| 2011 Buick Regal vs 2010 Acura TSX | May 12, 2010 | AUTORIVALS.NET |
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| Don't call it a comeback,
Buick's been here for years. Except they've gone unnoticed by nearly
every demographic except for the 50 years old or older crowd.
All that's about to change with a redesign of their lineup like
the
all-new Lacrosse and the Buick Regal. While Cadillac is
aiming toward German competitors, GM has set Buick to be the new
rival to Lexus and Acura. The Buick Regal has been on a complicated road to production. First it was an Opel in Europe, then the Regal in China, and then supposed to be a Saturn Aura here in America but now that Saturn is gone for good, here it is as the Buick Regal. It comes imported from Germany, then later from Canada, but finally makes it here to the U.S. Not much changes visually between any of the foreign models except for the badging and grilles. The TSX is another sedan with European roots. Originally a European Honda Accord, the TSX gets familiar Acura styling including the "shield" grille and other oddball pieces. For 2010, Acura has updated the TSX by finally throwing in a 3.5L V6 that has been the only thing it lacked since it first arrived here back in 2004. On top of that, a sport wagon model will be added for the 2011 model year. The Regal will only be offered in sedan form but give it time and we might even see a wagon version like the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer model. |
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| 2011 Buick Regal | vs | 2010 Acura TSX |
 The Regal's good looks come easy coming from the Opel Insignia where it has received widespread critical acclaim and Car of the Year honors back in 2009. The grille has been replaced with Buick's new waterfall grille look that gives the Regal a sharp, modern look. It may come from Opel but the Regal already seems to have that Buick feel following the Buick Lacrosse design. |
 Where Buick is in the midst of reinventing their image, Acura has settled in with their odd, futuristic designs. Acura must have been fed up being called bland and boring and did a 180 with their design traits. The "shield" grille protects a subtle grille insert that reminds me of a brick wall with a layered pattern. Like the Regal, styling is nearly identical to the European Honda Accord with the exception of the grille and wheels. |
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| The Regal benefits from subtle
design elements like the upswept crease on the front door. The
new Buick grille is sharp and adds a bit of visual flair to the
otherwise handsome but bland front end. Buick (or Opel) seems to
have found a middle ground in between old and boring (like the
old Buick) and modern and fresh where the Regal doesn't cause
any head turns but looks understatedly handsome. The TSX is a mash up of sharp lines, angular features, and one controversial grille. Distinctive creases flow from front to back from the front fender flare to the crease running along the side. The combination of the five-point headlights and five-point grille give the TSX a sinister yet dumbfounded look. The wide lower grille doesn't help much but one thing's for sure, you can't call it boring anymore. |
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The Regal's rear end doesn't look as clean as the front end with
a trunk that integrates a lip spoiler into the design. The
taillights however, look much cleaner than the TSX's which has a
disorderly red-white-red pattern. The Regal gets the coupe-like
silhouette that is rapidly gaining popularity which gives the
Regal a sleeker look with a smooth roofline. The TSX's angularity continues into the rear which arguably looks better than the front. Notice how the there's a sense of symmetry with the five-point license plate housing and uniquely shaped taillights. Some of the creases seem to be after thoughts though like the crease on the sides of the bumper. |
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| Both interiors seem to be lacking the polish of some of their competitors. Surprisingly enough, the Hyundai Sonata's interior might even rival or better these two. The Regal's interior lacks the two-tone dashboard treatment that the TSX receives but ice-blue LED lights illuminate the surroundings. The center stack styling looks bland but the overall smoothness of the dashboard leading into the door side panels is a nice touch. The good news is that Buick is beginning to embrace the sport characteristics that used to flow through the company's veins. Turbocharged 2.0L inline-4 models have an available "Interactive Drive Control System" that allows for normal, tour, or sport settings to optimize the suspension and steering response. | ||
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PROS +Clean, handsome design +Finally, a modern-looking Buick +Subtle side creases CONS -Rear styling looks off -Interior lacks polish |
PROS +Arguably the best-looking Acura currently available +V6 adds power, wagon model adds versatility CONS -Odd looking face -Interior lacks polish |
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| Video Source: Cars.com via YouTube |
| 2011 Buick Regal | vs | 2010 Opel Insignia |
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| Taking a look at where the Regal comes from, not much was changed except for the grille, badging, and wheels. | ||
| 2010 Acura TSX | 2010 Honda Accord (European Spec) | |
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| The TSX's origins are blatantly obvious as well. Place a thumb over the grille and you'll have a hard time telling which one is which. | ||
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