Regal question....

[A Horse With No Name]

Probably should ask this in the Buick forum, but why are Regalnsales so weak? The Mazda 6 is a fantastic car, yes...but Mazda 6 is outselling it by over two to one.

[Drew Dowdell]

Price point.  The Regal is a fantastic car at it's price point, but it feels feature light to someone shopping the $2,000 + $199 a month market.   In my view, they are marketing the Regal all wrong... instead of marketing it as a premium family car they need to market it as an American Audi... which is as close to the truth as you'll ever get to that comparison. Their "That's not a Buick!" campaign is good, but they need to do one just on the Regal.

The Mazda 6 is really in a different field... it is one of the best among cars like the 4-cylinder accord, Passat, Jetta GLI, and Fusion (it's cousin).... but it really can't compete with the Regal if you get too far up in price due to limitations with the power train (no turbo-4 or V6, no AWD) and the fact that it is built to be a budget car at the low end. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Marketing would explain it. I love the Regal and think it should sell at three or four times the rate that it does.

[ocnblu]

Mazda 6 though... drop dead GORGEOUS, even in base form.

[ZL-1]

Just saw a Mazda 6 wagon in front of me while I was driving back to the office after lunch and it's a gorgeous vehicle. Lower trim Insignias don't look as good.

Edited June 4, 2014 by ZL-1

[A Horse With No Name]

Mazda 6 though... drop dead GORGEOUS, even in base form.

It is enough to make a sedan lover out of me. As is the Regal.

[Drew Dowdell]

Just saw a Mazda 6 wagon in front of me while I was driving back to the office after lunch and it's a gorgeous vehicle. Lower trim Insignias don't look as good.

NEED PICS!

[caddycruiser]

Price point. The Regal is a fantastic car at it's price point, but it feels feature light to someone shopping the $2,000 + $199 a month market. In my view, they are marketing the Regal all wrong... instead of marketing it as a premium family car they need to market it as an American Audi... which is as close to the truth as you'll ever get to that comparison. Their "That's not a Buick!" campaign is good, but they need to do one just on the Regal.

The Mazda 6 is really in a different field... it is one of the best among cars like the 4-cylinder accord, Passat, Jetta GLI, and Fusion (it's cousin).... but it really can't compete with the Regal if you get too far up in price due to limitations with the power train (no turbo-4 or V6, no AWD) and the fact that it is built to be a budget car at the low end.

This is key. It's a smaller vehicle than most in the class 2, Euro sized. I like that. The driving dynamics are second to none and anyone who I've met who has one, loves it.

But for marketing, it's just not as well known, other than a "I saw one of those...what was it again?". People know the name but not well enough still after 4 years of what it means on the new model.

American Audi is a good fit...though it drives better than most of those as well. The 2014 year fixed most of the lack of features issues, and boosted other items a bit, including AWD.

Buick has no problem selling, and I see that daily from the massive number of people very young to middle aged and older driving Veranos and Encores, followed by Enclaves and Lacrosses. The Regal is just a bit smaller and lesser known...despite everything that makes even reviewers enjoy it.