Following a preview earlier this month, Buick has introduced the 2024 Regal in China. Attempting to teach an old dog new tricks, the midsize sedan gets a fully redesigned front with a catfish-esque grille flanked by “double-wing” headlights with familiar boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights. We’re being told this change has been implemented to make the car seem wider and deliver an “aggressive sporty demeanor.” You’ll be the judge of that.
General Motors’ Chinese branch refers to the 2024 Regal as being an all-new car, but the side, rear, and interior tell a different story as the saloon looks instantly familiar from all angles save for the front. Not only that, but the 2,829-millimeter (111.4-inch) wheelbase mentioned in the press release is identical to that of its defunct siblings: Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, Holden Commodore, and the US-spec Regal.
This second facelift can’t hide the car’s venerable age on the inside, which hasn’t changed all that much since the sedan went on sale back in 2017. Some would argue that’s not necessarily a bad thing since you still get lots of traditional buttons without a jumbo-sized infotainment. Yes, it looks dated by 2023 standards, but not all people want huge displays with minimal switchgear.
As far as engines are concerned, there’s only two of them. The base model gets a turbocharged 1.5-liter gasoline unit with 166 horsepower (124 kilowatts) and 250 Newton-meters (184 pound-feet) of torque. That’s enough for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) run in 9.1 seconds. Step up to the larger 2.0-liter mill and power grows to 233 hp (174 kW) and 350 Nm (257 lb-ft) to cut the sprint time by two seconds to 7.1s. Both four-pots are linked to a nine-speed automatic transmission routing power to the front axle.
Buick mentions the Regal – now carrying the updated three-shield logo – is a “driver’s car” available from RMB 159,800 ($22,300) for the entry-level model while the range topper kicks off at RMB 175,800 ($24,500). It’s arriving at dealers in China soon to build on the success of its predecessors (original version and first facelift), which have generated a combined 1.7 million sales.
