Test Drive: 2012 Buick Regal e-Assist

By Kevin Harrison

I remember several things about my grandfather, not least of which was playing a good match of bocce ball with him and my sister. While the game was always good fun, he never eased up on us just because we were kids. He was a competitor and a strategist through and through and this was also true for card and board games. From time to time, he would lose, which really spoke more to his wonderful character because even though he lost, it would always be graciously and he would throw in a few humourous accusations of cheating and declare that everyone at the table was in cahoots. We always got a good laugh.

Another thing I remember about my grandfather was his complete allegiance to the Buick Regal. He lived in Toronto and whenever we came to visit it always seemed as if he had the newest (and cleanest) iteration of the Regal. In fact I can only remember but one time when he didn’t own a Regal, but even then he still kept it within the GM family and had an Impala for a few years.

When my grandfather passed away, my father toyed with the idea of taking his then fairly new 2004 Regal. My dad, a devoted Volvo fan, couldn’t believe the difference in, well, pretty much everything between the Regal and his Volvo and not in a good way. He wholeheartedly passed on taking it.

When GM replaced the Regal with the Allure (that’s LaCrosse to you Yankees), a part of me was a bit sad. Even though the Regal was never anything to write home (or a review) about, it still had a soft spot in my heart due to my grandfather’s fondness of them.

Then GM flirted with bankruptcy which seemed to slap some sense into them and into their products. Suddenly GM saw itself go through a massive transformation shedding itself of brands and vehicles that it clearly did not need. However through this process it was decided that the Regal name be unearthed again.

So here we are today with the newest version of the Regal. Does it deserve the Regal name?

The new Regal is quite a bit more shapely and stylish than my grandfather’s Regals of the past. Some might say that there’s some European style injected into it and those who say that would be right. In fact, this Regal is largely based on the Opel Insignia which is obviously not sold here. A few minor styling tweaks here and there keep it from looking too European, however no matter how you slice it, it’s a good looking car. The front fascia is my favourite angle with its rounded shape, big grille and LED running lights. The rear has a nice flowing design as well. The only thing that seems out of place is the unimaginative 17 inch alloy wheel design.

GM has been working hard to rework their interiors and rightfully so. They were never really all that good. This, on the other hand, is quite a step up from any GM interior I’ve been in. The centre stack seems a bit busy with all those buttons, but they are big and logically laid out. I like the rotary style toggle knob next to the cup holders to control the information screen. Everything feels plush (as you’d expect from a Buick) and fairly high quality. One thing that a passenger immediately noticed was how the chrome surfaces clashed with the brushed aluminum surfaces. I must admit that the chrome which surrounds the gearshift created quite a distracting glare when the sun hit it at the right angle. But overall, the interior is a nice and comfortable place to be. Rear seat leg room is adequate however don’t expect to be able to carry much in the trunk. Since my tester was the e-Assist model that meant that the battery pack impeded trunk space to a noticeable degree.

Basically the e-Assist uses mild hybrid technology, which essentially means that it has an electric motor like a full hybrid, however it can never be driven on the electric motor alone like the Prius can. The electric motor is meant to ease gas usage for starts and stops and it employs and auto-stop feature which automatically switches off the engine when the vehicle is stopped, thus it doesn’t waste gas while idling. The e-Assist package also includes more aerodynamic underpinnings for improved efficiency. All of this combined means that the Regal e-Assist is an estimated 20% more efficient than the regular Regal. In terms of numbers that’s an efficiency rating of 8.3/5.4 L/100 kms city/highway rating compared to 10.7/6.3 L/100 kms city/highway. Not bad at all, however I found it quite difficult to achieve the stated numbers. During mixed highway and city driving I returned about 10.9 L/100 kms combined, and that includes utilization efficient driving techniques.

That was also a bit shocking considering the gas engine is GM’s 2.4 litre ecotec four which produces 182 horsepower and 172 pound foot torque. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic which can provide electric assistance at cruising speeds, which basically means it will prevent itself from downshifting on mild inclines for added efficiency.

While the Regal’s efficiency may be a tad disappointing it’s the handling that’s the real story here. It offers precise steering, and a solid stable feeling ride. This is where the Opel’s influence really comes into play and the end result is the feeling as if you’re driving a European sport sedan. However the Regal is noticeably heavy and although it corners well there is that feeling of sluggishness when pushed. That’s not to say that it’s slow by any means, it’s just not noticeably quick either. This makes it adequate for passing, but it doesn’t exactly exude confidence to the driver either. However given that most e-Assist buyers likely have efficiency in mind, driving the Regal aggressively isn’t likely to happen too often. But it’s likely comforting to know that it can handle the task adequately if need be.

And that’s really something that would never be said of almost any Regal before it. One thing about my grandfather’s Regal was that it was cushy, comfortable and you never noticed any bumps, but you definitely held on for dear life when rounding a corner (despite my grandfather’s apparent pledge to drive no more than 40 km/h). In this version though, you can have both comfort and decent performance all while having a valiant effort to improve efficiency to boot. It blends nicely European style and handling along with all the creature comforts and characteristics which make the Regal a Regal.

While this Regal is noticeably different from my grandfather’s it’s also noticeably better in almost every measurable sense. I’m not sure if my grandfather would’ve liked it or not, but I do know that this car evokes a certain emotion in me that’s not at all directly related to the car itself. It reminds me of my grandfather in a good way and for me, that’s all that matters. For others, the rebirth of the Regal means that the competition really needs to watch out because the Regal is well on its way to becoming a credible contender and is definitely worth a look.

Price As Tested: $41,400

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