“Merry Christmas,” I shout, a few days early, from the driver’s window of the 2014 Buick Regal.
This sport sedan is well-suited to the Denver region, with all-wheel drive and a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. And it’s dressed in what I would label “holiday red.”
I extend happy holiday greetings over the next 10 days to all my readers.
The Regal was a strong performer for Buick in the 1980s and ’90s, then became a bit bloated in looks until its production ended in 2004. It was resurrected in 2011 in much trimmer form.
The addition of all-wheel drive is the big news for 2014. It is a Haldex system with electronic limited-slip differential; it can send 90 percent of torque to the rear axle for improved grip and cornering in adverse conditions.
Coupled with the AWD setup is a redesigned 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine with turbocharging and an increase horsepower to 259 (torque 295). Fuel economy has been improved, along with the higher output. It is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, with manual mode that can be tapped up or down for quickened shifts.
The Regal Premium II edition shows a high-quality interior, with comfortable front soft-leather seats, lightly bolstered and heated. Legroom and footroom are tight in the rear seating area. Trunk space is 14.2 cubic feet, considerably roomier than that in the Audi A4 quattro.
The Buick and I took to the road for a couple hundred miles on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The first day was a drive in to Denver (Speer and Grant) for a luncheon at the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association building, a treat for business representatives who “deal with the dealers.”
Jan tested the front passenger seat in the Regal on Wednesday in accompanying me along the newly reopened, flood-damaged U.S. 34 up Big Thompson Canyon to Estes Park. Along the way for the Buick were stops where one-way travel was necessary as work continues along the road. Even after lots of cleanup, destruction in the canyon is shocking; cabins and homes hang precipitously over washed-out footings, foundations and basements along the river.
Lunch was spent at Mama Rose’s, not so much that we were hungry, but more for ducking out of the cold wind blowing down the main street in Estes.The descents and twists on the drive down from Estes to Loveland lend themselves to the use of the manual-mode shifter, and the Regal was of quick response and good handling.
Those highway drives and a number of stop-and-go in-town maneuvers resulted in an overall fuel-mileage average of 24.8. Premium-grade fuel is recommended for the Regal turbo.
The Regal is equipped with MacPherson-strut front and four-link independent rear suspension, along with lane-departure/rear-cross-traffic/blind-zone safety alerts.
The ’14 Regal Premium II with the AWD and turbo comes in at a base price of $35,935; options push the sticker total to $40,445. Besides some already mentioned, those options include adaptive cruise control, power sunroof and memory settings.
Among standard items for the well-equipped sedan are navigation, Bose premium audio with satellite radio, rearview camera, power windows/locks/mirrors, dual-zone climate control, tilt/telescope steering column and 18-inch alloy wheels.
BMW’s 3 coupes renamed 4 series
There are no longer two-door versions of the BMW 3 series.
The coupes will be known as the 4 series for the 2014 model year.
To clarify the change, BMW furnished us with a new 435i xDrive. It is lower and wider and an excellent handler.
Performance is directed from a 3.0-liter, twin-power turbocharged V-6 engine with a smooth 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
Hit a Sport button and the car reacts with more aggression. A stiffer suspension is felt on the bumps. Quicker paddleshifts and acceleration add to the quality drive.
Price of the 435 review model soared way beyond what might be expected from a former 3 series coupe. With the all-wheel drive, the base price of $48,000 climbed to sticker of $64,278, with the addition of these options and more:
M Sport 19-inch alloy wheels, sport seats, steering wheel, anthracite headliner.
Cold-weather package of heated seats and steering wheel, retractable headlight washers.
Driver-assistance rearview camera and park-distance control.
Dynamic-handling suspension and sport steering.
Lighting package of automatic high beams and adaptive LEDs.
Premium lumbar support and keyless entry.
Technology package of navigation, head-up display, Bluetooth and Smartphone.
M Sport brakes.
The 435 averaged 25.5 miles per gallon of premium fuel. Its EPA estimate is 20/30.
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