Coming this fall, Buick has an incognito 2018 Buick Regal hatchback on its way to replace the sedan version. Most people wouldn’t even know that it’s a hatchback without being told since it hides the lift gate with a three-box exterior design — meaning, it’ll look just like a midsize Regal sedan, but with a lift gate that will carry over sixty cubic feet of gear when you fold down the three-section split-folding rear seats.
The front end of the 2018 Buick Regal Sportback has much thinner headlights, and a slightly smaller waterfall grille without a lot of chrome. Buick did revise the tri-shield grille on the new Regal, and made it colored instead of monochrome — it’s the same design already found on the 2017 Buick LaCrosse and 2017 Buick Encore.
Its side profile reveals a few differences from the previous Regal sedan. You can tell pretty immediately that it has a shorter rear decklid — a small giveaway that it has a lift gate instead of an actual trunk. The new model also has a low slung roofline that helps smooth out the longer overall length and wheelbase over the sedan. On the back end, the shorter rear decklid makes the 2018 Regal Sportback look thinner and more refined — it also has more modern looking taillights to finish it out.
The cabin features a cleaner dash with a larger touchscreen for the IntelliLink infotainment system. There’s no real difference between the layout of the gauges clusters between the outgoing and incoming models, but the center stack is a lot less cluttered than the 2017 model.
There’s a surprising shortage of differences between the three-door version and the sedan. Some may appreciate this, while others are left wanting a big overhaul that’s not happening anytime soon. Look at it this way, at least there are no changes for the worse!
Elizabeth is a hardcore horsepower enthusiast with unmatched intensity for making things faster and louder. She wakes up for power and performance and only sleeps to charge up for the next project that’s heading to the track. From autocross to drag racing, Elizabeth is there with you, so stay tuned for her unique perspective on horsepower news, builds, tech info, and installs — with her, it’ll never be boring!
