regfootball

yeah its that sort of wood design I do not care for most of the time but certainly I am more than happy to rewrite what i think of it if it turns out ok. GM's photography is not helping here. The recent caddy's IMO have had some pretty good wood, but its because it doesn't look like leopard print like this stuff does. Audis and Volvos and some higher end bimmers with the low sheen inoffensive grain on them. On multiple websites on comments regarding this Verano announcement I am seeing plenty of discord on the wood, I am most certainly not alone in the level of reaction to the wood. things like furniture and stuff, I don't care for massive detail like burl walnut or stuff like that. They don't put maple and cherry in cars but stuff like that appeals to me. Subtle grain, not so much color variation. Nice simple grain. Things like knotty pine set me off. I hate the stupid little knots in the pine.

G8 is a very nice car, but it always felt too large to me, and I dare say it was not as buttoned down as the Regal is. The G8 GT of course was much more refined than the v6 G8. That G8 felt like 5 years old to me already when I drove it for the first time new. The suspension and ride etc. and the quietness on the Regal has more detail and engineering put into it.

save your dollars! I bet the GS is a nice ride. You gotta wonder how excellent but heavy a twin turbo v6 all wheel drive GSX is.....

my official position on that is hinted at above. It depends on your financial ability and whether you have more bells and whistles as a priority. I see two or three scenarios by which I myself would get into this car. The first is leasing, in which event it more dependent on first cost and how or if the lease is subsidized. If i recall the turbo is a net add of like 2500 bucks? In my situation, if i am purchasing and can manage 28 thousand I think i would be doing myself a disservice to not think hard about the extra for the turbo, but at the same time I would be comfortable with myself if I skipped on it. I just think i would try really hard to make it happen. My priority would be turbo over say, NAV. That said, I have no idea how the adjustable suspension is. But if you got that you totally would need the turbo. Then the GS just complicates things. In my mind, I would love to find out if that GS has that extra edge that makes the car FUN instead of just pleasing. And there is a price point, I don't know if its 35 or what, where even the turbo should have a higher level of performance to justify its price. Again, when do you move up beyond the turbo to the GS? GM has it all set up correctly. You just should take time and decide what you prefer best. This is the way it should be. And Buick is not setting themselves up for any of their buyers to have remorse, I don't think. I haven't driven the turbo Sonata yet, but the regular Sonata does seem like a bit of a puff piece after being in the Regal. And the Regal feels much nicer all around. Sonatas will be like the village bicycle in a couple years. Get into a Regal and not many of your buddies will still have one. I am so totally wanting to find out how the GS drives......I would even pick the automatic possibly. I hope the GS isn't so nose heavy. Just actually to add and i can get into more detail later, but you need to get the turbo if the slightly schizo tranny on the base car bothers you.

lay off the gas! j/k. what kind of gas are you forced to put in it in your neck of the woods? Do you have to put in crappy oxygenated ethanol blend garbage like I have to in this corn state? In fairness the cruze city rating is 24 and i forget the combined, its like 28? Usually a car will get pretty close to combined mileage figures but it sounds like you need to get out and wind it out a bit.

