DONT PUT REGULAR UNLEADED GAS! I put reg in my Buick and had to replace a bunch of stuff bc it was gunking up in the engine. Runs a lot smoother with premium gas! Save $5,000 unlike me:(
Dave's superhero alter-ego is "Everyman" or "Ironman", given his great athleticism, and he's also an experienced journalist. As for modern Buicks, I was surprised how nice the driving experiences are. I think the Lacrosse has the nicest interior out there. These certainly aren't the Buicks of generations past. Professional review as always.
I drove one of these a couple weeks back, and i have to agree with every one of your criticisms. I was able to eek out a little better fuel economy, pulling in 26.2 on a tank in mixed driving. But i felt like i had to drive it like a Prius to get it to that fuel economy. Which, IMHO, pretty much ruins the whole point of the cars intended driving dynamic. And given the whole cars well laid out, and reasonably thought out interior (which is MILES ahead of the MKZ's laughable interior, especially in materials quality), the rear seat is a total flop. In the previous Regals, the rear seat room was abysmal, and often criticized. And it looks like all they have done to correct it (the chassis being the same), is simply shave away the seat pads to make them a few inches thinner, and "TA-DA!" an instant improvement in leg and head room. However, in order to make that work, they had to stiffen up the foam padding to one step above "wooden park bench" in terms of comfort. But, i guess give the alternative, a sore neck and crushed knees is much worse than a numb butt, but there has to be a better way to do it. One thing i would be curious to hear your feedback on, Dave, is the throttle feel. I found this to have one of the most aggressive Throttle by Wire systems i think ive ever felt. From my highly calibrated butt dyno (tm), it seemed like the throttle had a weird notchy, almost stair step like acceleration to it. Which became most noticeable in city driving, or light traffic, were there are a lot of gradual speed changes. The pedal pressure and position also didnt seem to have any relation to engine speed or power delivery whatsoever. Similarly, when you would lift off the throttle, it seemed to hold the throttle plate open an excessively long time, causing the engine to hold revs. I found myself getting on the brakes more often and much earlier in coast down situations (such as light freeway traffic), because it felt like there was almost no engine compression braking taking place at all. My theory is that they have a bit of a predictive throttle and injector mapping, to try and anticipate driver throttle inputs in order to hide, or at least mitigate, as much of the turbo lag as possible. Little tricks like leaving the throttle plate open longer can help to improve throttle response, and reduce turbo spool times, when power is demanded. But i dont think cheating your way around turbo lag really offers the best driving experience, or driver feedback. Its all vague and numb.
MrGreenelight absolutely correct. I was used regular once when I first bought it and then put premium after I read the owners manual and believe me there was a huge difference
MikeMiaVero1 yeah the owners manual states that performance is diminished to match the timing for regular gas even horsepower is lower with regular gas so definitely stick with 91 or higher like the manual suggests
Wife & I are 56 now. We got our 2014 Regal-Turbo AWD in late '14. LOVE the car!!!! CarbonBlack-Metallic with Black interior. Thank God we don't have the wheels in this video! Ours are the optional $1,000 Chrome rims. With every possible option, it was $41,000. We'd pay it again in a heartbeat! The engine ONLY sees Premium NON-Ethanol certified Top-Tier fuel. Seafoam used occasionally in oil & gas too. Test-drove a couple Toyota's & Honda's.....NOPE. Kept coming back to our AWD Regal, & bought it!
My 7 year old Audi A4 has a 2.0 turbo as well, it gets the exact same MPG, except I only get about 185 hp..........4 cyc engins have really advanced so much, I think they are more powerful than V6 just a few years ago.
Waiting for a new Regal Grand National. Which is coming in 2015. Now that will be an interesting car. Looking forward to seeing how it stacks up against a CTS-Vsport.
Dave,nice review on the ol'Buick. I think the price is still a little steep, though. I owned a 1988 Buick Century (2 door Custom, V6 3.3L ) It was a wonderful car. I see Superman made his appearance behind the rear tire. (fun little gimmick). . I'm like George. I have my eye on the coming Grand National. Keep up the good work and I enjoy the videos.
Love the Regal Turbo bunches. But there is a HUGE problem with it. It's the price. Your tester as equipped is $5K to high. Then the GS is astronomically high. Too bad it's the price because it's a great car!!
