built by unhappy Opel workers, who are in the constant turmoil over there, with unions, bailouts etc...

@Bob:

The B-Class is a premium model and much more expensive than the run off the mill cars in the segment (VW Golf Plus, Renault Scenic, Citroen C4 Picasso).

Majority of taxi's in Germany are still E-Class / A6 / 5-series. You can buy the E-Class off the shelf with an integrated taxi meter in the rear view mirror and other special items.

AP:

Speak for yourself. I barely in my 30s and also college educated and I would drive a regal in a heartbeat. My younger brother owns a 3 and is very interested in this car. If you are insecure and subsribe to a lemming mentality I can see why you wouldn't drive this car. If you love imports you should like the regal because its really a German car. Not buying the car simply due to the badge is absurd but I guess that's what followers do. I also don't understand why people want to not consider CURRENT cars based on what was sold 5 or 10 years back. Would you not buy a Ford or Hyundai simply because 10 years ago their products were lackluster? That's stupid.

UK diesel:

Nice to hear from someone who actually knows whats for sale in Europe. My point was that "premium" brands in the US cover the full spectrum in Europe. Americans think that MBs are too good to be fleet cars but they serve that very purpose in Europe.

"AP: Speak for yourself."

Yes, sheth, that's what people typically do on forums.

And thanks for the labels and name-calling, whoever you are!

One more thing: Mercedes-
Benzes are used as taxis in Germany not in spite of their cache, but because of it.

Think about it.

Everybody has to start somewhere. Years ago Hyundai was junk and now look how well they are doing. The older Buicks were awesome, then they became grandpa cars. Now they are trying to change the image and it is just going to take time for some people to accept it. In another 10 - 20 years people in their 20's won't want anything to do with Honda or Toyota simply because that is what their parents drove. If you are in the market for a car and you like the way it looks, give it a chance. Excluding it from a potential test drive just because it says "Buick" on it is dumb.

just a cool car

UK couldn't be more wrong about taxi's in Germany. Up until a few years ago my father ran the Federal Public Line procurement of vehicles for the German Federal Government of States. The E Class taxi's that one sees are from two generations ago as new E Class taxi's are extremely rare and private sector owned. The E Class/W210 models one sees are from 2001 and earlier. Additionally the B Class is not a luxury or even near-luxury vehicle. The B Class is an off spin of the A Class and looks like a small minivan. More than ten years ago the Federal Government prevented the sixteen states from doing individual public line purchases. All taxi's and police/safety vehicles are purchased through an open procurement system with multiple states going out to bid together - that's the program my father managed. The law says the lowest cost vehicle that meets the agreed to standards set by the Federal committee must be purchased. That's why virtually every taxi/police/safety purchased in the last ten years is an Opel, VW, Mazda and on some occasions Honda. The only MB, Audi, or BMW taxi's you'll see are either older generations or private taxi's. The only exception are rare instances like in the state of Bavaria where BMW provides all of the state police cars for free. And that's due to a pride issue as BMW HQ'd there.

"One more thing: Mercedes-
Benzes are used as taxis in Germany not in spite of their cache, but because of it.

Think about it. "

No the story is that in their HOME country MBs, BMWs and Audis are used as fleet cars even though that doesn't happen here. In addition, in Europe many "luxury cars" that we have here are sold in bare bones form. The bottom line is that in Europe (especially Germany) Audi, BMW and MB models are seen in a a variety of uses that would seem strange to Americans. They are not just high end luxury cars. They are also police cars, taxis, rental cars, government cars, etc. The same stuff Impalas do here German "luxury" cars do there. That's just a fact.

"They are not just high end luxury cars. They are also police cars, taxis, rental cars, government cars, etc. The same stuff Impalas do here German "luxury" cars do there. That's just a fact."
- What is not correct about the statement about cache then? Who in this country thinks an Impala is anything close to luxury?

