Praise for 2011 Buick Regal is richly deserved
- 11/4/11
- Categorized in: Car Reviews
As I was waiting for a traffic light on my second day of test driving the 2011 Buick Regal, a much older Buick Regal pulled alongside. I felt like my vehicle was a sweet young thing being eyed by an old geezer with whom I had nothing in common.
The geezer was old, big and bulky. My Regal was fit and trim. I doubt that the geezer had much in the way of state-of-the-art technology, while my ride was loaded.
As the geezer turned the corner and drove away, I realized that there’s likely not much to compare to the Regal from yesteryear with its current counterpart.
Let’s start with the good stuff.
The 2011 Buick Regal gives its owners and passengers a wonderful driving/riding experience at a reasonable price and a touch of upscale ambiance. Priced less than $30,000 (base price of the test vehicle was $26,245), the Regal gives foreign vehicles in the midsize/upscale category a serious run for the money.
The Buick Regal CXL sedan comes with a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine, six-speed transmission, six airbags, Stabilitrak with traction control, antilock brakes and brake assist.
Aesthetically the interior is quite inviting with a 12-way adjustable power seat with lumbar, leather front-heated seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise control, and neat ambient lighting. Two pet peeves for me are satisfied—the navigation screen is large and well positioned and the trunk is roomy.
No wonder Consumer Digest chose the 2011 Regal as a Best Buy and U.S. News selected it as a Best Car for the Money in the upscale/midsize category. It also received a 2010 top safety pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
According to EPA fuel estimates, the 2011 Buick Regal averages 19 miles per gallon in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.
As a midsize vehicle the Regal had a sturdy feel on the road yet was agile and responsive.
The 2011 Buick Regal certainly deserves all the accolades it’s been receiving.
Pricing: Test vehicle standard price is $26,245 with $2,790 in optional equipment (power seat adjuster, power outlet, rear parking assist, power sunroof, rear seat mounted airbags and premium speaker system) and $750 destination charge, totaling $29,785.