    2014 Buick Regal Turbo AWD. Click image to enlarge |
Review and photos by Paul Williams
Well, this has to be the longest official name for a car that I’ve ever encountered: 2014 Buick Regal 2.0 Turbo Premium II 4-Door Sedan AWD. It’s specific, I’ll give it that!
The current-generation Buick Regal was introduced in 2011 and is based on the European Opel Insignia sedan. Designed to go head-to-head in North America with European sports sedans, it remained pretty much unchanged through model years 2012 and 2013. The 2014 model features some significant differences, however, headed by a new engine that’s standard across the range.
The 2014 Regal’s 2.0L, four-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged engine is the same as that found in the Cadillac ATS, although it is actually tuned for more overall power than the Cadillac. With 259 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, the 2014 Turbo models gain 39 hp and 35 lb-ft torque over the outgoing equivalent Regals (the top-of-the-line GS loses a few horsepower, however). There is also an e-assist option available, but only with a front-wheel drive Regal.
Which until 2014, was the only drivetrain available for Regals, and is the second big change for this model year. Now you can order your Regal with Haldex all-wheel drive (AWD), enabling Regal prospects to more closely compare the car to its AWD competition. It’s a good system, too. Primarily operating in front-wheel drive, the Haldex system is fully automatic, on-demand, and uses an electronic limited-slip rear differential to better manage wheel-slip. Sensors detect wheel speed and steering angle, among other indicators, enabling the system to send over 90-percent of torque to the rear wheels when required. The AWD models also arrive with a performance-oriented front suspension which “offers more linear and communicative steering,” according to General Motors, and “improved impact isolation on bumps and rough surfaces.”
The entry-level price for a 2014 Buick Regal AWD is $37,075 (includes $1,700 freight/PDI), which supplies smart 18-inch alloy wheels, dual automatic climate control, Bluetooth interface, leather-wrapped steering wheel with remote controls, leather seat trim, power driver’s seat, fog lights, rear vision camera and seven-speaker audio with satellite radio as standard equipment. It’s a well-equipped car, but there’s much more available.
Our Turbo Premium ll model has a higher base price ($41,295 includes freight/PDI) which nets additional standard features, but it also included Driver Confidence Packages 1 and 2 at $1,565 and $1,835 respectively, along with the $1,395 sunroof which raised its overall price to $46,090.
The additional standard features are several, and included bi-xenon headlights, ultrasonic parking assist, keyless access, HomeLink wireless control, nine-speaker Bose audio, navigation system, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and heated steering wheel.
The Driver Confidence Packages focus mainly on camera and radar-based safety technologies, featuring a Blind Spot system, Forward and Rear Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Following Distance Sensor Indicator in Package 1, and Adaptive Cruise Control and Forward Collision Prevention in Package 2.
Note that when you select Driver Confidence Package 1 you must also select the sunroof. I don’t know why the two are related, but there you go.
I must admit that I’ve been lukewarm to the new Buicks however, mainly I think because I bring a residual antipathy to the brand due to its former incarnation as a vehicle for senior citizens. I like the new Regal, but my dilemma is that I’m not sure whether actually moving toward senior citizenry is making Buicks more appealing, or whether it’s the Buicks that are changing for the better.
  2014 Buick Regal Turbo AWD dashboard. Click image to enlarge |
I reckon it’s the latter, although I still think the name “Regal” is a bit pompous and the hood nostrils (vestigial Buick portholes, I think) unnecessary. That said, the new headlamps, wheels, and more understated grille simply make the Regal better-looking, and the car’s proportions and shape seem trimmer and more athletic because of them.
Inside, the favourable impression continues. A new instrument panel centre stack features an eight-inch colour touch screen display, and there’s a new steering wheel with a range of remote controls. The instrument cluster (major and minor gauges) is also new and the whole effect is simpler, tidier, smarter (the new centre stack radio controls have seven buttons, as opposed to the previous 17, for instance).
