Overview & Reviews

Two new Buick Regal variants debut for the 2012 model year: the mild-hybrid eAssist and the sporty GS. A much-needed touchscreen interface also debuts, along with Buick's IntellliLink smartphone integration.

• Upscale cabin
• High fuel economy from eAssist model
• Sporty handling
• Lots of standard features.

• Narrow trunk.
• Sluggish acceleration
• Some interior comfort and visibility issues

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 25.00

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  Fantastic Driver with some Shortcomings - 2012 Buick Regal
  By Josh - July 22 - 10:35 am

  I purchased this car over a year ago to replace a 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid that had recently surpassed 100,000 miles. I wanted something that would be fun to drive and that had a manual transmission. This car checked (most of) the boxes for my needs, after a year with it, however, this will be my last GM for a while. The good: The turbocharged motor and manual transmission combination is great! Clutch and shifts are smooth and engage easily. The torque band is very wide and pulls the Regal up to (and over) legal highway speeds, quickly and quietly. The interior is quiet and comfortable around town and on long trips. The bad: Trying to use/figure out the buttons on the steering wheel/center console/touch screen is miserable and very confusing. Voice recognition only works for certain functions, much worse than the SYNC in my previous car. No rear-view camera, on a vehicle at this price point trying to compete with entry-level luxury cars, a rear-view camera should be standard. The graphics for the navigation are acceptable, at best. QUALITY (or lack thereof) - my car has been in the shop 6 times in the past year for small repairs, blower motor on the climate control randomly cuts out, 4 rear light bulbs (no access panels in trunk, have to remove carpet surrounding the trunk to replace), sun visor mirror cover shattered apart, and grommets holding the floor mats to the floor sprung apart. The plastics on the interior feel cheap and look cheaper. The lack of storage space for front seat occupants is disappointing. Buick has done a fantastic job with the styling and the performance aspect of this car. It looks and drives fantastic, now if there was more focus placed upon quality and interior components, Id be fully satisfied. Im glad I purchased the Regal, but Im ready to get into something else.

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  Needs AWD, and better Infotainment controls - 2012 Buick Regal
  By sa_greg - January 2 - 1:52 pm

  Love the exterior looks and wheels. I chose this over an Audi A4 Avant Quattro (wagon). My choice was based on (#1.) cheaper oil changes and overall maintenance costs vs. Audis $250 oil changes, (#2.) more horsepower/torque over Audi, (#3.) more aggressive look than Audi, and (#4) Not too many GS models on the road = kind of exclusive. Love the car but sacrificed the pre-requisite of an All-Wheel-Drive car (Audi) for the horsepower / looks in the GS. The almost uncontrollable torque steer is annoying & almost embarrassing when you want to stomp on the gas. Also, very upset that I cant stream Pandora to Samsung Galaxy S5. Have to resort to using Aux input. Cheap interior materials.

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  First American Branded car in 35 years - 2012 Buick Regal
  By jbgcrs - August 21 - 9:50 pm

  I have driven Japanese and German cars with my last being a 2005 C230 Kompressor Sport 4 dr 6spd manual.I followed the GS from the moment the car was announced. Found my 2012 with 4500 miles and a 6spd. Wow! Loaded, this is one of the best cars I have owned. Fun to drive, great head turner and reliable. With over 30k on it the car still feels like it did at 4500. I live in a world filled with 3 series Bimmers and C300 Benzes and I love the exclusivity of owning this car. Amazes me how many young under 30 year olds love this car. Buick got it right and I hope they improve upon this great car

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  I grade it a B+ - 2012 Buick Regal
  By grandcentral - May 30 - 12:45 pm

  Im about to wrap up my 24-month lease. For the most part, Im happy. What they say about this Regal (nee Opel Insignia) being unlike Buicks of lore is true. Handling is precise, ride is firm (in a good way), interior design is clean, all very European. And it looks fantastic, especially with the 18" or 19" rims. Content is good too, for the price. Now, the issues: first, the mileage for the eAssist hybrid I have is WAY overstated - I drive 70% highway and never get more than 24 MPGs. Lack of power and harshness in non-Turbo engines is noticable. Quality control still has a way to go, e.g. paint flaws & loose trim. If I had gotten the turbo or GS, Id rate it a solid A. With the hybrid, B+.

