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It's still on my list, reviews are very positive that I've seen (for the most part). I'm waiting on the turbo to be available though since I'm also waiting on the Hyundai and Kia turbo sedans to be available to test.
No mention of remote start, which surprises me.
In northern climates Remote Start is great and I won't be without it. My garage is unheated and unattached. I can open the garage door from my living room and hit the remote start on those cold winter mornings - my car is warmed up in 2-3 minutes and I head out the door.
In the southern part of the country it might not be a big deal unless you want to run the A/C for a couple minutes before getting in!
I agree.
On a dif note, but one that fits with this thread still in terms of perceived quality. When I think of quality in ride, fit, finish, performance, coddle-ability etc etc for me it has to include the test of time. Do we trust a Sonata's dependability now finally as much as an Accord or Camry's? Camry has actually gone downhill with their chipping paint, which has been an issue on 09 and newer Corollas also. So is Toyota slipping? So with that said, do we equate GM's quality on a similar level with the Asian offerings? I have been following a thread on the 2010 Chev Equinox, and unless it has been infested with troll activity, there are all too similar quality and teething issues as they had with the disasterous previous Nox. Can GM really isolate one models ailments separately from another's? Really? I have always wondered that very thing.
I've been car (and truck even) searching lately. I want versatility (so maybe being able to tow a trailer will do) and quiet, dependable and relatively economical on fuel. (so that tends to rule out cars with a substantial penalty at the pumps if you have to feed any of those higher-end luxury nameplates with high test gas, and even most lesser nameplated turbo equipped cars).
I want to like this Regal. In the late 90's the Regal was nothing more than a quiet, floaty, expensive Cavalier. Today, however, it is a whole new ball game. Sharing only the name. But i wonder if it shares the 4 cylinder engine that is in the Nox? GM is building engines all over the world and they sure are not all equal. TheNox is a nightmare with everything from irregular stalling issues with no ECM codes to help troubleshoot, to excessive oil burning, and loud valvetrain issues combined with huge fuel mileage drops after servicing and other unexplained issues.
Even the auto tranny algorithms have been problematic. And too many of the car's functions are controlled by software programs hooked up to "GM's" computers. All manufacturers are doing this more and more to keep you married to the selling dealer/brand. If the cars and cost of service is reasonable for duty served, then it isn't that bad a thing. But if that criteria is NOT met, then it can be a financial and mentally frustrating nightmare.
gimmestdtranny....anyday
Last week I watched a rich, but highly ignorant/arrogant convertible Corvette owner waiting outside Walmart, with the engine running, A/C on full blast, but with the top down in 100 degree sun and heat.
There is just so much wrong with that scenario I don't know where to start with my rant. ppfffftttttt!
Ask the guy in the runaway Lexus who lost his life along with his family's lives, (because he didn't know how to turn the car off) if he had wished for a normal key to....wait for it....imagine the possibilites....of...."turning the car off with a key!" Imagine! A key! How simple is that?
Rather than attempt to boss you, my advice is to not get caught up as sheeple in all the hoopla and technological wizardry that adds complexity to our vehicles. Unneccessary complexity to the max. So-called smart-ugh-keys are at the top of this list.
But your point is well taken, buy what you like. But I find forums can help reveal truth from fiction if you are patient enough.
I admit I am cautiously reserved more now hearing that the Nox 4 cyl is identical to the one in the Regal But I hear it has a better reputation than the 4 banger they use in the Malibu. Does make one wonder why GM is sourcing similar sized and config'd engines from all over the world.
How about the 3-ton SUVs that get 12 mpg and have only a driver on board?
Greg VW: Cars could always be started on sub-zero mornings and driven immediately, but allowing a couple minutes of warm-up IS good for the engine and always will be.
Yup, I'm not arguing with you on that. And they too will have remote start.
The other, more significant issue is the engine. The base engine is barely adequate for a car with aspirations like this one. It gets around OK, but nothing more than that, and stepping down to pass on the highway generates a lot of noise but not a whole lot of immediate thrust. The turbo version available in a few months should rectify that. But for now, with a dismal black interior and a low-thrust 4-banger under the hood, the Regal gets a pass from me.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
I have a 2006 Chevy Impala SS and would not have bought it if the eight cylinder engine had not been available. It is currently not. I get 25 mpg on the interstate at 70 mph.
The history of government-controlled automobile companies is not a happy one and I do hope GM does not succumb to obscurity and mediocrity by regulation.
(BTW, I have no problems with a "coalmine" interior!)
I think high output engines will always be available, but like Ford has proven with the Ecotech engines, DI plus turbo can give you as much or more power as more cylinders naturally-aspirated, and return higher mpg to boot. Like it or not, much higher mileage requirements are coming. If manufacturers could meet these standards with less complex, old tech engines, they would.
You Impala is a pretty quick ride, and your particular example gets stellar mileage; most people find that 5.3 engine to get less than 20 mpg in mostly freeway driving. GM will be improving on those numbers with its new engines still to come. I suspect you will still find a lot of driving satisfaction in future years. Right now GM is still in recovery mode, and tha fact that they can get a car as good as the Regal to the American public so quickly after their downfall.speaks well for the much better stuff down the road.
GM desperately needs to get out from under the shackles of government and become properly competitive in a free market without relying on bailouts and taxpayer funds for its survival.
