Buick Rumor Mill: Is a Wagon Version of Regal in the Works?

The Buick Regal is an excellent combination of performance, comfort, luxury and value. With a few trims to chose from, some might wonder: could the Regal lineup get even more options in the near future?

There are rumors that Buick is currently studying focus group materials to see if the Regal Wagon would be a viable option in the market. Perhaps more interestingly, these focus groups have been comparing the potential Regal Wagon to vehicles like the Acura TSX wagon and an unknown Volvo wagon of a similar size, probably the Volvo X60, which is a very well reviewed vehicle in its own right.

This move would make perfect sense, of course. The smaller SUV and crossover SUV markets are exploding, growing faster than any other market segment in car sales. Additionally, Buick has reaped a number of rewards from the trend back to larger automobiles lately, seeing solid sales growth with their SUV lineup over the past few years. Buick targeting this market would be a reasonable expectation, and since many of their SUVs are already well rated, Buick would enter the crossover market with a new offering that would likely have forward momentum from the vehicles launch.

Utilizing the Regal moniker to start this new lineup also makes perfect sense. Buick has produced upscale vehicles under the Regal name continuously since 1973. The Regal is Buick’s longest standing offering, and it has undergone a number of changes over the roughly five (soon to be six?) generations thus far. The new Regal Wagon, if it is offered, will likely be a part of a new Regal unveiling for the 2018 model year.

This rumor is very interesting for a number of reasons. First, GM has been among the most successful SUV makers in the auto market to date. Chevy, Buick and GMC have all had successful SUVs and crossovers, so one might be left to wonder if adding yet another SUV to the mix might dilute the brand, or attract new customers. Second, and in a similar vein, it is curious that GM has not yet produced a vehicle similar to the TSX Wagon or X60 from Volvo, capitalizing on the supposedly niche market which is constantly growing in year over year sales. Finally, as Buick has a long standing partnership with Opel, GM’s European badge for Buick, it is worth noting that Opel already offers a Regal Wagon, with the latest generation Opel Insignia having a wagon variation since 2008.

All in all, internal market data will determine whether or not Buick has a Wagon for 2018, but there are certainly reasons to think they will. These rumors have existed before, however, so there is no guarantee.