REGAL HATCH HAS SERIOUS SIZZLE
PORT ALBERNI “It’s an SUV that drives like a car!”
To me, that automaker marketing slogan has always smacked of hard-selling a veggie burger that “tastes like meat!” Inherent to each statement is the unspoken truth that to convince the buying public on the suspect merits of the former is to equate it to the bona fide merits of the latter.
In the case of the SUV, the fact of the matter is people who purchase one aren’t really that interested in it performing like a car at all. Instead, they like the utility — from passenger room to storage space — and often cite the notion that they enjoy the perspective from the higher seat perch offered in comparison to a sedan.
Fair enough. There’s no arguing the SUV/CUV segment has all but eliminated the station wagon and brought the once-omnipotent sedan to its knees. Fortunately for those of us who still like the sensation of driving a car, some automakers continue to refine and fiddle with the sedan format to turn that opening statement on its head and create “a car that has features like an SUV.”
The latest incarnation of this hopeful trend is the 2018 Buick Regal Sportback, a four-door hatchback for all intents and purposes, and a vehicle that tries hard to fulfil that promise.
And to underscore its serious intentions in offering a fun-todrive sedan with great cargo capacity, Buick has brought to market a GS version of the allnew Sportback, complete with V6 power, Brembo brakes and sport front seats. (Unfortunately for station wagon fans, the 2018 Regal TourX is not available in Canada, due mostly to low sales volume expectations of the wagon north of the 49th).
Earlier this week I drove both the base Sportback and the GS model on Vancouver Island, covering the 200-or-so kilometres bisecting the island from Nanaimo and Tofino. Anyone who has driven this overtly scenic route knows the at-times-harrowing twists and turns along the way — particularly on the stretch Port Alberni and Tofino — so it was a good test run for the new sedans. My colleague Derek McNaughton covered off the base Sportback in a First Drive review a few months ago, so my focus here is the GS model. That said, for comparison’s sake it was good to get some seat time in the base version during the trip.
First up, how the all-wheel drive GS differs from the base model (available in front-wheel and allwheel drive). From a performance perspective, there’s that aforementioned V6, a 310-horsepower, 282 lbs.-ft of torque 3.6-litre six compared to the base trim’s 2.0-litre turbocharged in-linefour (250 hp and 260/295 torque in FWD/AWD respectively). In addition, the V6 features direct injection, cylinder deactivation and stop-start technology. The GS gearbox is a nine-speed manumatic (no paddle shifters) with an active twin clutch, while the base model’s FWD gets a slightly different nine-speed and the AWD an eight-speed. The GS gets meaty four-piston Brembo brakes up front; the base your gardenvariety four-wheel discs. And the GS has a five-link rear suspension; the base a multi-link suspension.
As to the exterior, the GS gets some sport-inspired tweaks to the front and rear ends and side skirts, a rear deck lid spoiler and 19-inch wheels. The base comes with a choice of 17- or 18-inch boots. And around back the GS’s sport-tuned exhaust is exemplified by chrome exhaust tips.
Likewise, the GS’s performance personality is on show in the cabin, most notably with the front bucket seats. These perforated performance seats feature integrated headrests, thigh supports and power adjustable lumber, heat and massage functions. They are also “AGR-certified,” meaning a German association of chiropractors have give them the thumbs up. Once you’ve settled into the driver’s seat, a heated flat-bottom sport steering wheel reaches out to you in the driveroriented cockpit. And your feet will easily find the GS-specific pedals. The GS shares the same eight-inch infotainment package with its base stablemates, however it does come with a heads-up display option as part of the Driver Confidence II package, which includes a number of techbased safety features.
What the two trims do share, apart from each being built in Germany, is impressive cargo capacity. With the rear seats up, the trunk has 892 litres of space; with them down a massive 1719 litres worth. And kudos for Buick for the 40/20/40 rear seat split, allowing two rear seat passengers with skis stored in between. Now to the drive.
I piloted the base model from Nanaimo and Tofino and was suitably impressed with handling and passing performance. Cabin noise was whisper quiet (and will be even more so with the standard Quiet-Tuning Continental tires, which the testers were not shod with). Ergonomics were pretty good, though I’d be in favour of more button and dial controls rather than the touchscreen functions of the display. A component sedan.
The following morning it was into those back-friendly sport seats of the GS and out onto the tight twists and turns of the Pacific Rim Highway. The sport seats certainly performed as advertised, and the GS-specific gauges conveyed a different feel from said seats than the previous day’s ride. And while the engine performance of the GS was also different from the base models, I have to say I was a little underwhelmed. That 50-plus more horsepower didn’t come to the fore as I expected (hoped!) it might, and while real-time stats might say otherwise, the passing acceleration of the V6 seemed in line with the turbo four. However, there was no question the chassis sport tuning held the tight turns better than the base models, and the GS’s braking was also superior. Cabin noise was also more intrusive in the GS, however the lovely sound of the sport-tuned exhaust was welcome.
All of which brings us to the question: is the all-wheel drive Sportback GS, with a price range between $43,000 and just under $50,000, worth the extra money than the base Sportbacks (FWD $31,845; AWD $37,345)?
Well, if you like a little sizzle with your beef burger, I’d say so. Just don’t expect a double patty.