We have to start out this review by repeating a phrase we used for another Buick last year: "Surprisingly, not bad!"

We quite liked this car. This is the new Regal with the Gran Sport package. The package gives you a supercharged 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine, which is more power than any reasonable person needs. Much more importantly, it gives you handling improvements (i.e., a "sport suspension"). The sport suspension is an absolute necessity on this car. While on other cars a sport suspension might make the ride uncomfortably stiff, here it simply makes it "not nauseating."

With the GS package, the car handles quite well. It does not have the classic Buick squishiness most older Buick buyers crave. And, when you combine the decent handling with a very plush, very comfortable, very well appointed interior, you get a very nice car. It's a good size--about the same as a Camry--and it gives the impression of being very luxurious.

Interestingly, we had the Regal Gran Sport at the same time we had a four-cylinder Toyota Camry. And, even more interestingly, their sticker prices were almost identical. Both were around $24,000. So, we asked ourselves: "Selves, if you had $24,000 to spend on either the Camry or the Regal GS, which would you buy?" The answer is the Camry, of course--but not by much!

If the question were, "Which one would you LEASE?" we might very well go for the Buick. The truth is, the Buick seemed like a much more expensive, much more luxurious car. The Toyota, by comparison, appeared Spartan and economical. But we know the Toyota is one of the most reliable cars on the planet, so we know it's going to give us trouble-free service for many years. Unfortunately, we don't know that about the Buick. And, based on our past experience, we would have to expect that would not be the case.

It's too bad, because it's an awfully nice car to drive. But it does indicate that there's hope. We could absolutely see why somebody would buy this car. And we wouldn't blame them one bit (although, as we say, we'd recommend leasing it for three years and letting someone else worry about it, mechanically, after that). It's a very luxurious, decent-handling, good-looking car. If it proves reliable over the years, it will even look like a deal at $24k.

By the way, if you do buy one, be sure to come back and fill out our Car Talk survey so we'll know, over time, if Buick reliability has improved.

View cars.com model report on this vehicle.

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