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  A good effort but flawed - 2012 Buick Regal
  By smerdyakov - March 19 - 10:31 am

  I traded a 2011 Audi A4 for this car. At first I liked the Buick much better, but, as time went on, problems made themselves evident. The engine was quite powerful but, in spite of the much-hyped HyPer strut front suspension, torque steer was very pronounced under hard acceleration. In addition, the drivers seat, although comfortable on short jaunts, became a source of torture on long highway runs. The bottom bolsters seemed to be too tight, causing intense hip pain. In addition, the three driving modes (normal, Sport and GS) seemed to have little effect on performance, although the letter did stiffen the suspension significantly. The controls also feature a plethora of pushbuttons.

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  Fun car from a horrible manufacture - 2012 Buick Regal
  By miami5 - December 24 - 10:11 pm

  The car is a blast to drive and turns heads everywhere. However the service experience at the dealership is horrible. Furthermore Buick Customer Service is a complete waste of resources. My car was in the shop 4 times for the turbo going out, once to have both axils replaced, once it left me stranded because the battery cables fried, once because the radiator ruptured, once because the windshield washer blew, once because all the brake lights went out and once for the center council and sun visors braking. Half of all these problems occurred within my first two months of ownership. My car spent over 30 days in the shop during my first year and GM never offered restitution.

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  Doesnt stand for "Granddads Slowpoke" - 2012 Buick Regal
  By saegc7 - July 11 - 5:05 pm

  While this isnt a GNX or T-Type of the late 80s, this Buick ROCKS! The 2.0L engine is suprisingly powerful. It doesnt knock your head back with mad torque instead the power builds quickly and will get away from you fast if youre not careful. I average 30-34 mpg daily and have a 17 mile commute to work which 14 is highway. I get away with midgrade fuel and get better gas mileage than with premium. I would do better if I could get away from the ethanol gas stations. The seats are very comfortable and visibility is great out the windshield. The rear view, is a different story. The rake needs a greater angle or a rear view backup camera. Overall, a great sporty car with decent power.

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  GS my dad would love - 2012 Buick Regal
  By rodmunch1 - December 30 - 11:26 pm

  traded my 2012 lacrosse tour ed. for the GS. half my friends said i was nuts. the car guys, though, get it. the lax. was great and i miss the extras but the fun factor is now off the charts. the sport mode make shifts as fast as you would expect for a non sports car. brakes and suspension in sp. mode also react instantly. i still havent figured out what the GS mode does. the ride seems rougher in GS mode than in standard mode. the mall parking lot "GAWK FACTOR" unreal. people really react to this car. every gas station visit someone complements the car. i wish it came with a/s tires instead of summer tires. the reason for not all 5s is the seat is too small for my butt

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  GM has no concern for quality - 2012 Buick Regal
  By gwsf - October 19 - 11:40 am

  Great driving, comfortable car with loads of features. Problem is the lack of quality control at the production plant. Car came with some minor paint imperfections, side mirror and window molding installed incorrectly, and not to mention the front fender and trunk lid having large gaps. GM did have the dealer,Todd Wenzel Buick repair the paint and the window molding. I now have a new car that has mis-matched paint, tape lines and sanding marks that can be seen through the paint, expected and was promised better. Three trips to the body shop and hours on the phone, car still looks like a terrible. GM is not interested in quality at this point and are unwilling to stand behind their product!

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  Nice step up from my Subaru - 2012 Buick Regal
  By classicgeiger - August 19 - 1:27 pm

  Wasnt sure that I wanted a Buick for my next car, but had to at least take a look at the GS bc it is a beautiful car. After 1 month of owning the car I love it, handles amazing really gets up and gos when you need it to and is just as nice to sit back and cruise in. Went with all the toys on this, including the 20s. Makes it just that much more of a great car. And the H-K sound system is pretty pretty pretty good. The only reason I didnt give it 5s all the way is bc I have had issues w/ my Navigation and iPod.