2017 Buick Enclave Leather Group on 2040-cars

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Buick Regal, Hyundai Sonata

Toyota is ramping up production of an all-new 2018 Camry and spending over $1 billion – with a "b" – at its Georgetown, Ky., plant. That investment speaks to the popularity of midsize sedans, despite sales inroads made by crossovers. While Accord and Camry are givens in the segment, less attention is paid to Buick's Regal and Hyundai's Sonata. And if shopping for a midsize sedan with a $30,000 budget, you should pay attention. Both offer a compelling combination of attributes and can be well equipped for that price point. Finally, both are due for either a major redesign (Regal) or aggressive freshening (Sonata) in the 2018 model year. Both Buick and Hyundai will be offering incentives 2017s, but Hyundai's program is more aggressive, with up to $6,000 in savings (as this is written). BUICK REGAL: For those seeking exclusivity at well below an "exclusive" price, there is the Regal. Designed by GM's Opel as the Insignia, the version sold stateside keeps most of its Eurocentric nature. It doesn't pretend to be an Audi or BMW, but it provides something more German than Volkswagen's Germany-by-way-of-Tennessee Passat. A Regal, in all-wheel-drive 'Regal' trim, supplies you with a turbocharged 2.0 liter and 6-speed automatic transmission. Its 259 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque propel the 3,600-pound Regal with authority and respectable efficiency. Despite its relatively low curb weight, the Regal feels substantial, with a heavy feel behind the wheel and a quiet authority going down the road. Inside, you'll find an interesting mix of Old World and New Detroit, with informative gauges, a center stack that dominates the instrument panel, supportive buckets up front and a reasonably spacious rear seat. The Regal's interior volume is respectable (97 cubic feet inside, while the trunk has 14 cubic feet), but this remains a better environment for young families or empty nesters. Those with a lot of kids or stuff should shop Buick's about-to-be-redesigned Enclave or midsize Envision. For the 2017 model year, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have been added. The Driver Confidence 1 package (optional) includes Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Change Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Following Distance Indicator and memory seats. Driver Confidence 2 has Collision Preparation with Collision Mitigation Braking and Full Speed Range Adaptive Cruise Control. It's all good stuff.

Buick unveils new Verano hatchback in Guangzhou

This is a Buick Verano. We know, it doesn't look like a Verano – or at least not the version we get here. In fact it looks more like the new Opel Astra with a Buick grille. Which makes sense, because that's pretty much what it is. The vehicle you're looking at is the new Buick Verano Hatchback, unveiled just days ago at the Guangzhou Motor Show in China – arguably the only market that matters as much to the brand as the United States. Like the sedan revealed this past April in Shanghai, the hatchback is a newer model than the US-market version, based on the new Opel Astra, but with that signature waterfall grille. Otherwise, it looks virtually identical to the version sold as an Opel in Europe and a Vauxhall in the UK. Buick will be offering two versions of the Verano hatch in China. The base model pairs a 1.5-liter inline four good for 117 horsepower and 108 pound-feet of torque to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The sportier Verano GS packs a more potent version of the same engine, rated at 166 hp and 184 pound-feet and paired to a seven-speed DSG. That's enough to propel it to 62 in 8.8 seconds, but displacing less than 1.6 liters, both versions come in under the Chinese tax threshold so they're taxed 50-percent less. Between the Verano and Astra, we've now seen this new model in three different body-styles being sold in markets around the world. The sedans, hatchbacks, and wagons seem to be proliferating like so many jackrabbits, but keep hopping away just out of reach. So here's hoping that the next leap it takes will be to US showrooms. Related Video: Buick Launches Verano Hatchback and Verano GS Priced from RMB 145,900 to RMB 205,900 2015-11-18 Guangzhou – Buick launched the new Verano Hatchback and Verano GS this evening in Guangzhou, China. The five variants of the two newest members of the Verano family are priced from RMB 145,900 to RMB 205,900. Buick's 740 dealerships across China have begun accepting pre-orders. The new Verano models have trendy, sporty styling along with European car-like handling, premium interiors and advanced technology. They are targeted at younger trend-setting consumers who are looking for a driving experience that is "born with sportiness." Stylish and sporty exterior The Verano Hatchback and Verano GS have adopted Buick's latest design language for sport sedans. The brand's signature waterfall grille has taken on a creative frameless design, with a newly added piano black finish.

2016 Buick Cascada First Drive

Florida became a state in 1845. It is the third most populous state in the United States, home to the most-visited theme park in the world. It is where you'll find every convertible ever sold in the United States, be it a pasty white Infiniti M30 or a Lamborghini. And soon, many examples of the 2016 Buick Cascada will call it home. Florida is full of Buicks. Wonder if anyone bought a Rendezvous Ultra? It's in Florida. The Buick Reatta, the company's last convertible before this? Also there. Buick, however, is eager to get those who better remember Bush vs. Gore than Nixon vs. Kennedy to ask, "That's a Buick?" Which is how we arrive at the Cascada. The Cascada isn't so much a new Buick as a car that's new to Buick. It's been on sale for about three years as the Opel Cascada in Europe, along with badge-engineered siblings sold by Vauxhall and Holden in other parts of the world. Buick took that time to make several hundred changes to the Cascada for US consumption and then found it without many rivals. The Chrysler 200 convertible, Volkswagen Eos, and Volvo C70 would all be prime targets for the Cascada here, were they not all dead now. Buick's gamble is that these Chrysler, VW, and Volvo (also Saab, for that matter) customers are looking for somewhere to go next. The Cascada isn't so much a new Buick as a car that's new to Buick. One thing is certain: the Cascada is eye-catching to Floridians. I had no fewer than six people in Miami and Key West walk up to me and ask what kind of car it was, or even say, "That's that new Buick convertible, right?" Despite being three years old, the Cascada's looks have aged pretty well. And it's been spared many of the tacked-on details, like fake portholes and chrome wheels, that were adhered to the Regal when it made its trip over from Opel-land. Top up or down, the Cascada is attractive. Unlike the Audi A3 or BMW 2 Series convertibles (the former being the Buick's prime target), there's no abruptness to the design, no sharply ending lines. The Buick looks relaxed in a Palm Beach or Palm Springs way, even on the inside with the convincingly stitched dash top and standard heated leather seats (one of the pieces redesigned for the Buick). That being said, the pattern on the seat material is a misstep, looking like it was inspired by Aunt Flora's 1972 patio furniture. Then it's surprising that you don't exactly sink into the Cascada. While the seats are mounted low, they're not pillow soft.