Buick Regal sales increased in the United States and in Canada while decreasing in Mexico in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Buick Regal Sales - Q4 2018 - United States
In the United States, Buick Regal deliveries totaled 3,110 units in Q4 2018, an increase of about 21 percent compared to 2,569 units sold in Q4 2017.During the complete 2018 calendar year, Regal sales increased about 22 percent to 14,118 units.
| MODEL | Q4 2018 / Q4 2017 | Q4 2018 | Q4 2017 | YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 | YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REGAL | +21.06% | 3,110 | 2,569 | +22.14% | 14,118 | 11,559 |
Buick Regal Sales - Q4 2018 - Canada
In Canada, Buick Regal deliveries totaled 394 units in Q4 2018, an increase of about 145 percent compared to 161 units sold in Q4 2017.During the complete 2018 calendar year, Regal sales increased about 22 percent to 846 units.
| MODEL | Q4 2018 / Q4 2017 | Q4 2018 | Q4 2017 | YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 | YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REGAL | +144.52% | 394 | 161 | +21.73% | 846 | 695 |
Buick Regal Sales - Q4 2018 - Mexico
In Mexico, Buick Regal deliveries totaled 1 units in Q4 2018, a decrease of about 92 percent compared to 12 units sold in Q4 2017.During the complete 2018 calendar year, Regal sales decreased about 40 percent to 44 units.
| MODEL | Q4 2018 / Q4 2017 | Q4 2018 | Q4 2017 | YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 | YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REGAL | -91.67% | 1 | 12 | -39.73% | 44 | 73 |
Competitive Sales Comparison
The Regal family was outsold by the other two segment contenders during the fourth quarter – the Acura TLX and the Kia Stinger. That puts the Regal in last place in its segment by sales volume, which – in this case – is not necessarily a bad thing.
The difference between Regal and TLX sales was quite vast, with the Acura selling over twice as many units as the Buick. Be that as it may, the Regal managed to close the gap with the TLX, which saw sales dip 9 percent during the quarter. Meanwhile, the Kia sold 607 units more than the Regal. What’s impressive is that the Kia did so while offering only a single body and commanding a higher base price.
Sales Numbers - Sporty Midsize Premium Cars - Q4 2018 - United States
| MODEL | Q4 18 / Q4 17 | Q4 18 | Q4 17 | YTD 18 / YTD 17 | YTD 18 | YTD 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TLX | -9.38% | 7,551 | 8,333 | -12.56% | 30,468 | 34,846 |
| STINGER | +351.60% | 3,807 | 843 | +1,893.59% | 16,806 | 843 |
| REGAL | +21.06% | 3,110 | 2,569 | +22.14% | 14,118 | 11,559 |
| TOTAL | +23.18% | 14,468 | 11,745 | +29.94% | 61,392 | 47,248 |
The sporty, midsize premium car segment expanded 23 percent in Q4 2018 and 30 percent in the complete 2018 calendar year. The performance bucks the trend of decreasing car sales.
The GM Authority Take
Buick Regal sales continues to rise, impressively bucking the trend of falling sales of passenger cars. The model has delivered very healthy growth during the quarter and the calendar year, a circumstance we attribute to the following circumstances:
- Widespread availability of the new, sixth-generation Regal Sportback and TourX at the dealer level
- An attractive, modern and highly competitive product offering in the Regal Sportback
- A unique, attractive, modern and highly competitive product offering in the Regal TourX
- A lower base price compared to direct rivals
In fact, we believe that Regal sales would be even higher if GM/Buick marketed the vehicle.
We expect Buick Regal sales to continue an upward trajectory in 2019 as it continues to close the gap with Acura TLX, so long as supply allows – which is not guaranteed due to issues associated with the Russelsheim plant that produces the model. The facility is owned and operated by PSA Groupe since GM sold Opel to PSA in 2017.
Meanwhile, the Kia Stinger remains the wildcard in the segment, as the sporty new Korean model is enjoying an even stronger sales performance than the Regal. However, we continue to believe that Stinger sales will soon reach their pinnacle as a result of the following factors:
- Satisfying the market segment sell-in rate, and
- A significant price premium over a similarly-sized Kia Optima, with Stinger prices easily climbing into the $50,000 range
- A weakness of the Kia brand to attract sufficient levels of customers willing to spend the aforementioned amount of funds “on a Kia”
About The Numbers
- All percent change figures compared to Buick Regal Q4 2017 sales
- In the United States, there were 77 selling days in Q4 2018 and 76 selling days in Q4 2017
- U.S. Buick Regal sales include Buick Regal Sportback, Buick Regal TourX and Buick Regal GS
- China sales figures represent retail deliveries and not wholesales
2018 Buick Regal Sportback
About Buick Regal
The Buick Regal is a midsize-size premium passenger vehicle line that is currently in its sixth generation and slots above the compact Excelle and Verano (in China) and below the full-size LaCrosse (in North America and in China). The Regal family currently consists of the following models:
- Regal Sportback - a four-door Regal sedan with a liftback trunk
- Regal GS - a four-door Regal Sportback with several performance upgrades
- Regal TourX - a five-door ruggedized wagon
2018 Buick Regal TourX
Buick revealed the all-new Regal in April 2017 at the New York Auto Show and the vehicles launched for the 2018 model year. The sixth-gen model is based on the GM E2 platform, which also underpins the 2016 and newer Chevrolet Malibu and upcoming Cadillac XT4. The Regal is also sold as the second-generation Opel-Vauxhall Insignia and the NG 2018 Holden Commodore in Australia and New Zealand by GM subsidiary Holden.
Prior to the launch of the sixth-gen model, the fifth-generation Regal was available for a total of seven model years, from 2011 thru 2017. That model rode on the GM Epsilon II platform also shared with the first-gen Opel-Vauxhall Insignia and eighth-generation Malibu.
2018 Buick Regal Sportback interior
For the 2019 model year, the Buick Regal family gets a new Avenir trim level, along with Whisper Beige seats with Ebony interior accents for the Regal Sportback as well as a new cabin air ionizer for the Sportback and TourX models.
The sixth-gen Buick Regal is built at the following facilities:
- Opel Rüsselsheim plant in Germany, satisfying North American markets, and
- Shanghai-GM Jinqiao South plant operated by GM China and its partner, SAIC, satisfying the Chinese market
Related News & Info
- GM news
- GM forums
- Buick Regal information
- Running GM sales results
- Running Buick sales results
- Running Buick Regal sales results
- Running Buick sales results
Comments
I love Regal. Opel and Mark Adam’s do great design–TourX is beautiful – – & sport back is smart.
Buick will suffer with the loss of Opel both in design and low volume variety. Hopefully GM signed a deal allowing GM to keep design cues without legal issues with PSA such as the signature eyebrow headlamps.
Nice car but no one cares.
Buick is on track to sell 12k to 15k units. Anyone remember when GM would move 500k Cutlasses or even more Impala Caprice models.
Today a MFGs need to move 100 k units if not the income needs to be made up on higher price.
Yes and when they moved that many cars they actively marketed and advertised them.
Even GMA, in its opinion piece admitted that: “In fact, we believe that Regal sales would be even higher if GM/Buick marketed the vehicle.”
How many times and for how many vehicles have we heard the same thing from GM’s customer base?
Well they are basically giving them away right now.
Too bad it doesn’t have Paddle Shifters like the Opel version does on the base car let alone on the Sporty GS model.
Nice car overall though.