A recent article in AutoBild (in German) described how nearly every member of the German Bundestag drives (or rides in) an S-Class, 7er or A8. For Germans, these are domestics; they simply also happen to be the best cars in the world. If a German driver is looking for a mid-size sedan for taxi duty, what are his choices? E-Class, 5 Series...

And BTW, there is nothing particularly derogatory about taxis in Europe; there is no reason a taxi can't be a Mercedes, albeit with cloth seats. Why not drive something people would want to ride in?

belly:

Let me make this plain to you (or at least try) so you can comprehend.

Many Americans (who happen to be ignorant of what goes on elsewhere) deride American cars for being rentals, government vehicles and taxis. Their logic is that imports are "too good" to be used for such tasks. What they fail to realize is that in their native countries many of our "import" branded vehicles are used for fleets and taxis. IN other words, the argument some ignorant people make about cars like the Impala, Malibu or Taurus being poor cars simply because they are heavily used by fleets is bogus. In Germany the brands we consider premium cover a wider spectrum of the market so they are not just seen as top end cars. They are higher than VW but you can get lower end versions of many "premium" cars in Europe that arent available here. Check out the engine choices on BMWs and MBs in Europe. Their base engines typically offer far less power than whats offered here and many lower end luxury models there come with four cylinder engines that are not sold in the US.

Shet - blah, blah, blah... the usual "I am going to call you incompetent" even though I am incompetent, impotent, and all around unimportant.

Their logic is that imports are "too good" to be used for such tasks.
-This is your bassackwards logic.

In Germany the brands we consider premium cover a wider spectrum of the market so they are not just seen as top end cars.
-that is because they offer different vehicles and trim levels. What we consider luxury over here is still considered luxury over there - and from the rest of your garbage it is apparent you agree with this statement.

Americans know the Malibu and Impala are junk that's why they are the epitome of car rentals, aka Chevy Rentabu.

"Speak for yourself. I barely in my 30s and also college educated and I would drive a regal in a heartbeat"

Sheth, you would drive a Yugo if it had a Chevy badge on it.

To be fair- I really like this Regal and think its gorgeous and one of the better quasi-luxury cars out there.

BUT, I'm also in my 20's and could never confess to people that I drive a Buick. Imagine going on a date or going to a nightclub and saying you own a Buick. As much as I know it's a good car- anybody else my age is going to think of it as their Grandpa's LeSabre. Social suicide! But this car should appeal to people in their 40's and who are settled down

To shoot down sheth's contrived theories once and for all, let me say this: I know many Germans. I speak fluent German. I know Berlin like the back of my hand. Let me just say that, in Germany, Mercedes-Benz and BMW are considered prestige carmakers. Period. Yes, they also make buses; yes, they make tractor-trailers; yes, they make motorcycles. But in Germany, that's not seen as a detraction; in fact, it is a testament to their engineering prowess. They also make world-famous cars, and they have become world famous for very good reasons. Cylinder count, engine displacement or upholstery are not what set them apart. The fact that a Sprinter shares a showroom with an S-Class doesn't magically reduce the latter to an econobox. Or an Impala for that matter.

There's a reason we buy E-Classes here but they don't buy Impalas there (or anywhere, for that matter).

I don't think it is really that big of a deal with the age thing. Even if Buick is selling to older folks so what? Who is going to have more money? I think it would be a bad idea for Buick to completely neglect that customer base.

There are also plenty of people who show up at nightclubs in Buicks - yes the looks are probably modified somewhat, but the back seats of a Buick are legendary.

"Americans know the Malibu and Impala are junk that's why they are the epitome of car rentals, aka Chevy Rentabu."

over half of all rentals are imports. I'm assuming you didnt know that. The Impala is a fleet leader because its used by government so much. Not sure why that is supposed to be such a bad thing. Its a sale at the end of the day. The police have to buy cars and Chevy makes one that they like.

"BUT, I'm also in my 20's and could never confess to people that I drive a Buick. Imagine going on a date or going to a nightclub and saying you own a Buick."