The Regal is a commendable automobile in many respects. The normally aspirated four-cylinder engine is not one of them. The turbo may or may not be competitive. We'll see when it becomes available.
Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/112_0911_2011_buick_regal/engines.htm- l#ixzz0vhpvMmwY
"Mid-eights" for the 2.4 is not very impressive. For that matter, "mid-sevens" is not so stellar either.
This car really needs a big six to give it the power and acceleration which would match the otherwise fine attributes but calling it a performance car with these puny acceleration times is intellectually dishonest.
The car is called a sports sedan based on its handling, not blazing acceleration. A TSX with an auto needs mid 7s to hit 60mph. There isnt going to be a V6 so anyone looking for one should probably go elsewhere.
I am not yet ready to pull the trigger, but I have been looking at mid-size sedans (something a bit smaller than the La Crosse). My list has included the 2011 Regal, 2011 Optima, Kizashi (that is a real fun drive for a 4), VW CC (a bit more pricey but worth it), maybe the 2011 2.0T Sonata. Each has +'s and -'s. The Regal is fast enough for me, but, like the Kizashi, most Regals seem to come with all black interiors--something I will not buy again. The Regal's mileage at 19/30 also seems low for a 4, and is almost certainly at the bottom of available mid-size 4 cylinder sedans. The AWD Legacy does significantly better than that.
Now, I have been reading good things about the Chevrolet Cruze. A smaller car for sure, but trimmed out with quality materials and truly quiet like the La Crosse. It would be less $ and much better mileage than the Regal. Choices, choices.
I think the Cruze is the better buy right now.
They are
I'm curious regarding your comments about the Cruze being noisier. Was that under acceleration only? I've read a couple reviews that called the Cruze "Lexus-like" quiet.
I believe your $7K price difference is on the money. Similarly equipped the Cruze should come in $7K less than the Regal. That's why I'm seriously considering it.
My noise comment was mostly related to when under acceleration. It was quite raucous when I stepped on it in the Cruze, but only a little less so when I tried to pass on the highway in the Regal. The difference was that the Cruze actually shot forward where the Regal mostly made more noise but didn't seem to go that much faster. In regular driving the Regal did feel quieter subjectively, but I do not mean to imply that the Cruze was noisy like a Civic would be. It was quiet, just not _as_ quiet as the Regal.
I found your comments on the new Regal and Cruze helpful interesting. I also find both of these cars intriguing.
In my view the Regal is obviously the more upscale of the two but the base engine is inadequate. The upcoming turbo may be adequate. I'd prefer to see a new, high tech six in the Regal as the top-of-the-line engine but that is not an option.
The Cruze probably is the better buy of the two in view of its quality, energetic turbo four, lower price and better fuel economy.
GM obviously is turning out more desirable cars now than in previous years but I personally hope they are not developing a corporate culture of anemic engines simply to placate the extreme environmentalists and the government.
In any case, the Regal is frustrating me because I feel like it's close to being a really solid choice in this segment but it's just shy of it. Less power and lower fuel economy than the new Korean mid sized Sonata and Optima, it's heavier, just as expensive or more so. That said I assume it's very smooth and quiet, so that's a big factor that will come out in test drives. I'm also guessing the interior is very nice as well, not sure how that will stack up against the competition.
The problem with it in the Regal and LaCrosse (for some people, but not for me) is that both cars are porky for their size. And 19/30 mpg looks not so good compared to other mid-size 2.0 to 2.5 liter cars. And the 18/29 mpg 220 hp Regal is still not going to look like a great bargain next to the 274 hp Sonata/Optima with 24/34 mpg. Also, though quiet, the Regal is not as quiet as the Lacrosse. The Regal will stand out in this class for its looks, details and handling.
1, The outside mirrors are very narrow and restrict the field of view when they are set to check the blind spots.
2. The ride is somewhat choppy, not unusual for a midsize car.
3. The installed tires have a hard ride and transmit road noise to the cabin.
4. The seats are quite hard and become uncomfortable after a couple of hours.
5. The front head restraints are poorly designed. When they are set so they are level with the top of the head, as outlined in the owners manual, they touch the back of the head.
6. The buttons on the console appear to have been setup for a RH drive car. For LH drive cars the commonly used buttons are farthest away from the driver.
7. An odd rumbling/rattling sound has started coming from the area of the right front wheel when travelling over bumps at low speed. I will get this checked out soon.
Friends of mine have a CC and the base model is really a base model. It does have dual heates seats and 17" wheels but that's it. You have to jump the luxury model to match the regal CXL features and that model is about $34k comparably equipped. That plus the 4 seat capacity make it a deal breaker for me. Even if you dont use the middle seat often there are times when it will come in handy.
I've been in 2 cruze models so far and the interior is almost as nice as the Regal's. You can get a light interior with wood trim in the Regal.
The CAFE rules have already been approved, more and more four cylinders will be offered going forward. The turbo 4 is a subsitute for a V6.
I presume electric steering will be added when production shifts to Canada which will add 1-2mpg.
I took a road trip and averaged 27.2mpg with AC on all the way and moderate traffic that prevented me from maintaining consistent speeds.
With the thousands of Insignias/Regals sold in Europe and China over the past year or so I find it very strange the problem has not been resolved. I suspect this problem will affect future sales in North America.