New Buick Regal Sportback and TourX

Following the Europeans launching the all-new second-generation Opel/Vauxhall Insignia range, it looks like Buick, General Motors' semi-luxury car brand, is not far behind because they decided to borrow one of these for the all-new Buick Regal and while that sounds good news, it can also be bad news because thanks to PSA, it looks like this is the last time Buick will borrow the Insignia as a Regal. After that, it's no more, and that's kind of sad.

2018 Buick Regal Sportback

2018 Buick Regal TourX

While lamenting that this is the last time Buick will borrow the Opel Insignia as the Regal following Opel's acquisition by PSA, this Euro import Buick Regal now comes with two new body styles to choose from such as the five-door Sportback and the first-ever sport utility wagon called the TourX. Yep, America's back at selling wagons as crossovers like the Subaru Outback, the Audi A4 allroad, and the VW Golf Alltrack but seriously, this is the first time an American car brand selling a station wagon since the forgettable Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon. Sure, it maybe a wagon but they call it an SUV because station wagons are a forbidden fruit on American roads.

Anyway, for a quick refresher, the new Regal range, like the new Insignia, traces its looks from the Mazda Atenza and while this is basically a European copycat of the Mazda Atenza, there are many things that your Mazda doesn't have, even performance but that comes later because let's step inside to see what's what.

2018 Buick Regal Sportback interior

Like the new Insignia, the new Regal's interior may have been as similar to the outgoing model but it's now surprisingly spacious than before so people at the back can get themselves accommodated and as for boot space, the trunk volume of 490 to 1,450 litres makes it enough to accommodate most of your grocery shopping stuff of the day. In the TourX, you can fill up to 1,665 liters of cargo space with everything to your heart's content. Also, the new Regal offers some basic General Motors goodies such as the available OnStar 4G LTE and built-in Wi-Fi Hotspot, meaning there's so much to make topics online while driving one as well has letting the kids at the back binge watch some cartoons. Now that's luxury done right for the new Regal.

For most variants, the sole engine is the 2.0L turbocharged engine that produces 250HP of power and 295 lb.-ft. while mated to an 8-speed AT. Not only this engine provides high performance by midsize car standards but it's surprisingly sporty enough for a Buick because of its 5-link rear suspension and Intelligent All-Wheel Drive that behaves pretty much like the Ford Focus RS in lesser ways.

2018 Buick Regal GS

If you want more, there's the sporty GS variant which features some bits and bobs from the Insignia GSi, including the recalibrated all-wheel drive system but unlike the GSi, the Regal GS is powered by a more powerful 3.6L, 310-HP V6 Engine mated to a 9-speed AT. How come the Europeans withdraw such a powerful offering? Well, no one knows but in Australia's case, the Regal GS will be their Commodore VXR, and that makes it super unfair. Still, since this the Buick Regal, the GS will be the next best thing since the Ford Focus RS because with such powerful dynamics, it can even upset an Audi S4 in a pinch and it could become your favorite Buick for the time being.

What about safety? While the Insignia it was based on comes with a 360-degree camera, Rear View Camera, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Advanced Park Assist, Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Following Distance Indication, Forward Collision Alert, Traffic Sign Assist, and a wide range of radar and camera-based automatic assistance, the new Regal is limited to Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Front Pedestrian Braking, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. That sounds odd but that's payback for not offering the most powerful variant to European roads.

Price? The Regal Sportback is priced at 24,990 US Dollars (Php 1.25 million), which is cheaper than the previous model it replaces, while the TourX starts at 29,070 US Dollars (Php 1.453 million), which is more affordable than the made-in-China Envision, which isn't bad for a sport utility wagon that competes with the Audi A4 allroad in a pinch.

Sure, the new Regal may be different than the Insignia it was based on, apart from the Regal GS variant that massively produces more than the Insignia GSi it was based on, but differences aside, the Regal is proven to be a decent contender to the Audi A4 because with Focus RS-like dynamics thanks to its clever all-wheel drive system, it can lick the A4 goodbye in a pinch and it's fair value so you can afford one as well.

It's ashamed that it could be the last Insignia-based Regal ever made following Opel being taken over by the French but as the future remains uncertain, let's be thankful that General Motors still sell one of those and while this is basically the last car to share some General Motors components across the Atlantic, now it will be the ideal time try out the newest Regal before its too late.

Photo: General Motors