The MSRP is actually already competitive priced toward its competition... but I can tell you from experience that the Buick dealers are pretty motivated, too. You can get a great deal, particularly when there are factory incentives out there. (Got mine on Black Friday weekend... 20% of MSRP discount - an promo they repeated between Christmas & New Years). So if you like the car, keep your eyes wide open for the right deal...
Got virtually same spec Vauxhall Insignia interior is identical but its 6 speed manual 2.0 diesel and get around 60 mpg on a run I know US gallon is smaller
Wow, thanks! - I appreciate the feedback. Also, just so you know, if you visit quotes.everymandriver.com you can see the BEST DEALS on new and used cars/trucks in your zip code! It’s a free search engine. Try it.
Do you have the regular or the GS? How is holding out and most importantly if you still have it, do you have any regrets that you didn't choose something else over this?
Umair Osman I have the base Turbo, which I chose deliberately over the GS. The GS doesn't offer anything that's, to me personally, substantial over the base - and I feel like the GS is a bit overstyled for me (not a fan of the front teeth). Going on two years, I love this car as much as I did from day one. It's awesome to drive, turns heads / garners compliments... Best car I ever purchased.
I drove the Verano with Base engine. It was very quiet and decently fun to drive. Much more than my 2012 acura TSX which i regret buying after 3 months. However, I need backseat room, in the Verano its tight, at the sametime i heard Regal is not too much better. so i am torn if its really worth it to spend the extra dollar? Also is yours AWD? thanks for the response
It works for us. I'm 6'1 and don't have the seat all the way back myself. No complaints from rear passengers. (I've tested the Verano - definitely much more cramped back seat than the Regal). Mine is FWD... we live in Southern California, and have an AWD SUV, as well - so we didn't need AWD for the Regal. It does very well in the rain.
Does it have apple CarPlay tho? Serious question I have the sport back but I’m tryna help my brother get a new car as he just moved back to the U.S. figured a 2014 with awd should fit him and his family well especially since the cars reliability is very high
Thank you. I appreciate the feedback. By the way, you NEED to try this “Free Car Shopping" website: quotes.everymandriver.com See the best deals on NEW and USED cars in your area from qualified dealership! You’ll get Insider Access to Dealer Pricing in your zip code! Click here to start saving big: quotes.everymandriver.com! 🌟
So much better than GM sister car Vauxhall insignia. This is focuses on quality, while Vauxhall focuses on price. The interior is so much more beautiful. Greetings from the UK!
I couldn't have said my reply to Josh any better than you just did. Pretty much exactly what I wanted to say to him. I was going to try for a more polite way of saying it but there is no hiding the elephant in the room, Buick's designed in America suck! The Opel Insignia helped to save Buick's butt. Not only that the Buick Lacrosse also shares the Epsilon 2 platform developed by Opel in Germany. Furthermore, The Buick Encore is just a rebadged Opel Mokka.
Current vehicles built on the Opel designed Epsilon II platform are: 2008-present Opel Insignia, Buick Regal (saloon, hatchback, estate) (SWB) 2010-present Buick LaCrosse/Alpheon (LWB) 2010-2012 Saab 9-5 (LWB) 2012-present Roewe 950 (LWB)[2] 2013-present Chevrolet Malibu, Holden Malibu (SWB) 2013-present Cadillac XTS (LWB) 2014-present Chevrolet Impala (LWB) GM should just re-name their company Opel.
MrThePrivateer And what is the problem with this, exactly? I mean, I don't think they're sharing global designs to "avoid embarrassment." I'm SURE the goal is more along the lines of selling a great car in different markets all over the world. And this "Buick is a leftover company with shitty designs" bull? It's the SAME company as Opel: General Motors. I don't get what your issue is, any of you... You're all participating in a pointless pissing match. Would you prefer they NOT sell great cars in other markets? That might not be profitable, and therefor spell doom for the companies. Try to be happy, not angry, that good design carries itself.
MrThePrivateer Yes, I concur to what Privateer just said. I am not an America basher, I would like nothing more than for Buick of America to get off their rumps and start working harder, and not have to look to German Opel for their cars. I mean whats the point? GM might as well just bring Opel over to America then.
Hello TH-camrs, can anyone answer my question, would you recommend a Buick Verano or Regal as a first car ? I'm 18, looking for used models, and is insurance pricey ? Thanks in advance. #BuyAmerican (;
Good, honest review, as usual. Thanks, Dave! I wish GM would do away with the moniker "Buick" like they said goodbye to Olds and Pontiac. The Regal really is all you say, but...let's ditch the "Buick" nameplate, the holes, and the grill design. Then, we'll talk. Seriously.
