2011 Buick Regal CXL: A Resurrected American Icon with German Roots

Highlight: The sporty Regal is a German-made vehicle with American roots.
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MSRP: $29,785 (Base Regal starts out at $26,995)

Major Standard Features: heated front seats; leather seats; 12-way power driver’s seat; electric parking brakes; 18-inch wheels; a one-year subscription to GM’s OnStar System; Bluetooth compatible

Engine/Horsepower: 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder/182

Fuel Mileage: 19-city/30-hwy

What’s New:

Everything!!! The Regal last appeared in 2004 as a bland midsize family sedan. However, six years later, the newly redesigned Regal has returned to the Buick line up as a sporty midsize sedan, with a European flair.

Pros:

Buick’s new fuel-efficient Regal, with its quiet-tuned European chassis and structural systems, were developed in Germany. Unlike previous Regals, this one handles more like an entry-level premium import.

And, like with Buick’s Lacrosse sedan and Enclave crossover, the new Regal continues the resurrected brand’s recent success of offering an upscale, luxury-oriented interior and a 4-year/50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

In the vehicle we reviewed, our well-appointed Buick was equipped with a $2,790 Comfort and Convenience Package, which included a power front (passenger) seat, rear parking assist sensors (a substitute for a rear view camera), a power sunroof, rear-seat mounted airbags and an upgraded premium sound system.

A turbo model, a nav system, 19-inch wheels and a manual transmission (turbo only) are all available features on the new Regal.

Cons:

While the sexy looking Regal, with the cramped rear seating area, has a youthful appeal, it lacks some of the amenities found in many of its competitors: a back-up camera, a keyless push-button starter, a soft-touch keyless radar-controlled door opener and a heated steering wheel. A new lower-priced subcompact Buick, which is expected to hit the market soon, will be equipped with a heated steering wheel. Go figure?

Moreover, for a midsize vehicle priced under $30,000, we’ve come to expect such features as a nav system and a back-up camera.

The Verdict:

If GM had not been pushed into reorganization mode two years ago, we’re not sure if the Regal name would have ever returned to the Buick line up. In fact, this stylish midsize sedan was scheduled to end-up as the next-generation (now defunct) Saturn Aura, until the vehicle reappeared in Buick’s product portfolio.

The well-built, fun-to-drive Regal offers a lot of promise. The premium pricing of this German engineered vehicle signifies that this Buick isn’t competing with general market midsize vehicles like the Ford Fusion, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima or Toyota Camry. In fact, this new Buick is going head-to-head with premium entry-level imports.

Look for Buick to offer a few variations of the new Regal soon, a tricked out GS with a turbo engine along with a hybrid-like vehicle in the very near future. As one can tell, Buick is back to stay … this time.

Competition: Acura TSX, Audi A3 and Suzuki Kizashi