"Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick?" 2012 Buick Regal

Back in the day, when cars that were born and bred in the good ole U.S. of A. were king, each brand had their own memorable slogan.  Ad execs would practically break their necks trying to come up with a catchy jingle or clever phrase that would strongly resonate with the public and remain in play for eons.  I'm no relic but I do consider myself to be a student of the days of yesteryear.  When I sat behind the wheel of the 2012 Buick Regal for some reason, the little ditty, "Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick" came to mind.

 

When Buick reintroduced its smallest sedan, I was intrigued.  I remembered the Regals of back-in-the-day when I was but a mere toddler and I thought they were cool.  The Regals of the early 80's, the quintessential Grand National, ahhh, my pulse quickens but I digress....  The automaker claims, the new and improved Regal had been overhauled from grill to tail light and could quite possibly rival any other luxury sport sedan import in its class.

 

But here's the thing, let's face it whenever I see an older model year Buick now, there's usually a retiree sitting behind the wheel.  The 2012 Buick Regal's styling definitely does not scream "AARP set!"  It's Euro-inspired design is sleek, chic and sporty--the look is undoubtedly near-luxe but will it now beckon youngins' to take a closer peek?

 

 

Buick upped the ante with a bigger, better engine with more horsepower for its GS model. There's also the addition of the new eAssist mild-hybrid powertrain with its 2.4-liter engine and 11-kilowatt electric motor/generator and lithium-ion battery system that increases the Regal’s fuel economy by 25 percent to deliver an EPA-rated 25/36 mpg city/highway fuel economy. The automaker has also thrown into its mix, a touchscreen interface and IntellliLink smartphone integration.

 

With an engine output that increased to 270 horsepower (up from the Regal Turbo's 220), the GS adds 'fun' to fun factor.  The cabin is remarkably quiet.  The ride is comfortable.  Steering is on-the-money, taking curves inspires confidence.  The Regal GS is agile, taut, with standard 6-speed manual transmission (the automatic is available as an option) and Brembo brakes, the Regal GS definitely dials up the excitement level.  Now on the flip side, the acceleration on the Regal with eAssist still leaves something to be desired, there is a definite delay when you put the pedal to the metal and try to get her going to speed.  Once she reaches her highway stride however, you're really good to go. 

 

Although the ride on the 2012 Buick Regal GS is certainly worth experiencing hands-down, its driving dynamic can't really be compared to such pricier rivals as a 3-Series BMW, Audi A4 or Infiniti G25, the beast in it, just isn't there yet. Over the past few years GM has been assigning Buick with the task of competing against entry level luxury models in addition to premium brands such as Chrysler.

 

 

You'll never complain about the seating, the comfort factor is always there even on long trips.  If you're over 5'10 however, the vehicle's sloping roofline encroaches on headroom.  Taller folks, who sit in the rear, might also sing the blues about the legroom which is cramped and again you have the lack of adequate headroom.  Overall, the look of the cabin is nice, it has a sporty appeal, good fit and finish and it incorporates an easy-on-the-eye plastic graining.

 

Kudos!  Buick got it right this year and designed a navigation system that makes total sense and is easy to operate.  The center console is attractive and the do-dads are intuitive.

 

You might find that the trunk is a smidge on the stingy side if you opt for the eAssist, just blame it on the battery pack but think about your fuel savings!  The truck capacity is 14.2 cubes and with the eAssist its chopped down to 11.1 cubic feet.

 

 

The 2012 Buick Regal has all of the safety features you're looking for antilock disc brakes, traction control and stability control, OnStar, front seat side-impact airbags and full-length side curtain airbags.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Buick Regal the highest score of "Good" in its frontal-offset, side-impact and roof strength testing.

 

 

As the 2012 Regal continues on its path towards dominating the road with power and style, ask yourself one thing..."Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick?"