Buick's Fountain of Youth: The 2011 Buick Regal

Buick is not a brand that’s raised heartbeats for a very, very long time. And that’s probably a good thing, since the vast majority of Buick owners are just a few beats per minute from suffering a myocardial infarction. But that, according to General Motors, is about change.

And this is the car that’s going to do just that, apparently. With styling penned to ensure a feel of movement regardless of viewing angle, the new Buick Regal is an undeniably handsome car. All the Buick hallmarks are there; from the prominent waterfall grill to the understated, yet purposefully sculpted flanks. Even the rear, with it tightly controlled lines, bears a strong resemblance to the larger Buicks thanks to its flashy taillight assemblies, short trunklid, and wide chrome adornment. But throughout it all, there’s a very strict sense of constraint; nothing is over the top or in any way even remotely dramatic. According to the car’s design director, John Cafaro, the new Regal is “all about great proportions. For example, the fenders are flared to wrap around the tires, an aggressive stance that people aren’t used to seeing in recent Buicks.” And it’s true. Viewed from any angle, the car simply looks good, in an understated sort of way.

And that understated sort of style carries forward into the car’s pleasant interior. Currently only available in CXL form, each of the 2011 Regal’s is treated to an upscale interior that’s arguably better than that found in the even more expensive Cadillac CTS. Trimmed in a variety of black finishes, the styling maintains the exterior’s flowing, motion-inspired ethos with a long center console that drapes across the car’s length, terminating behind the front seats. Almost reminiscent of the old Corvette’s double bubble cockpit, the dashboard is clearly divided into two distinct sides with the large and, if I’m honest, somewhat complex control stack occupying the borderlands between the passenger and driver’s sides. Throughout the interior, gloss black and aluminum accents break up the well-textured soft touch plastic and black leather surfaces, with special attention obviously having been paid to the steering wheel’s design. For the driver, the easy to read, blue-lit gauges pair well with the predominantly blue high resolution navigation screen, and give a good degree of luxurious mood lighting to the cabin. Out back, a relatively roomy back seat will keep most normal-sized occupants happy, while a downright massive trunk ensures there's plenty of room for their stuff.

Now, it’s worth mentioning that although the control cluster may have lifted a page from Acura’s too-cluttered book, there’s simply no getting around the technological tour-de-force that the new Regal represents. Beginning with the well animated and very attractive navigation screen and ending with the perfectly placed rotary control knob on the centre console, this is one car in which GM has quite clearly gone back to the technological drawing board. Looking to attract the modern iPhone-carrying, iPad-surfing, ever-connected young professionals of the day, General Motors has clearly realized that simply installing a pretty screen wouldn’t be enough. From the Bluetooth connectivity to the iPod integration, the whole system works absolutely flawlessly, and with the new rotary control knob, never forces you to strain awkwardly to push virtual on-screen buttons as you would in something like… say… a CTS. Accessing all the various interfaces, the knob allows quick and easy access to every feature , and provides good tactile feedback to ensure that you, the driver, are never forced to double-check what’s going on on-screen. Typically a feature found on vastly more expensive cars, I can only hope that the handy little knob becomes a more common feature among the Buick lineup.

Now, if this review hasn’t painted an overly exuberant portrait of what is supposed to be Buick’s paradigm-shifting, youthful car, there’s a very good reason for that: it’s simply not. At least, not until you get it moving. Based upon Europe’s Car of the Year last year, the Regal gets its performance chops courtesy of its Germanic stablemate; the Opel Insignia. And although much press has been dedicated to the upcoming 2.0L turbocharged Regal GS, there’s no scoffing at the performance supplied by the 2.4L Ecotec four cylinder. Backed by a six-speed automatic gearbox that really helps make the most of the available 182 horsepower, the powertrain gives hearty accelerative performance and sounds surprisingly good doing so. However, it’s really the suspension that sticks out, as it’s absolutely fantastic. Tested extensively on the now ubiquitous Nurburgring, the Regal’s ride is, without a doubt, one of the most composed I’ve ever experienced in a front-wheel drive car at this price point. Although the car’s amazing ability to iron out even the roughest of roads may follow in a long line of smooth riding Buicks, it’s the cars quick steering and nimble feel that will surprise. With a decently short wheelbase and a wide track, the car darts from lane to lane with the slightest flick of the wheel, and rounds corners with frightening alacrity. The amount of grip offered by the car left me flabbergasted, especially on those long, high speed sweepers that allow the cornering force to build progressively. Even hammering the car through some nasty sweeping corners with irregularities and undulations mid-apex couldn’t elicit even the slightest of shuffles from the Regal’s suspension as the car simply tracked right over them, carrying on as if nothing had happened. Inevitably a result of the lengthy and well-documented testing process, the car’s performance should be enough to surprise pretty much anyone, and does wonders for the brand’s image. And with the news of the 255-horsepower turbocharged and selective-suspension-equipped Regal GS’ launch in the coming year, chances are good that its image will only improve.

While the Enclave and Lacrosse have bridged the gap between younger families and the Buick brand, the lack of a viable entry level vehicle has prevented Buick from really gaining a foothold in the ultra competitive luxury sedan market. With this new Regal, it’s pretty safe to say that all that has changed. As a young man myself, I can easily say that I’d appreciate a bit more pizzazz and flash than the relatively staid Regal offers, but that’s a far cry from saying I’d buy more flash and pizzazz. At its current price point, the Regal offers an impressive amount of performance and luxury, and is just as comfortable being driven hard as it is at picking up your boss from the airport.