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| Buick actually had some cool models in their lineup for 2019 (top picture) and still for 2020 as well. The Regal GS is my favorite modern Buick. But for 2021, this won't necessarily be the case... It'll be interesting to see how the brand evolves in 2021 and beyond. |
Buick – a
brand generally synonymous with “old people”. I admit, I have a soft spot for the
brand. My mother has had several Buicks in my 26 years on this Earth now,
including a V8 Buick Lucerne – likely the last big V8 Buick sedan of my
generation. Her other Buicks were the Terraza minivan and Regal Turbo, which we
still have. My grandparents also had a 3.9L V6 Lucerne.
What has
stuck with me about these cars is just how interesting they were, brand image
aside. The Terraza had AWD, a DVD player and a great sound system. I remember
going outside in the summer and watching movies in the back seat until the
battery died. The V8 Lucerne had GM’s Magnetic Ride Suspension, Harman/Kardon
audio, and enough power to make it feel like you were powering a luxury jet.
The Regal Turbo also has plenty of power, navigation, Harman/Kardon speakers,
an adaptive suspension and has razor sharp handling. All of them rode smooth.
Very classic Buick with a modern twist.
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Extra thoughts from
my Snap story haha. |
That’s why whether
we want to acknowledge it or not, Buick’s 2019 lineup was the pinnacle of
modern Buick “cool”. Simply due to the diversity of the lineup. You could get a
convertible, a station wagon, a large luxury sedan, a sport sedan, a
performance luxury sport sedan, and an assortment of entry to mid-luxury level
crossovers from BUICK of all brands. But from 2020 on, that’s all going to
change. The LaCrosse and Cascada convertible are now discontinued, and Buick
has announced that the Regal line will end production after the 2020 model
year. This essentially means that from 2021 onward, Buick will be an SUV-only
brand. Ford’s Lincoln brand is also poised to take a similar direction.
Consider
This
Now, a
couple of points are worth noting. Of course, the market is naturally shifting
towards SUVs and trucks these days with gas prices low and fuel economy ratings
on those models higher than ever, so it makes sense that Buick is evolving with
the times. Double down on the fact that Buick says most of their vehicle sales
are now SUVs. But that also makes sense, because they only sell/stock a few
cars vs. SUVs on their dealer lots these days whenever you drive by one and
they offer fewer sedans in their lineup. Another point is marketing. I believe
good marketing and advertising can totally make or break a product/brand, and
Buick’s “Experience the New Buick/that’s not a Buick/S ‘YOU’ V” campaigns do
little to explain WHY people should buy a new Buick over, say, a Lexus, Audi,
or even an in-house GM brand like Cadillac.
Diversity
Matters
Buick in my
opinion was very unique and kind of its own ‘cool’ within the GM portfolio
prior to 2020. The brand combined the luxury/sport niche image well. However, for
2021 on the brand will largely become synonymous with “stuffy” as they only
make the one thing EVERYONE is making these days – SUVs. And to clarify, I
don’t have a problem with SUVs! I have three myself vs. one sedan. But I do
have a problem with a lack in diversity. Whether it comes to society or cars.
This
situation does present a silver lining in a way however for a few models in
modern Buick’s lineup – the Regal GS, Tour X station wagon and Cascada
convertible. I feel these cars will become collector’s items someday. This is
because the Regal GS is one of the last midsized sporty sedans on the market
with a V6 engine and AWD, and its not a common vehicle. Ditto the Regal Tour X
and Cascada, which I only see occasionally on the road. Plus, the design of the
Regal sedan (being a lift back like an Audi A5) and the niche market for
convertibles and station wagons with car enthusiasts will bode well for these
models as they age. Additionally, none of these cars were made for very long
(three to four model years max - hardly a full product cycle) and they are
actually rebranded Opels, which was sold by GM to Groupe PSA who’s merging with
FCA, if you recall. Time will tell how these cars are remembered.
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| SPOTTED: 2021 Buick Encore GX |
Moving
forward, Buick’s lineup will likely consist of the Encore, Encore GX, Envision,
another Envision-sized midsized SUV (likely the rumored Enspire SUV), an
electric SUV or two (I’m guessing), and the Enclave. Pretty BLAH if you ask me.
But it didn’t have to be this way, and up until recently, it wasn’t. Buick had a
little vitality and its own swagger if you will. But people can’t get past the
“old person’s” image of the Buick badge, similar to how Kia is still seen as
“cheap” to some people. But if consumer’s tastes change again, maybe we’ll see
some more life come back into the Buick lineup at some point.
Until then,
I’m going to encourage my mother to keep her 2013 Buick Regal Turbo until the
wheels fall off. Its a fantastic ride.
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