2013 Buick Regal Gets EAssist Standard, Regal GS Gets Automatic Gearbox

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Just like the Lacrosse, the Buick Regal will no longer be available with a base 2.4L 4-cylinder engine. Instead, the same 2.4L with Buick’s eAssist mild hybrid will become the standard powerplant.

The Regal eAssist will get as much as 36 highway MPG, though pricing and city fuel economy wasn’t announced. The base 2.0L turbocharged engine will still be around, as well as the Regal GS, which gets an automatic gearbox option for 2013. Some outlets have suggested that the turbocharged engine may be offered as a no-cost option, similar to how the Lacrosse offers a V6 as a no-cost alternative to the eAssist. Current pricing shows a nearly $3,000 gap between a base 2.4L and a base model turbo, so that idea seems like a flight of fancy, unless the lineup is re-arranged.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Wraith Wraith on Feb 07, 2012

    Buick Regal base: $27,940 Buick Regal eAssist: $29,530 Buick Regal Turbo: $31,145 (buick.com, http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/08/buick-regal-eassist-is-29530-gs-turbo-is-35310/) Unless they drop the price of the eAssist for 2013, the gap between eAssist and Turbo is about $1600. (They show the Turbo "starting at $30,145", but that's after $1000 cash back offer.) So their new "base" model will get much better mpg, but the price of entry will be higher. The Fusion 1.6L EcoBoost (26/37) gets mpg similar to the eAssist (25/36), but will no doubt be a few grand cheaper. But I guess that's what the Malibu Eco is for...

  • Krhodes1 Krhodes1 on Feb 07, 2012

    I don't understand the price grousing about this car. It's a Buick, meant to be an entry-level luxury car. Above Chevy, below Cadillac. ~$30K is what that costs these days across the board. Want something a little less nice for less money? Buy a Malibu. Ford is now in sort of an interesting position. They dumped Mercury, so the Ford models have to cover a somewhat wider market than previously. The equivalent to the Regal will be something like a loaded Fusion Titanium, and I doubt it will be any cheaper. And I am sure people will gripe about it too.

  • Jmo Jmo on Feb 07, 2012

    I totally agree. I went car hunting with a friend and noticed that the Buick was about the same price as a Camry SE-V6. While the Camry had more power the Buick had a much higher quality more attractive exterior and interior.

    • See 1 previous
    • Jmo Jmo on Feb 07, 2012

      @ixim "the price difference is about 2X " Well, no. The price was the same. Which makes me think the Buick is fairly priced.

  • Herm Herm on Feb 08, 2012

    eAssist is an $800 option in the Canadian LaCrosse, but you cant get it that low.. its $2000 when grouped with other things.

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