Driven, Buick Regal CXL and CXL Turbo. More specifics later. Drove each of them. I will rate highs and lows as they pertain to both or to each of them. I will rewrite this more legibly as I have more time. HIGHS "Right size" car "Intimate" but not "claustrophic" interior cabin Lots of standard content quiet tuned! (let's have a conversation, honey) Styling, inside and out Solid build quality, inside and out Comfortable seating, very adjustable power seats Genuinely sophisticated and quality demeanor gauges and displays are dead on in the perfect spots. fantastic 'touch points' (stalks, door pulls, wheel, SWAC, center stack, shifter) steering wheel, with one exception, is fantastic. Right diameter, nice and thick. Lots of audio source and menu options with the H/K system A tremendously pleasing combination of ride quality, bump isolation, roll stiffness, steering quickness and feel. (Well composed road manners) "sufficient" base engine that is not -deficient- in power, has very good refinement, revs nicely, and sounds great "satisfying" turbo motor, no real hint of -turbo- lag, gains quickness very well above 3500 or so rpm, often displays a few nuts, excellent refinement. if the transmission shifts in the fashion you expect, the shifts are pretty well done and they do shift quickly without jolt (did not try manual mode) trunk space, shape, access car has the same satisfying and surprising personality as the LaCrosse (they feel a lot a like in many ways) I liked and did not mind the center stack button and knob layout (took a little time to learn) 6th gear LOW rpm at 65-80 mph (trip speeds) German smell! LOWS Brake pedal felt a tish sloppy on the base car side mirrors shaped odd and unacceptably small Nose heavy, moreso on the turbo, wish the weight balance was better Car felt a bit heavy overall (the penalty for a solid feel) a little more torque in the base model would be ok. turbo is quick but not a v6 replacement for the most picky who like their torque steer and wheelspin in dramatic doses lots of badges on the trunk! (CXL, Buick, Regal, "T", E85, the tri shield) Enough already! Some folks may find the back seat a tad tight (it's not at all as bad as the Cruze) Some folks may not like the "intimate" interior, it may be too much so for some Mailslot rear view visibility, not much glass area out the sides in back either small moonroof opening, aka 'why even bother' trunk height could be a little more. traditional Buick fans will be disoriented by this new personality the airbag part of the steering wheel is too big and bulbous, silver trim on SW glares up in your eyes both the base stereo and H/K audio were disappointing, and the H/K upgrade was not much better sounding IMO (not worth the extra money, just for the sound quality) Some folks may freak out trying to get the seats adjusted (too many? adjusters) Some folks won't have the mental ability to figure out the center stack a lot of options run up the price a tish high transmission performance (while overstated by the buff books to a much higher level than it should be) most specifically on the base car needs to be addressed. In no way is it a deal breaker. I will elaborate in a separate post. maybe not -quite- sharp enough reflexes to qualify as a 'sport' sedan (but hey that's why there is a GS) SUMMARY I kind of fell into testing these cars today. I had not wanted to test a Regal, because if I figured if I did, it would upset me (because I really like the car but its out of my means). I also just really wanted to wait to try them side by side to see how big the difference really is in the powertrain. My first overall thought is that the Regal either in turbo or non turbo is a very nice and satisfying car that gives the impression of refinement and quality in sufficient doses. And with really nice performance (on tiered levels). Anyone who ever lamented the loss of the v6 G8, be assured, either Regal is a much more refined and enjoyable piece. I think first and foremost this is a comfortable car, but it accomplishes that (which few cars do today) without at all being a puff cruiser (like a Lucerne). It shares a performance personality with a LaCrosse, all while not stepping in the LaCrosse's toes. Each car has distinction in its own way. Sometimes you will struggle with why you like either better. Depends on the day. The Regal is not a wrong decision, and I mean that regardless of whether its a turbo or not. The base car.......if not too overly expensive.......... will satisfy the person looking for a great commuter and long distance car with luxury, ride and handling, comfort, solid feel and build quality. I think it would be unreasonable for anyone to have remorse with the base car as long as they drive the turbo also and make an educated choice within their budget and against their priorities as far as options. If not optioned up a lot, it seems to actually be a bargain. The turbo......noticeably better and more satisfying powertrain performance without changing any of the other character of what is good on the base model. Overall.....I just love the car. While if I were shopping hard myself I may feel compelled to get a car with just a little more interior space (the ONLY pause I would have to buying a Regal for myself and family...and then there is a larger LaCrosse!), I just have a hard time finding much fault with this car. I think anyone who got in one for a spin would love it. I say that without having tested a lot of 30k plus cars but really most of the faults against the Regal in the buff books are overblown IMO and I am typically critical of any car I drive myself. Now instead of wanting one, I REALLY want one. Such is the misery of life. I would be giddy to drive this thing every day. And so would more folks out there than they could imagine (camry owners, even regular Passat owners, that is you). I'd like to grab badge snob twenty somethings who are lower end 3 series shopping for the badge and take them on a drive in the Regal. Perhaps Buick could have made the turbo standard, but they wanted to keep the starting price down some, and I think in the end I actually appreciate having that option to pick from. What GM can really do for ME now is to bring the wagon! I would give the car an A, but the base models lightly schizophrenic tranny and the crappy audio on both models make me ding it a tish to A- Those are really the only big nits I can find on the car. go drive one!

hey! no plood! bolstered seats! C/D or one of the web sites says the wood in the Verano is REAL. if it's real why does it look so godawful heinous. um no just look they are different.

car and driver's test of the Malibu 4 cyl six speed auto rendered a 0-60 of 8.6 seconds with a curb weight of 3524 pounds. If we assume the Vernino will weigh 3300 pounds and do the math with merely a weight adjustment, then it amounts to an 8.05 second 0-60 time which I guess would indeed correspond with GM's advised time.

multiple outlets report base price for 292hp v6 base Chrysler 300 to start at 27,995 that is a good price. many multiple features standard. u connect included. lotsa car for the price. even as you option it up most of it is under 40. this car seems to make more sense to me than a CTS even though it is not a direct competitor. http://blog.caranddriver.com/2011-chrysler-300-300c-pricing-and-equipment-announced-starts-at-27995/ I could totally enjoy one.

somehow i get the feeling that the marketers at buick are targeting a bunch that will find the car competitive based upon whether it has vanity visor mirrors, a spot for the pink cell phone, and a cupholder large enough for the VENTI mocha. that said, i think the car will handle nicely. I think the 2.4 as a base engine is a pretty solid choice and it does set up the turbo to be a real performance rig. I am going to assume the Verano with the turbo will get the Astra's bolstered seats, not the mini versions of Lucerne thrones I am seeing in these official pictures. I really will be disappointed if Buick doesn't import the 3 and 5 door astra unharmed here to round out the compact lineup. With bolstered seats, no plood, real German smell, all that. Might even be a nice mechanism to bring a diesel to the US.

I do think the Regal's interior bits are nice. lower door plastic is cheaper in spots but it is out of sight. the plood and piano black in the Regal is fine to me IMO. The regal's leather is quite nice. Once they start making the Regal in North America I fully expect the interior to get effed up and poisoned with typical cheap bits. The leather will be decontented, the plastic will magically get crappy, and fabrics and such will go lowest bidder. the switches and controls especially the center stack will probably downgrade in feel and precision of assembly. Although, some of the finer points inside the Cruze give me a tiny bit of hope that maybe the Regal won't get watered down.

i hardly ever set foot in acuras. visually, it looked tight. visually, the current TSX looks more roomy. IMO the cruze has about the same rear quarters as the current 9-3, but the 9-3's seatback is more upright like the cobalt. The Cruze has decent footspace. the ingress and egress in back is an issue on the cruze, the door opening is really restrictive. Helps crash scores, but not terribly people friendly. i assume its crappy for putting kids in car seats too.

fog lights and a glue on spoiler.....lol

good points.. the climate control is low and you can hit it with your knee. the seat back lever is indeed a really dumb and stupid thing. You have to contort your hand and reach WAYYYYY back.

