A New Affordable Wagon? 2018 Buick Regal TourX Priced Under $30,000, So Maybe You'll Buy One After All?

Premium positioning? Only in a small measure.

The 2018 Buick Regal TourX, the wagon variant of the sixth-generation Regal, will be priced to compete more directly with the Subaru Outback than European wagons.

That’s not bad news for wagon enthusiasts who consider the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack too small, the Subaru Outback too obvious, and both the Volvo V60 Cross Country and Audi A4 Allroad too expensive.

CarsDirect has learned that the 2018 Buick Regal TourX, including delivery fees, will be priced just a tick under $30K at $29,995 in base 1SV trim.

That’s $3,475 more than the basic 2017 Subaru Outback; $2,225 more than the least expensive automatic-equipped 2017 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack.

But that $29,995 entry price places the Regal TourX – a sibling of the new Regal Sportback, as there’ll be no sedan — makes the Buick much less costly than upmarket contenders. At $42,695, the Volvo V60 Cross Country is 42-percent more costly. (Non-CC V60s start at $37,145.)

Audi A4 Allroad pricing begins at $45,475, a big leap even from the top-spec Regal Essence.

The BMW 3 Series Touring, not available in any hardcore, off-road, 4×4, mud-running, rock-crawling, Rubicon-ready guise, starts at $42,950.

Granted, not all Regals will be so distinctly affordable. CarsDirect suspects the $33,575 2018 Buick Regal TourX Preferred 1SB — auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather-wrapped wheel, power driver’s seat, additional color options — to be the more common Regal wagon. The Preferred can be optioned up to include driver assistance features and a panoramic roof, but there’s still no leather option at this price point.

At the top of the heap, the TourX Essence 1SL is $35,945. Standard leather, a larger touchscreen, and dual-zone auto climate control. With adaptive cruise and associated safety features, the Regal TourX Essence rises to $38,860.

All versions of the 2018 Buick Regal TourX will include the 2.0-liter turbo with 250 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic that transfers power to all four wheels.

If conventional premium alternatives are simply too costly and not sufficiently capacious, that standard 2.0T will also enable the Regal TourX to distinguish itself quite nicely from the Subaru Outback. Wagon buyers who don’t want to jump on the bandwagon — Subaru is selling nearly 15,000 Outbacks per month — will have an option in Q4 2017 that doesn’t require them to spend $40,000-plus.

This is a good thing.

Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Autofocus.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars.