Buick Regal
Vehicle sports attention to detail
Wouldn’t you really rather drive a Buick?
This is the one brand that keeps amazing me as I test drive vehicles this year. Even my husband, a die-hard truck fan, said he would consider a Regal.
The all-new Regal delivers a driving experience that rivals the best import sport sedans in the segment.
Standard features include a six-speed automatic transmission, 18-inch alloy wheels and OnStar.
We drove both the standard Ecotec 2.4-liter direct-injected engine, rated at an estimated 182 horsepower, and the available Ecotec 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injected engine rated at an estimated 220 horsepower.
The Environmental Protection Agency rated Regal 30 miles per gallon on the highway with the 2.4-liter and estimated 28 with the 2.0-liter turbo engine.
For 2011, Regal is offered in premium CXL trim only, with additional trim levels to be offered in the 2012 model year.
The Regal’s sleek body design blends the sweeping silhouette and proportions of a coupe in a progressive package that suggests motion from all angles. Great attention to detail complements that aggressive styling, with tailored applications of Buick’s signature design cues, such as the waterfall grille, select use of chrome trim and superior fit and finish of the exterior panels.
The car’s performance-oriented spirit is also conveyed in sleek, sculpted body-side detail and aggressive headlamps that further suggest motion. At the rear, an abbreviated deck and tucked-in body panels are the hallmarks of a contemporary sport sedan, with bold taillamps and their intricate lighting elements reinforcing Regal’s attention to detail.
The sweeping design motif carries over to the interior, where the side panels flow uninterrupted into the instrument panel. The instruments have the look of expensive sport timepieces and are lit with ice-blue LED lights. The center stack, housing the climate and “infotainment” controls, was designed to allow for a lower, driver-centric instrument panel profile. Features such as a thick-rimmed, leather-wrapped steering wheel and firm, highly bolstered and leather-covered seats also support the sport-oriented driving experience.
Smart applications of technology are also hallmarks of the Regal, including details such as an available multi-function controller on the center console for operation of the audio system, navigation system and Bluetooth or OnStar hands-free calling. The faceplate for the “infotainment” screen is set at a 30-degree angle to contribute to the car’s flowing interior design.
A new era in Buick design is also seen in the satin metallic, piano black and new, Kibo-patterned interior trim materials. Kibo is a rich, dark, progressively grained wood that lends an international flair to the Regal.
— Mary Ann Van Osdell
Published in June 2011
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by Mary Ann
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