Let me know what you think about the ride quality with the Michelin 18". It turns and handles great, I just thought I am gonna try an RS LT2 with the conti pro contacts. I had those tires on my old SHO and not only were they good in snow but they were quiet and not hard either. I was scoping out a couple nice ones the other day. An LTZ with roof cocoa interior for 24k and an LT2 RS with sunroof for 23. I don't like the chrome door handles on the LTZ, I think I'd just be curious if you think the 18's are a tish stiff with the michelins. Otherwise I think the mpg is what I am also bicurious about. My favorite wheels are the ECO wheels. I can't imagine any ergonomic gripes you might have. The cabin is super convenient and everything is well laid out.

in serious study of the side profiles of the Cruze and Verona, it appears to me that the greenhouse profile and side character line of the two cars are pretty close to if not identical. the door cut outs and window glass in the doors seem identical or close to it. of course the vernao has the shaping on the lower part of the door. That's just skin though. The crash structure must be the exact same, almost. the glass aft of the c pillar is different on the verano, that coupled with the really different rear deck is what differentiates the car on the aft end. If you continue the arch of the back window glass down to the beltline you'd have the same triangle of black like they have on the cruze. In similar fashion, its either identical or close to it the starting point of the chrome trim and cutout for the glazing at the a-pillar and beltline. Where on the cruze there is a small opaque triangle in front of the door frame and mirror, this is where they pushed the door frame back a little up top to create the glass triangle. So part of the area that the glass triangle occupies is in the same spot as some blacked out trim on the cruze. Otherwise, the area that is glass is created with the frame pushed back. The arc of the greenhouse and area defined mostly as the window cutout if more than likely identical or close to it on both cars aside from the triangle treatment up front and the rearmost side window in back. Another item that looks the same to me is the piece that frames the foglights, the chromey accent fill in panel and circular cutout for the foglight looks damn identical. Scary good design if they have the two incredibly distinctive front ends and yet manage to recycle those lower fill in parts like that. GM was more clever about sharing the love and rebadging here than immediately meets the eye. I always wondered why the Vurano had the same arbitrary side sweep that all cars have now....and until you really study it does it kind of seem its really not all that different than what is on the Cruze. I wonder how the Cadillac version will look. Maybe this really is the new ATS

that (your affection for the Verano) was vague! Jetta or Verano for you?!?!?!?!?! Saab 9-2 may be competition for this eventually? I think the S40 is cheap enough to compete with this, isn't it? If you wait, you can haz a turbo GLI Jetta next year. Has anyone mentioned how the Verano seats look different than the Opel seats? They appear to be shaped differently.

technically yes, but some lawyer and symapthetic judge etc. would conspire against the system to make it my fault. that's how society is today. just needed to add that one more bit on that.

i had a case of that yesterday. I was stopped first in line at a stoplight. A Huge tall bus was in the lane to my left, blocking pretty much my entire vision in that direction. the light turned green and just about as i was in motion, a pedestrian who was still crossing the street popped out in front of my car as they were still in front of the bus when the light had already turned green! basically had i started 1.5 seconds earlier I would have nailed the pedestrian, and even though there were supposed to be out of the intersection at that time, AND I COULD NOT SEE THEM until they were RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY CAR, it would have been my fault i bet. Just an example of one incidence where it could not be avoided.

and in the end i guess that is what i was trying to say too. thanks for stating what ought to be the case here.

i can't disagree with that either (the plood part). the plood that was in my old 500 was barely passable. Again, the Regal's plood is not bad but i just don't have the confidence that the plood in the Verano will be of the same breed.

I would be much more on board with the plood if it were decent plood. The Regal's plood isn't bad, but that's German plood. Detroit / GM plood is typically bottom feeder. I have zero confidence it isn't going to look like sht.

basically i can bet you some marketers in Buick want this to be the next big chick car, like the Grand Ams and such were. Not a bad thing really if they rape the purses of young women and sell a lot of them that way.

NO PLOOD REQUIRED, PLEASE! Maybe they will limit the plood to the tan interior like the Regal, and those of us who think its looks cheesy in this car can buy the trim parts and swap them out with color or metal trim ones. other flavors.....

which gets back to one of my earlier posts. this is not an A3 competitor, Buick are fools if they think those accustomed to interior bliss that is Audi will get into Cruze Uptown edition and find Audi plastic. Like I said, this is GM's new Grand Am / Alero whatever. A 'nicer' chevy.