[have2ride]

I always thought of Buick as a car for 80 year old people. But when I was in Europe I had an Uber ride in 2018 Opel Insignia and I really loved it. When I returned I went to test drive our version of it called Buick Regal Sportback. I really loved it. It has a hatch, but it looks like a modern sedan. It is powerful: 250 hp twin-scroll turbo. It has instant kick, no turbo lag that I can feel. New GM 9-speed auto transmission is surprisingly smooth. Bose premium sound system is just amazing compared to iM stock audio, but my custom Morel speakers had better lively vocals. I have stock navigation that I don't really care about, but it works great. Voice commands work great. Bluetooth calls are crystal clear. Fuel economy: I get around 23 mpg city and up to 42 mpg highway, which is amazing for a heavy car with a turbo engine. It has LED interior lights all around, even plates have stock LEDs. There is also LED ambient light stripe up front. It looks really nice.

LED headlights are probably some of the best in the business for entry level luxury market. You can google Opel Intellilux technology. They beat my previous Acura RDX HIDs.
General Motors IntelliLux LED Lights Info | GM Authority

This is my first American and German car, since it is made in Russelsheim, Germany. I believe 2018+ Buick Regal is the cheapest German-made car available in the US right now considering huge discounts.

Where it lacks: 2018 Buick Regal does not corner easily. It feels heavy and refined, so you have to slow down for tight curves or corners. Some navigation features are glitchy, but nothing too serious. Interior is upscale, but still far from Lexus/Acura level.

The best part: price. I got my 2018 Regal Sportback Preferred II with Bose and LED packages for $20k brand new. MSRP is around $34k, so I saved $14k. This car is cheaper than new Toyota Corolla or Civic, but it is almost on the level of new Toyota Avalon or Acura TLX.

GM failed to market this car properly. It is a hidden gem. Dealers nationwide still have around 1,500 2018 Regals left, so if you need another car or want to get something better check it out. AWD is optional for Sportback, but it is standard on the Regal wagon.

 

[SuperchargedMR2]

Looks nice but I've been fooled before by GM and I'll never go back and get tricked again. I would never want to give up my 6MT for a 9AT either. I have my 2017 RAV4 for AWD and more room when needed.

You have been taking a bath on trading up to newer cars so often. I just buy what I love, pay it off and keep it. I like to drive different flavors so it's nice owning multiple cars.

 

[davect01]

Looks nice but I've been fooled before by GM and I'll never go back and get tricked again. I would never want to give up my 6MT for a 9AT either. I have my 2017 RAV4 for AWD and more room when needed.

You have been taking a bath on trading up to newer cars so often. I just buy what I love, pay it off and keep it. I like to drive different flavors so it's nice owning multiple cars.

Agreed. My last car I took a swing on an American brand and really loved it up to about 95,000 miles. And then the engine was falling apart. I spent $2000ish to get it running only to have it down again the next month and facing another $1000. I should have never strayed from Toyota/Honda.

 

[have2ride]

Agreed. My last car I took a swing on an American brand and really loved it up to about 95,000 miles. And then the engine was falling apart. I spent $2000ish to get it running only to have it down again the next month and facing another $1000. I should have never strayed from Toyota/Honda.

I haven't checked this forum since I traded in my car. Regal is technically a German car, since it is designed and made by Opel. Yes, it has GM parts in it, but it rides very refined, better than most Cadillacs and I did test drive all 2018 Cadillacs besides Escalade.

I had my Regal for about 8 months now, 20k miles. No issues. 4-door keyless touch unlock is very enjoyable, 250 horses just make me smile during my daily commute. Regal always stays quiet, smooth and refined, even when gas is floored all the way. People compliment me both riding inside and walking outside. This had never happened when I had my iM. It did not happen when I had my Acura RDX. I never care about outside looks, so I am surprised how many people notice it.

 

[have2ride]

Looks nice but I've been fooled before by GM and I'll never go back and get tricked again. I would never want to give up my 6MT for a 9AT either. I have my 2017 RAV4 for AWD and more room when needed.

You have been taking a bath on trading up to newer cars so often. I just buy what I love, pay it off and keep it. I like to drive different flavors so it's nice owning multiple cars.

It is always my goal to keep my current car for as long as I can, but something always happens. I hit a pothole on my way to Alaska driving through Yukon in Canada, I damaged my Acura RDX steering and dealer would not fix it. Fast forward two years, I hit a huge pothole in Maryland when I had my iM. I bent a rim, I blew a tire and my steering pack was damaged. Local dealer would not fix it, since it was not "significant enough". My steering was unstable/shaky at 60+ MPH, but the dealer would not drive it this fast, since local highways would only go to 55 MPH. Since I had to Uber/Lyft on the side I was getting very tired of rowing my manual gears. I also wanted something more comfortable, since again Maryland roads are third world quality. I researched every brand and every new car/SUV available in the US in $20-$30k price range, I could not find anything better for price/value/comfort/utility/standard premium audio since I did not want to mess with custom audio again.

I returned a 65" TV to Sam's Club in my Regal. It did lay flat with rear seats folded. I could've stacked at least another three 65" TVs inside easily. Regal has loads of space inside combined with luxury sedan handling, the only one other car on the market is VW Arteon, which is way more expensive. Extended warranty is something I will get when 4 year/48k warranty expires.

