2015 Buick Regal Quick Spin Review

The 2015 Buick Regal mid-size sport sedan comes off of a strong past year with a notable improvement for the new one, as OnStar’s 4G LTE connectivity system—with a mobile wi-fi hotspot—joins the list of standard content with a complimentary three-month trial data package. Also added into the mix here is increased functionality for the Regal’s standard IntelliLink infotainment system, as well as three new exterior colors: Dark Sapphire Blue Metallic, Dark Chocolate Metallic and Emerald Green Metallic.

Wearing a crisp, Euro-style exterior and taking a wide and planted stance, the Regal certainly looks the part of a modern-day sports sedan, with the Regal GS offering its own unique, extra-athletic design cues and 19- and 20-inch wheels. Buick’s hallmark LED exterior lighting also is available, for eye-catching, wing-shaped accents front and back. The cabin echoes that light signature in the design of the dashboard, and detail door-panel sculpting helps add to the premium feel of the car. For added personalization, four different, full-leather design themes are offered.

The 2015 Buick Regal caters to enthusiastic drivers with a standard turbocharged engine that squeezes 259 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque from a compact 2.0 liters of displacement. There’s even an available six-speed manual transmission offered for the Regal GS, which also benefits from revised engine tuning that provides the full measure of torque much lower in the power band than in the standard Regal. With its six-speed automatic, the GS also can be fitted with a Haldex all-wheel-drive system for enhanced traction and handling, and that’s in addition to other go-fast goodies like an Interactive Drive Control, Computer Damping Control, Brembo front brake calipers, and a HiPer Strut front suspension system. As a result, the Regal GS can race from 0-60 in as few as 6.2 seconds while maintaining impeccable handling performance.

Also available for the 2015 Buick Regal is a high-efficiency eAssist powertrain, blending a peppy 2.4-liter, naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with a light electrification system that can help deliver EPA grades of up to 25 mpg city/36 mpg highway/29 mpg combined—but still providing owners with 182 hp and 172 lb.-ft. of torque.

A five-star overall safety performer according to NHTSA crash-test evaluations, the 2015 Buick Regal complements a stout body structure with a standard rearview camera and available proactive driver-assistance technologies like forward collision alert, lane-departure warning, lane-change alert, side blind-zone alert, rear cross-traffic alert, a collision preparation system with collision-mitigation braking, and full-speed adaptive cruise control.

Starting prices for the Regal run from $29,990 up to $37,385 for the high-end, high-performance Regal GS, but all feature a wealth of lux amenities, ranging from leather seating with a heated front row to a next-gen Buick Intellilink system with an 8-inch screen, USB ports, SD card slot and Bluetooth connectivity. That system has been further upgraded for 2015, too, with Siri Eyes Free compatibility (for select iPhones) and an SMS text-messaging system that can play back incoming messages over the Regal’s audio speakers and allow the driver to send pre-prepared, outgoing responses.

At the top of the Regal range, owners will enjoy such premium upgrades as a Bose nine-speaker audio system, “EZ-Key” passive entry with push-button start, sunroof, a heated steering wheel, LED exterior lighting, and wheel sizes of up to 20 inches.