MrThePrivateer Way under 50 here... and anyone who says a Regal is ugly, then says an Insignia is beautiful... I just can't. There has to be an unreasonable bias / personal issues / strange vendettas going on in their heads.
DONT PUT REGULAR UNLEADED GAS! I put reg in my Buick and had to replace a bunch of stuff bc it was gunking up in the engine. Runs a lot smoother with premium gas! Save $5,000 unlike me:(
Dave's superhero alter-ego is "Everyman" or "Ironman", given his great athleticism, and he's also an experienced journalist. As for modern Buicks, I was surprised how nice the driving experiences are. I think the Lacrosse has the nicest interior out there. These certainly aren't the Buicks of generations past. Professional review as always.
This guy's calves.
David Day who, me?
@3:24 did you notice superman anyone?
I drove one of these a couple weeks back, and i have to agree with every one of your criticisms.
I was able to eek out a little better fuel economy, pulling in 26.2 on a tank in mixed driving. But i felt like i had to drive it like a Prius to get it to that fuel economy. Which, IMHO, pretty much ruins the whole point of the cars intended driving dynamic.
And given the whole cars well laid out, and reasonably thought out interior (which is MILES ahead of the MKZ's laughable interior, especially in materials quality), the rear seat is a total flop. In the previous Regals, the rear seat room was abysmal, and often criticized. And it looks like all they have done to correct it (the chassis being the same), is simply shave away the seat pads to make them a few inches thinner, and "TA-DA!" an instant improvement in leg and head room. However, in order to make that work, they had to stiffen up the foam padding to one step above "wooden park bench" in terms of comfort. But, i guess give the alternative, a sore neck and crushed knees is much worse than a numb butt, but there has to be a better way to do it.
One thing i would be curious to hear your feedback on, Dave, is the throttle feel. I found this to have one of the most aggressive Throttle by Wire systems i think ive ever felt. From my highly calibrated butt dyno (tm), it seemed like the throttle had a weird notchy, almost stair step like acceleration to it. Which became most noticeable in city driving, or light traffic, were there are a lot of gradual speed changes. The pedal pressure and position also didnt seem to have any relation to engine speed or power delivery whatsoever. Similarly, when you would lift off the throttle, it seemed to hold the throttle plate open an excessively long time, causing the engine to hold revs. I found myself getting on the brakes more often and much earlier in coast down situations (such as light freeway traffic), because it felt like there was almost no engine compression braking taking place at all.
My theory is that they have a bit of a predictive throttle and injector mapping, to try and anticipate driver throttle inputs in order to hide, or at least mitigate, as much of the turbo lag as possible. Little tricks like leaving the throttle plate open longer can help to improve throttle response, and reduce turbo spool times, when power is demanded. But i dont think cheating your way around turbo lag really offers the best driving experience, or driver feedback. Its all vague and numb.
The actual recommend gas by GM/Opel is Premium 91 octane.
I have the 2016 model with the same engine. I also have the owners manual.
MrGreenelight absolutely correct. I was used regular once when I first bought it and then put premium after I read the owners manual and believe me there was a huge difference
MikeMiaVero1 yeah the owners manual states that performance is diminished to match the timing for regular gas even horsepower is lower with regular gas so definitely stick with 91 or higher like the manual suggests
Wife & I are 56 now. We got our 2014 Regal-Turbo AWD in late '14. LOVE the car!!!! CarbonBlack-Metallic with Black interior. Thank God we don't have the wheels in this video! Ours are the optional $1,000 Chrome rims. With every possible option, it was $41,000. We'd pay it again in a heartbeat!
The engine ONLY sees Premium NON-Ethanol certified Top-Tier fuel. Seafoam used occasionally in oil & gas too. Test-drove a couple Toyota's & Honda's.....NOPE. Kept coming back to our AWD Regal, & bought it!
My 7 year old Audi A4 has a 2.0 turbo as well, it gets the exact same MPG, except I only get about 185 hp..........4 cyc engins have really advanced so much, I think they are more powerful than V6 just a few years ago.
Waiting for a new Regal Grand National. Which is coming in 2015. Now that will be an interesting car. Looking forward to seeing how it stacks up against a CTS-Vsport.
Dave,nice review on the ol'Buick. I think the price is still a little steep, though. I owned a 1988 Buick Century (2 door Custom, V6 3.3L ) It was a wonderful car. I see Superman made his appearance behind the rear tire. (fun little gimmick). . I'm like George. I have my eye on the coming Grand National. Keep up the good work and I enjoy the videos.
