For 2011, the Regal name has returned to Buick's lineup in the form of a midsize sedan. The 2011 Regal is a good-looking car that seats five, but I found it wasn't a good fit for my family of four.
The Regal felt cramped in the front row, but the backseat offered my boys a little more breathing room. However, they struggled with recessed seat belt buckles that made it impossible for them to buckle up independently.
The performance category is where the Regal really shined. This little Buick is fast! Without any clues that it would be so spry — no rumbling engine noises or vibrating gearshift — the Regal blasted down the freeway, ramping up to 80 mph before I was even aware it had done so. My test car, the Regal CXL Turbo, had an impressive turbocharged engine, and the Regal's handling was just as impressive. The CXL Turbo has an optional adaptive suspension that automatically adapts to road conditions and driving style. This system has three modes — Normal, Tour and Sport — and it modifies the suspension, gas pedal, automatic transmission and steering.
The Regal is a performance car in a Buick body. Once again, it proves that the new generation of Buick is nothing like what your grandpa has been driving.
The non-turbo Regal base model starts at $26,245, while my test car cost $31,975.
EXTERIOR
The Regal is not a show-stopper. None of my neighbors, friends or family fawned over the Regal the same way they would a loaded minivan or trouble-inducing coupe.
The lack of attention made me feel lukewarm about the car. I wanted to tell people how fun Regal is to drive and how surprisingly spacious the trunk is. I wanted to point out the sporty details intended to set the Regal apart from other Buicks. I especially liked the horizontal lines inset near the fog lights, which were even further defined by a chrome perimeter. In the back, the Regal was highly sculpted with scrolling lines created by a shapely trunklid. More chrome touches and the slight slope of an integrated spoiler also made the Regal's eat-my-dust view more interesting.
Luxury touches like power heated side mirrors, the keyfob's push-button trunk release and ultrasonic rear parking assist were conveniences that I'd expect to see in a Buick, so they didn't do much to impress me.
My two school-age boys had no problems getting in and out of the Regal, which was great because we all had problems once we got settled inside the sedan.
The Regal's 220-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. A six-speed manual is optional. The Regal gets an EPA-estimated 18/28 mpg city/highway and uses regular gasoline. Its 18-gallon gas tank made sure that fuel fill-ups wouldn't cramp my already loaded schedule. The CXL Turbo can also run on E85 ethanol, but it lowers the car's fuel economy numbers to 13/21 mpg.
The base Regal has a 182-hp, 2.4-liter inline-four-cylinder that gets 19/30 mpg and uses regular gas.
SENSE AND STYLE
Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Not Really
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