General Motors has discontinued the Preferred II trim level of the Buick Regal Sportback, GM Authority was first to learn.
According to sources, the trim level stopped being available to order as of late January in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions.
The Preferred II trim slotted above the Preferred model but below the Essence, Avenir and GS models. Its discontinuation leaves the Buick Regal Sportback with the base, Preferred, Essence, Avenir, and GS trims.
The Preferred II trim level was powered by the turbocharged 2.0L I-4 LTG engine mated to the GM 9-speed automatic transmission. It was the only powertrain option available in the model. The vehicle included the following features beyond those offered on the Preferred I trim:
- Interior
- SiriusXM Radio trial
- Buick Infotainment System with 8-inch diagonal color touch-screen (vs. 7-inch screen on Preferred)
- 4.2-inch diagonal multi-color driver information screen
- Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
- Interior ambient lighting
- Available wireless phone charging (not available on Preferred)
- Flat-folding 40/20/40 tri-folding rear seat vs 60-40 split-folding rear seat
- Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Exterior:
- Fog lamps
- 18-inch machine-faced aluminum wheels with painted pockets (vs. 17-inch 5-spoke aluminum wheels on Preferred)
- Mechanical:
- Remote start
- Electronic power steering
As of this writing, the official Buick website still shows the Preferred II trim level in the online configurator for the Regal.
| Trim Level: | Regal (Base) | Preferred | Preferred II* | Preferred II* | Essence | Essence | Avenir | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim Code: | 1SV | 1SB | 1SC | 1SC | 1SL | 1SL | 1SU | 1SX |
| Drive Wheels: | FWD | FWD | FWD | AWD | FWD | AWD | FWD | AWD |
| Model Code: | 4ZU68 | 4ZW68 | 4ZX68 | 4ZG68 | 4ZY68 | 4ZH68 | 4ZY68 | 4ZZ68 |
| Starting MSRP: | $25,070 | $27,670 | $29,770 | $32,695 | $31,770 | $34,795 | $35,765 | $39,995 |
- * – discontinued as of January 2019
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
The cutting of trim level options might be a precursor of potential bad news and given GM CEO Mary Barra approach of doing business by giving up market share to foreign competitors this may be the first step before the Buick Regal is on the chopping block.
Like with the former arrangement where GM imported a specific number of SS/Caprice models from Holden Australia to satisfy a contractual requirement, I suppose GM is obliged to purchase a certain number of former Opel models (like the Insignia and Cascada) from PSA for a certain time frame. Given the absence of any effort to market these cars, it appears GM is satisfied selling the absolute minimum number required, and then cancelling the models. GM would much rather sell you a truck. The problem being that not all of its customers want a truck, which will render them former customers in short order. Sad.
@Omegatalon: My thought exactly.
Poor (but very nice) Regal is heading to the grave.
It will not be missed much. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one out in the wild even in car crazy Southern California.
That new interior color looks sharp. they need to advertise it more than just the see of black that a lot of manufactures have. the two tones are very sharp especially with a light color and dark color combo.
This story has me confused could some one explain it better me!? I was planning on ordering a 2020 Regal Sportback GS how will this affect that model or will it? Thank You
GM is (right now) eliminating a trim level (i.e., the set of options you get with the car, from engine-type to safety equipment to interior materials).
So for a 2019 model, you have 5 options:
– Base (hardly any of these actually exist), Preferred, Essence, Avenir and GS
If you waiting for a 2020 model, there a no guarantees this car will even exist (probably, but as noted in above comments, it is very likely on the way out). But if it does, a GS trim level will be available (unless they make another change).
What a disgrace! The best looking Buick to come out in years. My friend had the last Verano and it was a great car….gone!
I went to lease a Buick Regal Essence AWD last summer to replace my Volvo S60 T5 AWD with similar specs. Not only didn’t Buick dealers have the vehicles, but they wouldn’t try to sell me a car I wanted. To top it off, the leases were ridiculous! My father was a GM guy (Buick, Olds, Pontiac). I wanted to go American and help GM AND THIS IS HOW THEY TREATED POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS WHO WANTED TO SWITCH TO THEM!
Yup – the secret is out. Buick dealers are not stocking any Buick cars. Just now (Friday night, 3-29-19) I checked my local Buick dealer’s inventory online, and of the 149 new vehicles they have in stock, only 1 – ONE – is a car. A Regal TourX. But here is the best part – it is a leftover 2018 model! I keep repeating myself, but here goes again – GM doesn’t sell many Buick cars because (1) they have no interest in selling any Buick cars; and (2) their dealers do not stock any Buick cars. Such a joke.
The dealership model is the death of American automotive innovation.
It is why we have such a restricted selection of options (can only buy trim levels), and restricted selection of models (only the best sellers last beyond the first year).
In today’s car market, unless you want an SUV, you have to be prepared to make compromises. Should we be compromising when we’re spending more than $30k?
Thank You Rob for your help and time. Barry.
I am really POed with Generous Motors about trying to push trucks crossovers suv down our throats. I do not want them as many do not. They are loosing countless sales to other foreign manufactures as they are one also now! Have you looked at the size of a Silverado or Sierra ridiculous, they look like a small dump truck! I want a car, and having 2 small Caddy’s the price for them is getting ridiculous and the quality is marginal. to say the least .
Good there are too many trim levels, and this car isn’t selling, nor is it a real Buick anyway. Nor are there any real Buicks left besides the Enclave. Drop the 1SV trim while at it and rename Preferred Special. So Special, Essence, Avenir (never liked the name, I’d call it Ultra instead), GS, that’s it. Applies for Sportback and TourX, then if there were a next gen, back to a notchback sedan since we no longer have to bent for Opel, just the Chinese.
Its seems true, GM wants the Regal in the coffin, at least in NA as fast as possible.
The production rate is near zero.
I personally think GM is wrong.
I can understand shifting engineering to more crossovers, but cutting products that are already in production where all production facilitys are already built and running doesnt make sense to me.
I really like the car.
A sign of things to come? So now you are forced into the pricier Essence trim just to get AWD and with usual GM cheapness the lower trim levels lack things that this car should have std like LED headlights, advanced safety equipment, XM radio, fog lamps, 18″ tires and the base version doesn’t even have a leather wheel or power seat and Buick is pitching these as “premium” cars.
Does GM even care what potential buyers think about saving Buick when dealers have no Regal inventory? NO