Great review! I see you been working on your calves!
I think this a solid car that is just a few ingredients away from being a great car
Love the Regal Turbo bunches. But there is a HUGE problem with it. It's the price. Your tester as equipped is $5K to high. Then the GS is astronomically high. Too bad it's the price because it's a great car!!
The MSRP is actually already competitive priced toward its competition... but I can tell you from experience that the Buick dealers are pretty motivated, too. You can get a great deal, particularly when there are factory incentives out there. (Got mine on Black Friday weekend... 20% of MSRP discount - an promo they repeated between Christmas & New Years). So if you like the car, keep your eyes wide open for the right deal...
Good, sensible review, Dave. Thanks a bundle.
Got virtually same spec Vauxhall Insignia interior is identical but its 6 speed manual 2.0 diesel and get around 60 mpg on a run I know US gallon is smaller
Best car reviews on you tube. Everyman Driver delivers every time!
Wow, thanks! - I appreciate the feedback. Also, just so you know, if you visit quotes.everymandriver.com you can see the BEST DEALS on new and used cars/trucks in your zip code! It’s a free search engine. Try it.
Really well-done review... As an owner, I can tell you that you're hitting all the right beats. Nice work!
Roman Seano that's nice of you to say, thanks a ton! Dave
Do you have the regular or the GS? How is holding out and most importantly if you still have it, do you have any regrets that you didn't choose something else over this?
Umair Osman
I have the base Turbo, which I chose deliberately over the GS. The GS doesn't offer anything that's, to me personally, substantial over the base - and I feel like the GS is a bit overstyled for me (not a fan of the front teeth). Going on two years, I love this car as much as I did from day one. It's awesome to drive, turns heads / garners compliments... Best car I ever purchased.
I drove the Verano with Base engine. It was very quiet and decently fun to drive. Much more than my 2012 acura TSX which i regret buying after 3 months. However, I need backseat room, in the Verano its tight, at the sametime i heard Regal is not too much better. so i am torn if its really worth it to spend the extra dollar? Also is yours AWD? thanks for the response
It works for us. I'm 6'1 and don't have the seat all the way back myself. No complaints from rear passengers. (I've tested the Verano - definitely much more cramped back seat than the Regal). Mine is FWD... we live in Southern California, and have an AWD SUV, as well - so we didn't need AWD for the Regal. It does very well in the rain.
I wish we would get the hatchback version of this looks exatly the same on the rear opens with the glass and it looks more coupeish.
this guy loves flexing his calf muscles.
What's doing that superman behind dave at minute 2:17?
it seems like it follows him around lol
Great review. That was really helpful. I have an 02 gs and thinking about getting this new body style
Fuel economy is much better if you keep your foot out of it ...kinda hard to do sometimes ..2016 regal T
Does it have apple CarPlay tho? Serious question I have the sport back but I’m tryna help my brother get a new car as he just moved back to the U.S. figured a 2014 with awd should fit him and his family well especially since the cars reliability is very high
Hi is the obd port the exact same as the opel/vauxhall insignia
What are those wired remote thingys in the back seat? (Side of the seat) @ 2:00.
Seat heater controls? Massage controls?
I believe they are a clip of some sort for add on accessories, it would be marvelous if it were massaging seats though...
What is it on the right hand side of seat on 7:45? Is it remote control for back seat?
Love this channel.
Thank you. I appreciate the feedback. By the way, you NEED to try this “Free Car Shopping" website: quotes.everymandriver.com See the best deals on NEW and USED cars in your area from qualified dealership! You’ll get Insider Access to Dealer Pricing in your zip code! Click here to start saving big: quotes.everymandriver.com! 🌟
What's with the superman under the rear wheel
that buik regal is accutially opel or Vauxhall insigna here in northen Ireland and uk
Soon to be Holden in Austrailia / New Zealand, too....
Wjat is the difference between this and the regal gs
So much better than GM sister car Vauxhall insignia. This is focuses on quality, while Vauxhall focuses on price. The interior is so much more beautiful. Greetings from the UK!
Tiago Farias , But from the Outside the Insignia VXR better.
What car does gm sell in UK?
Nadim Vauxhall pay attention‼️
I own a Buick. And they don't save you gas. Poor mpg's.
Since it 'started' as OPEL(in Europe)..is it imported to the U.S or built in the 'land of the yanks..emm free..?