 

[SuperchargedMR2]

It is always my goal to keep my current car for as long as I can, but something always happens. I hit a pothole on my way to Alaska driving through Yukon in Canada, I damaged my Acura RDX steering and dealer would not fix it. Fast forward two years, I hit a huge pothole in Maryland when I had my iM. I bent a rim, I blew a tire and my steering pack was damaged. Local dealer would not fix it, since it was not "significant enough". My steering was unstable/shaky at 60+ MPH, but the dealer would not drive it this fast, since local highways would only go to 55 MPH. Since I had to Uber/Lyft on the side I was getting very tired of rowing my manual gears. I also wanted something more comfortable, since again Maryland roads are third world quality. I researched every brand and every new car/SUV available in the US in $20-$30k price range, I could not find anything better for price/value/comfort/utility/standard premium audio since I did not want to mess with custom audio again.

I returned a 65" TV to Sam's Club in my Regal. It did lay flat with rear seats folded. I could've stacked at least another three 65" TVs inside easily. Regal has loads of space inside combined with luxury sedan handling, the only one other car on the market is VW Arteon, which is way more expensive. Extended warranty is something I will get when 4 year/48k warranty expires.

You sure have an issue with potholes. Why didn't insurance pay to fix it? If you want it fixed the dealer fixes it. I'm not saying the Regal doesn't have what you were looking for but I've seen too many GM vehicles turn to a piece of crap very quickly. I have never had the issue with any Toyota I've owned so after 40 years of driving they've earned my loyalty. As I get older I put reliability very high on my list. I love the fact that I don't have to waste money on extended warranties because the quality is much better.

I'm glad you like it but I can't even imagine myself saying that I drive a Buick Regal. Just a note so that you know. Don't lay flat screen tv's flat, they should always be shipped vertically as they sit on the wall or stand. They aren't built to support their weight when laid flat. Not that you cared since you returned that one but if you ever buy a new one. I loved my Previa for that reason. I could fit all kinds of things in it since minivans have more height in the interior.

 

[have2ride]

You sure have an issue with potholes. Why didn't insurance pay to fix it? If you want it fixed the dealer fixes it. I'm not saying the Regal doesn't have what you were looking for but I've seen too many GM vehicles turn to a piece of crap very quickly. I have never had the issue with any Toyota I've owned so after 40 years of driving they've earned my loyalty. As I get older I put reliability very high on my list. I love the fact that I don't have to waste money on extended warranties because the quality is much better.

I'm glad you like it but I can't even imagine myself saying that I drive a Buick Regal. Just a note so that you know. Don't lay flat screen tv's flat, they should always be shipped vertically as they sit on the wall or stand. They aren't built to support their weight when laid flat. Not that you cared since you returned that one but if you ever buy a new one. I loved my Previa for that reason. I could fit all kinds of things in it since minivans have more height in the interior.

Insurance told me dealer needs to provide a repair estimate. They will then cover it minus my deductible. Since dealer was unable to "find it" insurance did not fix it. I did not have time and desire to deal with the nonsense of trying to find a dealer that will diagnose it, then hoping insurance will approve it, then hoping for dealer to fix it properly. I already invested a lot of time into trying to get it done, and since I wanted to upgrade my car anyway I just went for a trade-in.

That's why I was getting Honda and Acura, they are so fun to drive and very reliable. Primary reason to get iM was fuel efficiency, stick 6-speed and amazing comfort inside for a small car. Of course Toyota is known for reliability, that played a big role in my decision. But... There is no new Toyota that I like besides new Avalon, which is crazy expensive. New Camry is horrible, new Rav4 is horrible, new Corolla is horrible in regards to interior room. They all feel cramped with oversized super-wide center consoles. Corolla hatch is the worst, back seats are almost useless if you want to carry adults. I also HATE CVTs.
I analyzed the market and went for many test drives, I drove Honda/Acura, Lexus, Cadillac, Infiniti, Kia/Hyundai. I was looking for the best value for the money. My second choice if Regal was not available would be Kia Sedona. It is very plush, it has good discounts and warranty and it has a great premium audio system - Infinity if I recall correctly. It feels heavy and bulky, it sure does not handle as well as Honda Odyssey, but Odyssey does not have a good audio system. Honda is seriously shooting itself in the foot constantly being cheap with their infotainment.

As far as Buick name goes. I went from being ashamed to being proud. I enjoy going against mainstream and braking my own and social stereotypes. I love tri-shield emblem and status of an old people car. Buicks are still considered entry-level luxury and I am enjoying this plush comfort. I had enough fun rowing gears in my iM, now it is time to relax. Acceleration in my Buick is so smooth I feel like I am driving BMW 7-series or new S-class, it feels so luxury. If you compare actual value vs reliability: I would've paid around $40k for a similarly equipped Toyota Avalon. Yes, it would last forever. Avalon would still lose its value, my Buick will not lose as much because it was not as expensive to begin with. I paid $20k for my Buick, extended warranty will cost $2-$3k extra. Therefore, I am not going to lose any money if I keep it long term vs new Avalon.

It feels very solid, Buick is rated very high in recent reliability rankings. Yes, GM cars were always trash. This is my first GM car and let me tell you: almost every other GM car I drove felt like trash, even Cadillacs felt like a fancy Chevy. But Regal is very refined and feels very different. You can go test drive it yourself, even drive a Cadillac to compare, although newer models, like CT5 could be better now. I will report reliability concerns here if I get any. Although I have a feeling that my car will last a very long time, unless I mess up again. The only other GM car I liked was new Chevrolet Bolt. Amazing car, but front seats are terrible, extremely hard and uncomfortable. One other "acceptable" GM car was 2019 Buick Enclave. It is very boring and bulky, but comfortable. Way too expensive for my needs though. Buick Encore GX looks very promising with 9-speed auto, current Encore is trash, but it sells well.