Ace of Base: Buick Regal TourX
News arrived in our inboxes this morning of yet another death in the automotive family. The Buick Regal TourX, aged just three model years, was pronounced dead today, victim of insatiable consumer thirst for crossovers and SUVs. It leaves to mourn many dozens of wagon-lovers across the nation.
In a classic case of calling the locksmith after the equines have departed, let’s look at what a base model Regal TourX would have provided wagon customers.
Absent of an entry-level trim like Essential or Elemental, the base Regal TourX was simply called that — TourX. It’s MSRP just slid under the thirty grand mark, stickering at $29,370 absent of delivery fees and any dealer rebates. Under the hood was a 2.0L turbo, a mill of familiar displacement but cranking out a not inconsiderable 250 horsepower. Torque was near-as-makes-no-difference 300lb.-ft of twist. Paired to an eight-speed automatic, it avoided the indignity of being lashed to any sort of wretched CVT. All-wheel drive was standard equipment, a huge plus for those of us living in parts of the country where what misery falls from the sky is not to be believed.
Its 7-inch infotainment screen is on the small side for 2020, compared with many competitors who offer more than eight inches (that sounds dirty — phrasing, Matt). Cloth seats were of the manual variety, as was the tilt/telescope adjustments for the steering wheel. The latter is to be expected in the sub-$30k bracket but surely The General could have found some power seats for the thing. USB ports abounded and dual zone climate control kept warring factions in the front row of seats happy. Or at least in a hastily called truce.
From the outside, this entry-level TourX didn’t look like a base car, festooned with 18-inch aluminium wheels, natty fog lamps, and LED tails. In keeping with the AWD theme, those sideview mirrors are heated. As is GM’s infuriating practice, all the good colors are reserved for fancy-pants models, leaving this base car with a choice of just white, black, or silver. Would it kill ya to offer Rioja Red across the board, Buick? Further inflaming this author, only Summit White is offered gratis. The other two are $495 options.
As of this writing, there is a $5,500 cheque on the hood of 2019 models and you can bet there is plenty more cash hiding in various dealer incentives and holdbacks. As for the 2020 model year, there will surely be similar notes available in short order now that GM has pulled the plug on this handsome wagon.
[Images: General Motors]
Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.
More by Matthew Guy
Comments
Join the conversation
I'll be bitter for a long time that the TourX didn't come to Canada. I can say with 100% certainty I would have one in my driveway. I mean Canada, wagons do okay up here. This decision makes no sense. We were also robbed of the Acura TSX wagon back in the day. I get the cynicism about this car completely. Wanting one was a mix of practicality and lack of regard for financial return/orphan status on the horizon. I have a '95 Roadmaster Estate and an Optima SX. Maintaining two vehicles has become a burden, insuring two cars sucks when the premium for the additional car is so high, considering I'm single and live alone therefore both cars are never in use at the same time, and I rack up maybe 12,000km per year total (less than 8,000 miles). This TourX would have been my 4th Buick, my second Regal, and a perfect car to replace my RMW and Optima to go back to one car. I adore my RMW but after 5 years I got out of it what I wanted to, and it's time for it to find it's next owner.
Mandatory AWD ensures I have zero interest in it. I have zero use for more than two driven wheels on a vehicle that will never go offroad. Even in Maine.