Used 2012 Buick Regal Sedan Review & Ratings

Buick released their updated and revamped Regal sedan in 2011 in an effort to show the world that they were back in line as a contender in the luxury sports sedan segment. While the car proved to be confident it never quite proved itself to be as solid as the company made it out to be. In order to reiterate their stance with the Regal, Buick has made a few changes to the car for 2012. There is a new sporty model known as the GS and also a hybrid variant called eAssist (both receive their own separate reviews). Maybe now that the GS has been added to the lineup Buick will really have that true sport sedan that they initially promised. In the past the company has not necessarily been known for the sportiest of offerings so surely there are many interested buyers out there that want to know exactly what Buick managed to do for this year.

The base and Turbo models of the 2012 Buick Regal both offer a great looking passenger cabin bolstered by really comfortable front seats that cradle you where you need it and let you breathe where you don't. The touchscreen system is a huge improvement over the clunky navigation system of the previous year's model. This is a very welcome addition to the center stack but unfortunately the radio controls still seem rather confusing. The swooping roof also makes rear sight lines a bit dicey and the lack of a rear facing camera does not help this issue either. Other than these couple of missteps the Buick Regal Sedan is still a comfortable car for drivers to spend some time in while taking short jaunts around town or longer trips on the freeway.

While the handling is not quite as sporty as the other Regal variants, it is certainly competent to a degree that makes it fun to drive. Unfortunately the lackluster acceleration offered by the base four-cylinder and even the gutsier turbo just don't measure up to the beast under the hood of the GS model. You can sense a real disconnect between handling and power here and that is going to disappoint any driving enthusiast. Acceleration lags far behind the competition and despite a lower price tag the Regal has little chance of stealing away buyers from the likes of BMW and Infiniti. On the other hand, if power is not a big deal to you then the vehicle just might be enough to make you happy.