10 Things You Need To Know About The 2014 Buick Regal

Evolution is the way to go when making changes to an already-successful product, and the 2014 Buick Regal proves that harmonious design tweaks and a dedication to constant improvement can make a good car even better.  The 2014 Buick Regal features a number of updates while still remaining true to the original spirit behind the revived premium sedan, and it also manages to catch a number of luxury cars sleeping in the performance and refinement departments - all for a very affordable price.

Let's take a look at 10 things you need to know about the 2014 Buick Regal.

The 2014 Buick Regal is still easily recognizable when compared to the previous year's car, which is a point in its favor - the mid-size sedan has always been an attractive assembly of sheet metal and glass.  There are subtle changes to be found, however, such as the wider grille, the new headlights, and the LED tail lights that help add fresh detail to the Buick Regal.  Somewhat wide-looking than in 2013, the Regal also gains the option of LED daytime running lights up front, which keeps it in line with the styling trends of the luxury segment.

Opening up the driver's door of the 2014 Buick Regal reveals a fresh take on the car's passenger compartment styling.  This is especially true when considering the Buick Regal's control surfaces, which trade in the button-heavy look of last year for a much cleaner presentation that is dominated by a new IntelliLink touchscreen interface.  IntelliLink gathers most important vehicle functions in the same spot, and further information about your driving experience can be delivered by the car's available LCD gauge setup.  There's still plastic here and there throughout the Buick's cabin, but overall the amount of leather and soft-touch materials present inside the sedan feels appropriate for a premium automobile.

The 2014 Buick Regal scraps last year's three four-cylinder engine options in favor of a new 2.0-liter, turbo unit.  This motor, while similar in displacement to last year's top-end mill, is essentially all new, with extensive revisions separating it from the engine that came before.  The Buick Regal provides lively acceleration thanks to the 259 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque that come standard with the automobile, and fuel mileage for the mid-size sedan checks in at 21-mpg in stop and go driving and 31-mpg on the highway.  More powerful, and more frugal than last year's entry-level engine, the fresh four-cylinder provides Regal buyers with a substantial upgrade.

The 2014 Buick Regal can be had in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive editions, which is another key improvement over the previous edition of the car that adds substantial foul weather capability to the model.  Although the front-wheel drive version of the Buick Regal comes with standard with a MacPherson front strut design, the all-wheel drive version benefits from the brand's HiPer front struts that provide a more focused channel for torque to reach the pavement (the GS trim also receives the HiPer setup - more on this later).  All-wheel drive models can shuttle as much as 90 percent of engine torque to the rear wheels in order to help balance out handling and grip, and an electronic limited-slip differential is also on-hand to maintain forward momentum in slippery conditions.

The 2014 Buick Regal's base model comes with a six-speed automatic at no extra cost.  This transmission is also available across the entire Regal lineup, and it offers the ability to manually select gears using the shift lever in order to help slow the car down while descending a steep slope, or to add an extra air of sportiness to the driving experience.  A six-speed manual gearbox is also offered with the car - GS trim only (those two letters again) - and it represents a vast improvement over the older Regal's less-than-smooth manual gearbox.

The 2014 Buick Regal no longer offers the Turbo trim level, given that the turbocharged engine is now standard equipment for the car.  This means things have shifted around somewhat, with the Leather trim (cruise control, dual automatic climate control, heated leather seats, IntelliLink, leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry) representing the base version of the car.  Next up is the Premium Package 1 trim (power passenger seat, remote start, heated steering wheel), followed by the Premium Package II (navigation, HID headlights, louder stereo system) rounding out what Buick Regal buyers can expect in terms of equipment highlights from the mid-size sedan.

There's another version of the 2014 Buick Regal that we've been hinting at throughout this list, and it's called the GS.  The Buick Regal GS is the sportiest version of the four-door car, and although it offers 11 horsepower less than it did the year before, it presents a much more complete performance package.  The Regal GS sits on a lowered suspension system and it also comes with HiPer front struts for more precise handling, Brembo brakes, and adjustable shock absorbers, which can be set to maximum stiffness by pushing the GS button on the vehicle's dash (further tightening up the car's steering).  The manual transmission is exclusive to the front-wheel drive GS, but it's possible to select an autobox-equipped all-wheel drive model with a trick, GS-only H-arm rear geometry.  On the outside, the Regal GS is notable for its spiffy rear spoiler, attention-grabbing front air ducts, and special rims.

Although the base 2014 Buick Regal now comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, last year's hybrid drivetrain is still available as a no-cost option (depending on what trim level is selected) for drivers who favor efficiency over acceleration.  Called the eAssist system, it consists of a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder that is paired with a single electric motor in order to produce a total of 182 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque.  More impressive than its output is the system's excellent fuel economy, which checks in at 25-mpg in city driving and 36-mpg on the highway.

The 2014 Buick Regal comes standard with dual forward airbags, seat-mounted side impact airbags for front passengers, as well as side curtain airbags that protect occupants both front and rear (side impact airbags for backseat riders are included with the Premium Package II trim).  Electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, and traction control are also offered free of charge with the Buick Regal.  Opting for the Driver Confidence I options package installs a blind spot monitoring system, a lane departure warning system, and forward collision alert, while the Driver Confidence II package augments that list of gear with an adaptive cruise control system and a collision mitigation feature.

10.  The 2014 Buick Regal Is Priced Lower Than Other Luxury Cars

The 2014 Buick Regal starts at a much lower price point than one might expect for a premium sedan, as the vehicle bears an MSRP of $26,290.  Even the performance-oriented Buick Regal GS features a reasonable $36,905 window sticker, which puts it well within the wheelhouse of lesser-equipped entry-level models from Acura and Lexus.  It also significantly undercuts a comparably decked-out Audi A4 sedan.  The fact that a Buick is being mentioned in the same breath as Audis and Acuras is a strong indication of just how much effort has been put into redefining the brand's space in the luxury market over the past several years.