A Station Wagon You’ll Obsess Over

By Katrice L. Mines

I come from a long line of American automobile lovers. In the small Ohio town where I grew up, a job at General Motors was highly coveted and, for me, piling into my grandparents’ Chevy station wagon with my cousins – the best thing ever. When I pulled up to my family reunion in the Buick Regal TourX recently, my uncles – all now GM retirees – gathered to study it. “This is a Buick, huh,” one asked. “Yep,” I replied. Smiles all around … I could tell they thought I’d made a good choice.

The Regal TourX – proof that Buick is set on making bold moves outside traditional vehicle segments – will make that impression on you.

With more overall cargo space than the Volvo V60 Cross Country, the Audi A4 Allroad, BMW 3-series Sport Wagon and the Subaru Outback, the TourX rides higher than its Sportback counterpart, enabling greater capability. Its rugged and but sleek exterior appearance, standard roof rails, interior amenities, standard intelligent all-wheel drive with active twin-clutch and functional cargo area epitomize upscale utility, capability and convenience.

2018 Buick Regal TourX

The first-ever Regal TourX is styled to redefine what capability can look like, offering the driving dynamics of a car and the versatility of an SUV. Done. Because I was on the host committee for this year’s reunion in Atlanta, my mind was on two things – getting around town with my cousins in chic fashion and making the most of my trips to and fro with whatever I’d need for the festivities. Done and done. The backseat of the new-age wagon seemed to expand as space was needed and was a comfortable ride for kids and adults alike. And its hands-free power liftgate was the real MVP of the weekend.

Compared to the 2018 Regal Sportback, the TourX is 3.4 inches longer, showcasing a strong side profile and a roofline accent piece that arches along the entire length of the roof and D-pillar, eventually culminating in the LED-accented taillights. To say that it’s design turns heads is an understatement. I spent the weekend answering questions from passersby who couldn’t help but wonder what I was driving. Up front, Buick’s winged grille is flanked by standard LED daytime running lights and available LED headlights that are thinner and more landscaped to enhance the low, wide appearance of the front end. Customer-minded available accessories include a variable roof rack, portable Bluetooth speaker and keyless keypad entry.

Every Regal TourX also comes equipped with an OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot (AT&T data plan purchase required after limited data trial period) and five years of the OnStar Basic Plan[1] at no additional cost. A 7-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is standard on TourX and Preferred trims, while an 8-inch system is standard on the Essence trim with available embedded navigation optional. Bose premium audio with an innovative subwoofer mounted in the spare tire well is also standard with active noise cancellation.

The 2018 Regal TourX offers new levels of crash prevention and protection. Along with the Regal Sportback, it is the first Buick to offer a standard active hood pedestrian safety system that senses the imminent impact of a pedestrian between 16-30 mph and uses a pyrotechnic actuator to lift the back of the hood up about 4 inches to lessen the impact and potentially reduce injury.

TourX brings the latest product to broaden the brand’s lineup in the U.S., and what I certify the perfect vehicle for power leisure.

Base Price: $29,995