2015 Buick Regal GS Turbo – All Wheel Drive Review

Buick in recent years has been able to adapt to the ever changing industry and has gotten tuned into what it's consumer want while also attracting new ones. Buick really hasn't been a player in the performance world since the 80s when the Buick GNX hands down ruled the streets with it's 3.8 Turbo v6. Now 30 years later after the GNX Buick is pushing out comparable horsepower from a 2.0 Turbocharged Ecotec inline 4 cylinder engine. Wouldn't you like to start your day by walking out to your car in the morning seeing this sporty sedan awaiting your arrival? The 2015 Regal GS's styling is both sleek and aggressive. The Buick Regal GS shares much of the same styling and mechanical features found on it's Opal European counterparts.

-J.D. Power named Buick “Highest in customer satisfaction with dealer service among mass market brands for a second year in a row”

Overview

The 2015 Regal GS is powered by a 2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that's connected to a 6-speed automatic transmission which is shiftable. Unfortunately the All Wheel Drive version of the GS is not available with the manual 6 speed,but the front wheel drive GS is. There are three driving modes available to choose from. The first and the default uses “normal” engine mapping with a softer suspension for optimal comfort and gas mileage. The second setting is “Sport” mode which provides a bit firmer suspension. The third setting which is the “GS” mode. This mode offers the most stiff suspension, firmer shifts and allows the engine to rev out to it's power allowing for a few extra 100 rpm's. This car seems more at home hugging curves rather than your regular long straight line acceleration. But don't worry because the turbo still allows for a good responsive 0-60 and even 0-100 if you will. The Regal has a great compromise between performance, handling and comfort. The GS comes with “summer only” performance tires so even thought it's all wheel drive, if your in a snowy environment you may want to invest in a set of winter tires and wheels. Don't forget about the braking power which are powered by a pair of Brembo Calipers up front.

Interior

Buick Regal GS has a nicely appointed. The large touch screen in center of the dash allows for ease of reach to vehicles control center. Supportive leather seats hug the driver and make for a comfortable ride. The sporty leather steering wheel is heated which is a great feature for colder climates. Having cold hands is one of the worse things during cold winter months. The sound comes out of a 7 speaker Bose Premium system which comes with a 3 month XM Radio trial. Along with ambient interior lighting, a 110-volt power outlet, Onstar there is 4G Wi-Fi. There are many safety features that provide the 2015 Buick Regal GS with a 5-Star Safety rating. These features include a forward collision alert, lane departure warning, following distance sensor indicator, blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert and a rear view camera.

Comparable Cars

The Regal's size is similar to the BMW 3-series and Audi A4. First off the rear seating area is a bit on the smaller size, but that is common among sportier mid-sized sedans. The Regal does have a larger than average trunk with available 14.2 cu. inches of space. Rear seat backs are split and fold down which comes in handy for some larger items. With the rear seats folded down you can fit a 6 foot long object inside the Buick. Overall the nearest comparable car is the Audi A4 2.0 Quattro sedan. Both the Buick Regal GS and the Audi Quattro are equipped with 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engines, all wheel drive and shiftable automatic transmissions.

2015 Buick Regal GS AWD Sedan

Overall the 2015 Buick Regal GS is a comfortable highway cruiser with firm suspension similar to that of European cars which the Regal is compared to. Again it does share some characteristics of some German Opal's. Steering is precise and responsive which proves to be beneficial on those back country roads that so many of us will drive on. Responsive steering and a firm handling suspension make the GS agile. The Regal GS helps put Buick back into the performance oriented market. With the GS's styling and performance Buick is going in the right direction.

Pros

-Reasonably priced
-Fun to drive
-Pleasing to look at
-Five star Safety Rated
-Premium Bose sound system
 

Cons

-No manual stick shift option for AWD GS
-Summer tires mean extra costs for winter tires in colder climates

Specifications

-Base price $39,810
-Fuel Economy mpg 19city/27hwy/22 combined
-Engine Turbocharged 2.0L inline 4 cylinder
-Transmission Six Speed shiftable automatic
-Horsepower 295 @ 5,300rpm
-Torque 295 @ 4,000rpm
-Wheelbase 107.8 inches
-Height 58 inches
-Width 73 inches
-Curb Weight 3,725 lbs.

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