As midsize car owners continue to flock to crossovers, Buick attempts to minimize the exodus from its midsize Regal with a two-pronged approach. No longer a traditional sedan, Regal is now dubbed Sportback, in reference to its hatchback design. Accompanied by the Sportback is the TourX, which is Buick-speak for wagon. Light rocker cladding gives it crossover pretensions similar to an Audi A4 Allroad or Suburu Outback, but wagon lovers know the truth. The Sportback offers a 250 hp 2.0L turbo, while the GS features a 310 hp 3.6L V6 paired exclusively with all wheel drive and a 9-speed automatic. Neither powertrain offers a manual transmission, which was unexpectedly offered at times throughout the previous generation Regal’s tenure. The TourX offers only the 2.0L Turbo and standard AWD. Prices (with destination charge) start at $25,915 for the Sportback, $39,995 for the GS, and $29,995 for the TourX.
We’re a weird bunch. For many reasons probably, but primarily because the AT staff is part of that slim subgroup of auto enthusiasts who believe the only way to improve on a BMW 3-Series is to extend the roofline and add a liftgate. In other words, we would spec our 3 as a Sport Wagon. So you can imagine how happy we were to have a week with the latest Sport Wagon after first fearing that BMW may stop importing the cargo-friendly version when the latest generation debuted. Yes, we would like the option of a 6-speed manual and rear wheel drive in place of the all-weather capable xDrive setup that BMW wrongly assumes everyone wants, but there’s still plenty to love here as you’ll see in our latest video review.
True station wagons are a rare bird in the United States automotive landscape. Americans want their wagons high-riding so they don’t feel like they’re driving their grandparents Ford Country Squire to work. Our European brothers, however, embrace the wagon because of its low riding sedan characteristics and added utility. Watch as Editor Muxlow defends the honor of the station wagon to the land of the red, white and blue. Read more…
First Mercedes-Benz challenged our definition of a coupe by offering the CLS four door coupe. This car had conventionally hinged doors front and rear but featured a dramatically impractical roofline. Now Stuttgart is looking to challenge yet another body style definition. This time the ‘shooting brake’ is being redefined. Read more…
In the American Hierarchy of Transportation the station wagon ranks just above the moped in desirability, and the entry level station wagon: just above a riding lawnmower. Nevertheless, Volkswagen continues to be one of the few automakers brave enough to offer the unloved body style in its Jetta lineup. We recently spent a week in one and came away believing what we always have: wagons offer the people and cargo capacity to meet most people’s needs and drive better than any crossover/SUV. Read more…
It’s been anything but smooth sailing for Saab since being acquired by GM in 1990. The quirky Swedish automaker has often been criticized for relying on outdated, back-of-the-pack products that cause it to lose money on a scale that impresses even Mike Tyson—and that’s not easy to do. Most of the time Saab opponents seem to outnumber supporters 100 to 1. The latest death threat came from Jerome York, a newly appointed GM board member and investor Kirk Kerkorian’s right-hand man, who called for the company to cut its losses and dump the brand. The latest rumors suggest York has since warmed up to Saab and now believes, as many others inside GM do, that the future business case for the troubled brand might be enough to turn the dim light at the end of the tunnel into a new dawn for Saab. The 9-3 SportCombi we recently tested suggests Saab’s sun may rise sooner than expected. Read more…
The new Dodge Magnum is a great station wagon with only one problem: Dodge won’t call it a station wagon.
Instead, the marketing geniuses in Detroit demand we call it an Active Hybrid Sport Crossover Utility Something-or-Another Vehicle, but they’re not fooling anybody. It’s still a station wagon, and a darn good one at that. Read more…
Logically, one would not even consider putting an Audi in a cornfield. But photographers don’t exactly adhere to the same brain patterns when logical thinking is involved. Thus, we tread many a dirt road and cattle path in pursuit of photog satisfaction. Is the allroad (not a typo, Audi is case sensitive) capable of traversing lightly beaten paths while coddling passengers listening to classical music with the A/C purring away? Yeah, something like that, but you will have to read on to find out. Read more…