There’s still a bit too much chrome inside for me, but if chrome can be understated, I guess this is. Something to note, however is that the wood and metal trim is, in fact, simulated. If you’re buying from GM, you have to head up to a new Cadillac for the real stuff.
The 2014 Regal also features a choice of four interior colour/trim combinations, including a two-tone leather option. The nine-speaker Bose system is new, as is the ability to program the navigation system in a single step (you can key in “25 Main Street, Anyplace, Anyprovince,” for instance, and the system is designed to set the destination directly).
   2014 Buick Regal Turbo AWD steering wheel, seating & trunk. Click image to enlarge |
Overall, the interior is smart and spacious; the seats ample but supportive and multi-adjustable. There are lots of places to store bottles and other small items in the cabin, although the trunk is low-average in capacity at 402 litres.
I found the “next-generation” IntelliLink infotainment system easy to operate and generally intuitive, with ironically the “one step” destination programming for the navigation system a feature that didn’t work for me. And like many systems, you do have to pull over and stop the car to program the “nav’,” which means if the car’s moving, your passenger can’t do it either.
Nor did the voice-activation option work for me, responding with options that bore little resemblance to my stated destination. Personally, I don’t think it should be people who have to get the hang of talking to computers; on the contrary, they need to get the hang of communicating with us.
  2014 Buick Regal Turbo AWD. Click image to enlarge |
On the road, the new engine may be the quietest, smoothest four-cylinder I’ve ever experienced. It feels for all the world like a refined V6, pulling effortlessly from standstill. The six-speed automatic transmission is also smooth in operation, with no sudden urges or insufficient responses at all. Fuel consumption is rated at 10.9/7.3 L/100km, with my results about 20-percent higher than that. Premium fuel is recommended but not required.
The ride is smooth and controlled, and I liked the way the Regal handled: responsive, balanced, and sporty enough to be entertaining; compliant enough to be comfortable. The all-wheel drive system earned its keep during my time in this vehicle, as well. Road conditions were alternately icy, snowy, slushy, wet and frozen, and sometimes combined them all. I had no issues with traction when starting, stopping or cornering and feel that the all-wheel drive option is a “must have” if you live in an area that sees challenging driving conditions, especially in the winter. I felt very secure in this car.
As pointed out above, this 2014 Buick Regal is loaded with camera and radar-based safety technologies, and the lane departure system and Blind Spot monitor are particularly useful when the road surface is bad and/or traffic volume increases. I guess it’s a little embarrassing to mention that the forward collision alert system did sound on occasion (really, I was in control and wasn’t that close!), but at least I can say it works.
The active cruise control is another useful option, but not in snowy, slippery conditions (where you shouldn’t be using any kind of cruise control). The heated steering wheel I loved.
In fact, I was thinking as I drove the Regal to Montreal from Ottawa for the annual Montreal International Auto Show, that this car is better equipped and drives sufficiently well that it could pull buyers from the Cadillac ATS. The latter is a somewhat smaller car, and equivalently equipped (although without some of the Buick’s features) costs about $14,000 more. Yikes!
Anyway, I’m just saying…
In comparison to other contenders at this price point, Buick is taking on some tough competition. Genuine and established luxury brands can be purchased for similar money; they have the nameplate, for sure, but they won’t have the features with which the Regal is equipped for anything like the Regal’s price.
The 2014 Regal Turbo II AWD is a good effort from Buick. If you’re looking for a sporty, luxury-oriented sedan at this price point, you may be pleasantly surprised.
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Pricing: 2014 Buick Regal Turbo Premium II AWD
Base price: $39,595
Options: Driver Confidence Package 1 – $1,565; Driver Confidence Package 2 – $1,835; Sunroof – $1,395
Freight/PDI: $1,700
Price as tested: $46,090
Competitors:
Acura TSX
Audi A4
BMW 3 Series
Cadillac ATS
Ford Fusion
Lexus ES
Lexus IS
Lincoln MKZ
Volkswagen CC
Volvo S60
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