You sound pretty insecure. But that is your right. I'm sure Buick can find a few thousand people a month who don't buy cars based on what a potential girlfriend might say. I do agree your peers would be more impressed by the TSX and its odd beak just because its an Acura. I'm not going to buy a stylistically challenged car just because some younger folks think its cool. At the end of the day the TSX is really and Accord from Europe. Its a decent car but it lacks the styling grace of the Regal and most other comparable luxury cars.

"There's a reason we buy E-Classes here but they don't buy Impalas there (or anywhere, for that matter)."

There is a reason. In each country the government and institutions tend to buy vehicles from domestic manufacturers. Do you see any Audi police cars here in the US? How about MB government cars? Of course you don't. It has nothing to do with "superior engineering" and everything to do with supporting the domestic brands. It would be ridiculous for German institutions to buy American or Japanese brands. I'm willing to go out on a limb and guess you dont find a bunch of MB taxis or government cars in Tokyo. Just a guess though.

"But in Germany, that's not seen as a detraction; in fact, it is a testament to their engineering prowess."

I agree with that. I dont see it as a detraction here in the US. Now that Prius, Camy hybrids and Altima hybrids are used as taxis here in the US I guess you are going to start criticizing Toyota and Nissan for selling to fleets because no one else wants their substandard products.

I do see that too. Poeple hate on domestics for being rentals, when plenty of asian cars are rentals, and in European countries There are tons of rental and fleet cars that are BMW Mercedes or what ever. its just one of those excuses to bring down a domestic company, god knows we want to just hope for the demise and hate on an American company that employs hundreds of thousands of American workers. OMG MY DAD'S COUSIN'S FRIEND HAD A 1985 CAVIALIER AND IT BROKE DOWN LAST WEEK! GM DOWN TO HELL THEY MAKE THE WORST!!! ARHHG

The AARP folks will be happy they have another Buick to choose from. Good for General Motors.

Now that Prius, Camy hybrids and Altima hybrids are used as taxis here in the US I guess you are going to start criticizing Toyota and Nissan for selling to fleets because no one else wants their substandard products.
-It has been show time and again that rental car companies are buying imports for their value quotient. Shet can go on and ignore everything that has been said everytime the "fleet" issue comes up. It is clear that those companies are seeing there is something to resale value as opposed to just upfront costs.

Buick really needs to get a better understanding of its customer base.

Built in bedpans in the seats, walking canes built into the door frames and heart monitoring sensors on the steering wheel would go along way towards increasing Buick sales.

"The AARP folks will be happy they have another Buick to choose from. Good for General Motors."

Id bet the average Regal buyer will be younger than the average ES350 buyer. The Lacrosse and Enclave have already changed Buick's buyer base. This isnt the 80s or 90s anymore. I see plenty of 40 and 50 somethings driving Enclaves.

"-It has been show time and again that rental car companies are buying imports for their value quotient."

So why do they buy Fusion and Malibu rentals? Value quotient.

"It is clear that those companies are seeing there is something to resale value as opposed to just upfront costs. "

Toyota nor Nissan are known for stellar resale value. Honda is known for resale value and shockingly they dont sell to rental agencies in volume. Ford sells plenty of fleet vehicles and its residuals are increasing faster than the industry average. Rental cars dont automatically mean poor resale values but they can contribute. Toyota's resale values certainly arent being helped by their use of fleet sales and incentives.

Id bet the average Regal buyer will be younger than the average ES350 buyer.
-And you would lose that bet.

So why do they buy Fusion and Malibu rentals? Value quotient.
-Really? What is the resale value on those models... should we dig up that article where you posted and couldn't even read it? That was so funny, you are such an idiot.

Toyota nor Nissan are known for stellar resale value.
-What is stellar? Better than GM? Then yes they are stellar.

Rental cars dont automatically mean poor resale values but they can contribute. Toyota's resale values certainly arent being helped by their use of fleet sales and incentives.
-But what Ford's are? Huh? Can't argue with that contradiction.

