New cars: 2011 Buick Regal

Automobile

For pure driving pleasure, this redesigned sports sedan “surpasses anything else in its class made in Detroit these days.” Although a larger 2.4-liter, 182-hp engine is standard, the turbocharged 2.0-liter, 220-hp option is worth the $2,500 premium. The car’s disappointing interior fixtures may lack “pizzazz,” but that’s just a quibble. “The Regal, a nameplate that not long ago was synonymous with GM mediocrity, is now a symbol for what GM can do right.”

Road & Track

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After driving the all-new Regal, we felt “the only thing seemingly out of place on the car was the Buick emblem.” Powered by a fuel-efficient yet capable four-cylinder Ecotec engine, the Regal has a solid chassis and superb steering feel. Snap up one this year and you’ll get a German-built sports sedan sourced from GM’s Opel division—by 2011, the cars will again be built in North America.

Car and Driver

On the road, the new Regal feels solid, refined, and “exceptionally quiet at speed.” Improvements abound, from its “taut sheet metal” exterior to standard leather seats. An optional Interactive Drive Control System lets drivers choose between specialized performance modes, and will instantly “adapt to an aggressive driving style” even when set for normal cruising.