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2011 Buick Regal

752 messages,  Last post on May 28, 2013 at 2:14 PM

You are in the Buick Regal Forum.

What is this discussion about? Buick Regal, Future Vehicle, Coupe, Convertible, Hatchback, Truck, Sedan, Wagon, SUV

Messages Page 49 of 76

#477 of 752 Re: Sonata-Regal comparison - Steering and Handling [savetheland] by gregg_vw

Dec 11, 2010 (11:33 am)

Replying to: savetheland (Dec 11, 2010 12:46 am)
You misunderstand me. Of course Sonata is not a premium car. Neither is the Fusion. The Sonata seems to me a better overall popular mid-size than the Fusion. Fusion needs an updated body, interior and a better 4 cylinder engine in order to best the Sonata. Neither are going to satisfy if you must have a premium car v. merely having the premium toys.
 
The Acura TL is more competitive with the A4, but the A4 has also positioned itself to compete with the TSX by limiting its 2011 engine choice to the 211 hp 2.0 liter 4...a great little engine, but not directly comparable with Mercedes and BMW engines.
 
I don't see what you see with the Regal. It is a nice car, has a nice interior, but it is hardly a standout. And after seeing the exterior a few times, the styling strikes me as relatively plain and somewhat derivative. That said, it should hold up pretty well for the next few years. To me, Regals get lost among the Lacrosses and Chevrolets at the Chevrolet-Buick-GMC dealer where I examined them closely (not to mention Maximas, Infiniti Gs, even Altima from some angles).
 
Beauty of course is in the eye of the beholder. I still am attracted enough to the current A4 even after 3 model years (09,10, 11) that I am considering pulling the trigger there. Regal could still entice me if it shed a few pounds, or eked better mpg out of that 4 cylinder.

#478 of 752 Re: Sonata-Regal comparison - Steering and Handling [gregg_vw] by savetheland

Dec 11, 2010 (5:50 pm)

Replying to: gregg_vw (Dec 11, 2010 11:33 am)
I also consider Infinity G25. It may be direct competition to Regal except of being RWD. It has similar price, less features (no nav e.g.), 220 hp engine and 2600 lb curb weight - exact match with Regal, but it is smaller car. I do not like much design direction Infinity took, but have to test drive G25 to decide. I still think that Infinity is superior to Sonata no matter how much hype there is about Hyudai these days (and Ford as well). Nissans are too mainstream, boring and aged to seriously consider, let alone they are unattractive to put it mildly.
 
Also notice Volvo S60. It is small car - a little bit bigger than Ford Focus but much smaller than Regal and did you notice how much it weights (and costs)? 3548 lbs FWD 2.5L version. Another overpriced and overweight European car and looks ugly too. At least Regal is bigger. Man, why there are so many ugly cars in showrooms? When this wierdness will end?

#479 of 752 Re: Sonata-Regal comparison - Steering and Handling [savetheland] by gregg_vw

Dec 11, 2010 (10:01 pm)

Replying to: savetheland (Dec 11, 2010 5:50 pm)
Of course the Infiniti is superior to the Sonata. Only one is a premium mid-size. And I think the 2012 Volvo S60 is an attractive car. The roofline is not unlike the Regal's. It's wheelbase is longer than the Regal's but the overhangs are tidier than on the Regal. It is more the size of the A4. But the Regal and Volvo are certainly competitive with one another, although the Volvo powerplants at 250 and 300 hp are superior.

#480 of 752 Re: Sonata-Regal comparison - Steering and Handling [gregg_vw] by overbrook

Dec 12, 2010 (7:20 am)

Replying to: gregg_vw (Dec 11, 2010 11:33 am)
I dont think the Regal resembles anything on the road today. If anything it reminds me of the A6 from the early 2000s. The wheels are very similar to what was offered on the old A6. The regal looks nothing like a Chevy, Altima, Camry or much else. You definitely seem to have a negative view of the car overall. It sounds like you werent a fan before you looked at the car and really had little interest in it in the first place.
 
The fusion was redesigned for 2010 so I'm not sure how you can say it needs a new exterior and interior ASAP. It's relatively new and its sales are pretty close to that of the 2011 Sonata.

#481 of 752 Re: Sonata-Regal comparison - Steering and Handling [savetheland] by smarty666

Dec 12, 2010 (9:24 am)

Replying to: savetheland (Dec 11, 2010 5:50 pm)
What's an Infinity?
 
By the way, it's funny, what you said about Nissan is what people have said about Buick for many many years. I would say the same thing about the Lacrosse myself. The new regal is the only one that looks appealing to the eye.

#482 of 752 Re: Sonata-Regal comparison - Steering and Handling [smarty666] by savetheland

Dec 12, 2010 (11:27 am)

Replying to: smarty666 (Dec 12, 2010 9:24 am)
Infinity is a premium audio system in Sonata but it does not sound great - in Sonata you can easily see where they cut costs. There are no miracles - if car costs much less - there is cost cutting going somewhere. In Regal GM did it evidently with engine and not using light-weight materials, like aluminum which luxury cars normally use to reduce weight.
 
BTW I just got my MT COTY copy. Both Regal and Sonata are among COTY finalists. You cannot beat Sonata for value but they did not like 2.0T , steering and chassy. They preferred 2.4L I4. The reason they explained 2.0T harsh sound and lack of refinement. On Regal they did not like either engine and transmission but said that it has the best interior materials quality among other cars.