My cousin who owns part of a mega dealership said GM dominates the industry when it comes to having the WORST resale value. He said the worst overall car for resale value is none other than the Cadillac DTS. His group of dealers actually encourage people to sell GM cars on their own because they don't want them.

"-What is stellar? Better than GM? Then yes they are stellar. "

No, stellar would be industry leading or close to it. Niether brand is known for that. The camry's resale is midpack. If you are saying GM has terrible resale its absurd to brag about Toyota and NIssan having slightly better resale. That's nothing to crow about.

"-But what Ford's are? Huh? Can't argue with that contradiction. "

No contradiction. ford has made changes that have allowed it to raise residuals. This has been verified by industry firms that track this information. Ford's improving reputation, production controls, quality improvements and lower discounts have boosted residuals faster than the competition. I never said "rentals were increasing ford's residuals". I am saying ford sells to fleets but is still managing to improve resale value.

"Really? What is the resale value on those models... should we dig up that article where you posted and couldn't even read it? That was so funny, you are such an idiot. "

On the one hand you say rental companies chose cars based on value, resale and quality but then you deride the Malibu and fusion for being popular with fleets. Can you explain that to me? If they are both low quality vehicles with poor resale why are they purchased by governments and rental agencies?

"My cousin who owns part of a mega dealership said GM dominates the industry when it comes to having the WORST resale value. "

well that settles it then. No need to look at any official 3rd party data now that your cousin has spoken.

https://www.alg.com/DepreciationRatings

This is for the 2010 model year. The Malibu, Fusion, Legacy, Accord and Camry are all rated at 4 stars for projected depreciation. The mazda6 is the only midsize model ranked at 5 stars. Toyota, VW, Nissan and Hyundai have a lot of vehicles rated in the 3 star category.

In case you are confused the more stars the better the resale value.

The last time I traded in a car the dealer and I discussed actual dollars not stars.

If Shet didn't have that ALG link he would never have anything to say about depreciation.

Well, here is that last time he got his butt kicked on the issue:

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2010/04/top-ten-bestselling-cars-march-2010.html

How did the Malibu compare with the Altima in that Motor Trend article Shet? The Malibu had it beat right...

"The last time I traded in a car the dealer and I discussed actual dollars not stars."

Thanks for the tip. NOt sure how that negates what the chart shows.

"Well, here is that last time he got his butt kicked on the issue:"

Actually I produced data from Edmunds showing that the Fusion had a lower TCO than the Camry and that Camry and Fusion resale value were almost identical. Accord was better than both. Lease deals show you if resale is strong. Ford and GM have increased their lease deals in recent months on Fusion and Malibu. If resale value was strongly in favor of Toyota and Honda as you say you would be able to lease their cars for far less than comparable GM/Ford vehicles. If you have some evidence of that show me. The ALG data shows that you should be able to get comparable lease deals on a Malibu or Fusion relative to Camry/Altima/Accord and that is the case.

Instead of calling me names why not provide some real world evidence that resale for recent domestic products is far behind imports as you claim.
The ALG chart shows there is no wide disparity in resale value amongst the cars we are discussing here. You dismiss it because it blows a hole in your silly arguments about resale. HOw stupid is it to refer to a MT article that relies on ALG data and then try to dismiss a ranking of residuals by ALG? Not smart at all. if you don't accept ALG data stop referring to that MT comparo and its data. The gap wasn't that large and that is my point. You act like you are going to save thousands of dollars by buying an Accord or Camry based on resale. You dont. Period.

Dave T.,

Was the rear seat headroom reduced because of a sunroof? Did you get to sit in one without a sunroof to see if there was a difference?

Style,
No we only tested models equipped with sunroofs. However, it seems many of the trims include one.

I'd guess you'd gain 1/2 an inch or so without one but not enough for really tall folks.

Thankfully there is one option package available on the Turbo which omits the sunroof. T05 I believe is the code.