We're Heading Texas to Drive the New 2018 Buick Regal Sportback!
This week, we’ll be in Austin, Texas to get behind the wheel of Buick’s latest midsize sedan, the all-new 2018 Regal Sportback.
We already know that Buick is currently going through an overhaul of its image. Being one of the oldest car brands in the automotive industry, Buick has long been associated to an older clientele, which might hinder its sales in the future. This is why Buick desperately needs to inject a bit of youth in its cars by giving them more dynamic handling and exciting designs.
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In China, Buick is doing great, but here, GM’s premium division still has difficulty earning the respect of consumers, especially in the sedan segment.
The Regal is here to change this. For 2018, we’re talking about an all-new, entirely redesigned midsizer which, we have to admit, looks much more modern and sporty than any Buick that has come before it. The last-generation Regal had impressed us with its athletic and refined driving dynamics, so we expect this new one to be even better.
The Sportback will come in Preferred II, Essence and GS versions. The latter comes equipped with a 3.6-litre V6, while all other Regals will be powered by GM’s corporate 2.0-litre, turbocharged four, the same one found in the Chevrolet Malibu. For the Sportback, it’s good for 250 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. The Regal comes with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Front drivers will get a nine-speed automatic gearbox, while all-wheel-drive cars will come fitted with an eight-speed as well as a bump in torque from 260 to 295 lb.-ft.
Last summer, we went for a drive in a pre-production Regal GS and we were impressed by the car’s design and agility. We’re therefore eager to get our hands on the Sportback, which should go on sale in our market shortly. So stay tuned for all the details.