#483 of 752 Re: Sonata-Regal comparison - Steering and Handling [overbrook] by kernick

Dec 12, 2010 (3:32 pm)

Replying to: overbrook (Dec 12, 2010 7:20 am)
It sounds like the main thing you're into with vehicles is style and materials? I'll give you that the Regal exterior looks nice and the interior sounds nice, but I said the same thing about many vehicles when they first came out. So if I want those attributes I can go buy a used Lincoln for under $10K that meets those requirements.
 
To me the main thing about a vehicle is - how does it drive. Braking, acceleration, cornering, and traction; at least in anything above an entry-level vehicle. Utility follows those things as a consideration. I would put styling and materials near the bottom of what's important in a vehicle. I'd rather retire a couple of months earlier then spend extra money for style.
 
So this is why I don't really see the Regal as being anything new and exciting for Buick. It's a nice, expensive, but dynamically boring vehicle without much utility.
 
I compare vehicles by size, performance, and functionality, and that is why I see comparable vehicles out there for much less $. If you're going to spend $30K on a vehicle at least get something with close to 300 hp or will tow a trailer.

#484 of 752 Re: Sonata-Regal comparison - Steering and Handling [kernick] by ab348

Dec 12, 2010 (3:59 pm)

Replying to: kernick (Dec 12, 2010 3:32 pm)
If you'd rather retire earlier, you have no business buying new cars in the first place, regardless of price point.
 
Your criteria would rule out all premium brands, not just the Regal. There is a significant market that does not see things the same way. Not saying which is right and which is wrong, if any. Makes one question why you are posting on this board though.
 
Sounds to me like you haven't actually driven the Regal in any event.

#485 of 752 Re: Sonata-Regal comparison - Steering and Handling [overbrook] by gregg_vw

Dec 12, 2010 (4:23 pm)

Replying to: overbrook (Dec 12, 2010 7:20 am)
You definitely seem to have a negative view of the car overall. It sounds like you werent a fan before you looked at the car and really had little interest in it in the first place. Au contraire, my man. I eagerly looked forward to the Buick being released, and I still think it will do Buick very well. As I said before, I don't see what you see in it, and there is nothing wrong with that. As you well know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I see no marked resemblance to earlier A6s. Certainly the roofline and rear door cut outs are quite different. You look at wheels perhaps more than I do when I see a car. Anyway, why assume negative intentions when there are other explanations? You like to be scrappy, maybe? Nothing really wrong with that either, even though I prefer to get along. My opinion is only my opinion. I have no intention of trying to make it yours. Relax.
 
The Fusion was not new in 2010. It was a mid-cycle refresh. Although the interior was upgraded, the grill modified a lot (more bling added), and the rear end and tail lights tweaked, it is the exact same body (not just the hard points and dimensions, but doors, windows, roofline, wheel cut outs, etc.) as the car introduced as a 2006 model in 2005. Nevertheless, Ford does not need to do anything more with it immediately, since sales are going very well. I have always loved Fords, but given the number of terrific mid-size cars, I might not choose it over some others.
 
Ford really called it right by not taking the bailout funds. Lots of new customers came as a result of that, and so what if the car bought isn't the absolute best in its class? All the Fords right now are competitive and worth owning. With the exception of the Ranger (before your hackles go up, I've owned three of them, but marketing this old slow pig without significant changes since the 1993 and 1998 refreshes--and remember the platform goes back to 1984--in 2011 is sort of like deciding to continue the Crown Victoria...which thankfully is no longer in showrooms).
 
Anyway, the Sonata is popular and it has garnered many deserved accolades. But it was obviously not designed to compete against A4, TSX, Regal, S60, G2.5, not to mention BMW 3 series. If posters here point out that cars like the Sonata and 2011 Optima and Kizashi, etc. offer more toys for the money, it is just a fact and something to take into consideration (if you want to buy a near-luxury ride, rather than a plebeian mid-size like the Sonata). Overall, all cars have gotten so much better that some people will be satisfied with saving a few thousand and having what they want, even if no one points at it and says wow. I love that you love Regal. You are not alone, and GM may survive as a result. And that as Martha says is a good thing.

#486 of 752 Re: Sonata-Regal comparison - Steering and Handling [ab348] by kernick

Dec 12, 2010 (7:35 pm)

Replying to: ab348 (Dec 12, 2010 3:59 pm)
No, I could see spending the $33K or so for an Infiniti G37 with over 300 hp. Luxury and power. And you have the option of AWD for slightly more.
I don't see anything premium in the base 4-cyl engine, or in their turbo which I've test-driven in a Pontiac Solstice GXP, a lighter vehicle, where it is still nothing exciting.
 
I'd think the Regal could at least have an engine like the V-6 in the Mustang, giving 300+hp and over 30 mpg highway, in about the same size vehicle. That is not even a premium vehicle, selling for $22K. What's the fully loaded Regal costing? Come on ... the "young-man, sporty" Regal gets smoked by a base Regal at any stoplight.
 
I would like to see U.S. auto companies succeed. But they're not going to do it by investing a lot of money in a low-selling vehicle. Chevrolet has nothing selling in volume, that doesn't get a large percentage of its sales from fleet-sales. I thought maybe Buick would change, and get some sales and profit here in the U.S., instead of being a Chinese brand. GM needs some "homeruns" in the market. The Regal justs happens to disappoint me, when I'm expecting a better and less costly vehicle then other vehicles in that size vehicle.
 
So I have a negative opinion, you have a positive opinion. Both sides of the coin being discussed here. If you want to negate my opinion, make a case of why the Regal is great. I think people who are considering a Regal ought to hear both sides; this isn't cheerleading camp.

Messages Page 49 of 76

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