Buick has redesigned its Regal line with the all-new Regal Sportback and the Regal TourX, an upscale wagon alternative to SUVs. The formula is familiar, having been honed in the mainstream with the Subaru Outback and in the upscale market with the Volvo V60 Cross Country: Take a midsized sedan, create a wagon, give it all-wheel drive, and dress it up for light-duty off-road excursions.
In addition to its elevated height, the Regal TourX sports a more durable front end, fender moldings, and a variable roof rack not found on the coupe-like Sportback.
The Regal TourX shares the basic underpinnings of the Regal Sportback. It will come in all-wheel drive with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, also found in the AWD Regal Sportback. Similarly, it has an eight-speed automatic transmission and an estimated 250 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.
A 7-inch infotainment system is standard, while an 8-inch will be available. Both systems get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, five years of OnStar Basic, and are equipped with OnStar 4G LTE WiFi capabilities. Only the 8-inch system has built-in navigation.
In an innovation for Buick, the Regal TourX and the Sportback both get a standard active-hood pedestrian safety system. This setup utilizes a pyrotechnic actuator that lifts up the back of the hood 4 inches upon impact with a pedestrian, lessening the force of the impact and possibly reducing the severity of injury.
Additional safety features are available, but are not standard, as we'd prefer. Front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, and adaptive cruise control are only available on the most expensive of the Driver Confidence packages.
The 2018 Regal TourX will be available in three trim levels (TourX, Preferred, and Essence) with pricing to become available closer to the on-sale date in late 2017.
Read our complete Buick Regal road test.