I would buy one but really worry about how fast it will lose the value. It lose half of the price in 3 years.
Nice touch with the superman.
during the trunk review....why is there a superman figure under the back tire?
It is basically a rebadged German Opel Insignia. It's a great car.
Buick has been around long before Opel, so its the other way around.
I couldn't have said my reply to Josh any better than you just did. Pretty much exactly what I wanted to say to him. I was going to try for a more polite way of saying it but there is no hiding the elephant in the room, Buick's designed in America suck! The Opel Insignia helped to save Buick's butt. Not only that the Buick Lacrosse also shares the Epsilon 2 platform developed by Opel in Germany. Furthermore, The Buick Encore is just a rebadged Opel Mokka.
Current vehicles built on the Opel designed Epsilon II platform are:
2008-present Opel Insignia, Buick Regal (saloon, hatchback, estate) (SWB)
2010-present Buick LaCrosse/Alpheon (LWB)
2010-2012 Saab 9-5 (LWB)
2012-present Roewe 950 (LWB)[2]
2013-present Chevrolet Malibu, Holden Malibu (SWB)
2013-present Cadillac XTS (LWB)
2014-present Chevrolet Impala (LWB)
GM should just re-name their company Opel.
MrThePrivateer And what is the problem with this, exactly? I mean, I don't think they're sharing global designs to "avoid embarrassment." I'm SURE the goal is more along the lines of selling a great car in different markets all over the world. And this "Buick is a leftover company with shitty designs" bull? It's the SAME company as Opel: General Motors. I don't get what your issue is, any of you... You're all participating in a pointless pissing match. Would you prefer they NOT sell great cars in other markets? That might not be profitable, and therefor spell doom for the companies. Try to be happy, not angry, that good design carries itself.
MrThePrivateer Yes, I concur to what Privateer just said. I am not an America basher, I would like nothing more than for Buick of America to get off their rumps and start working harder, and not have to look to German Opel for their cars. I mean whats the point? GM might as well just bring Opel over to America then.
Superman on the rear deck!
Whats with superman ?
LOL, you used the Superman theme with a Man of Steel doll.
Rift Shredder It's actually an action figure but yes, he's been absent lately. I think he's battling Batman?
I guess we'll just have to wait and see when the new movie comes out
Yay, Supes is back!
You don't skip leg day, do you?
Nice video, thank you.
What's with the superman.
Did it get recalled yet?
As an owner, no.
Hello TH-camrs, can anyone answer my question, would you recommend a Buick Verano or Regal as a first car ? I'm 18, looking for used models, and is insurance pricey ? Thanks in advance. #BuyAmerican (;
Reuben Perez regal. All the way.
That's expensive? I think it's not so bad for what you get.
A used one would be the car I am looking for if it weren't for the poor mpg.
If by "poor," you mean "uses a poor amount of gas" - the MPG on this car is actually pretty awesome for its size & performance level.
What's with superman
Good, honest review, as usual. Thanks, Dave! I wish GM would do away with the moniker "Buick" like they said goodbye to Olds and Pontiac. The Regal really is all you say, but...let's ditch the "Buick" nameplate, the holes, and the grill design. Then, we'll talk. Seriously.
yikes Dave! Don't backup over the man of steel! :-) another great review!
Remember to sign up for our free Everyman Driver Monthly Newsletter - eepurl.com/Pv651 - Thanks everyone, Dave
What a Hottie. I don't remember what car it was, though.
*it looks bigger then it is* *giggle*
American Opel Insignia
The car looks nice but those wheels are terrible!
I was thinking the same thing!
Chrome them and it's the polar opposite. Amazing looking wheels.
The Yellow School Bus Dude I bought the 2017 touring which in my opinion has the best rim package beside the GS version
Superdave
No one under 50 will buy this car. Buick is Buick and that's it.
MrThePrivateer Way under 50 here... and anyone who says a Regal is ugly, then says an Insignia is beautiful... I just can't. There has to be an unreasonable bias / personal issues / strange vendettas going on in their heads.
Calf implants...veneers...shaves legs.
I'd start doing Minoxidil and Finasteride.
Implants don't have crazy muscle definition. This guy does Ironmans, so he's super fit.
I'd still take a Merc or a BMW
New Mercury does not exist!
+Skippy K lol....Mercedes
Why can't Buick quit trying to make us think we want their old 1950"s holes on the side and ugly grill! Get over yourself, Buick! It is 2014!