Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year, against this model's usual year.
2013CAREFULSerious complaints 1.9× usual, mostly power train and engine Extended coverage
35 serious complaints of 91, the most about power train (9) and engine (9); 1.9× this model's usual share of all serious complaints about 2013 vehicles. 6 recalls. NHTSA investigation RQ13003: generator control module fires.
What owners report
“The contact called on behalf of his child who owns a 2013 buick regal. While driving, the contact's daughter noticed debris on the roadway. She stopped the vehicle and the e-assist function activated. After the debris was removed from the road, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to respond.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the power train, Jul 2018
“I have a continuous problem where the vehicle goes into limp mode/reduce power mode it studders and stalls out. The check engine and stabilitrak light comes on. It is extreamly dangerous at it happens on the road and in traffic.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the engine, Mar 2025
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage On some vehicles, equipped with e85 flex fuel capability (fhs), the flexible fuel sensor may become inoperative during normal operation due to an electrical failure caused by road salt and other environmental contaminants. 14289 - special coverage. (G-199041, Aug 2014)
- Extended coverage Certain vehicles equipped with a 2.4l engine (laf, lea or luk) that have experienced high oil consumption may also experience a frozen and/or plugged pcv (positive crankcase ventilation) system during cold weather operation. 14882 - special coverage. (14882, Mar 2015)
- Repair program 13125 - Customer Satisfaction Program - There may be an interference condition between the outside door handle and the door handle bracket assembly. Dealers will inspect and modify the front and rear outside door handles. (G-166827, May 2013)
- Repair program This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a Diagnostic Trouble Code B101D stored in Telematics Communication Interface Control Module. (PIT5236F, Aug 2015)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
91 owner complaints · 6 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 22–29 mpg · NHTSA: 5 of 5 stars · 2013 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. NHTSA doesn't publish sales, so only big differences count. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl turbo; 2.4L 4-cyl · Drive: FWD
2013 Regal trims
| Convenience | GS | Leather | Premium I | Premium II / Turbo | Premium III / Turbo Sport |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Buick reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Buick aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD, FWD | 22–26 mpg | Not rated | 2 | 2 | Electrical system (1) | Yes |
| 2019 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD, FWD | 22–26 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 19 | Electrical system (7) | Yes |
| 2018 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD, FWD | 22–26 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 19 | Service brakes (7) | Yes |
| 2017 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 2.4L 4-cyl | AWD, FWD | 22–24 mpg | 5 of 5 | 0 | 20 | Service brakes, hydraulic (7) | Yes |
| 2016 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 2.4L 4-cyl manual available | AWD, FWD | 22–28 mpg | 5 of 5 | 1 | 41 | Steering (10) | Yes |
| 2015 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 2.4L 4-cyl manual available | AWD, FWD | 22–28 mpg | 5 of 5 | 0 | 33 | Engine (9) | No |
| 2014 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 2.4L 4-cyl manual available | AWD, FWD | 22–28 mpg | 5 of 5 | 2 | 38 | Engine (9) | No |
| 2013 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 2.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 22–29 mpg | 5 of 5 | 6 | 91 | Exterior lighting (37) | No |
| 2012 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 2.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 22–28 mpg | 5 of 5 | 7 | 92 | Exterior lighting (33) | No |
| 2011 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 2.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 21–24 mpg | Not rated | 4 | 280 | Engine (108) | No |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Which years have…
Apple lists CarPlay for: Regal 2016–2022 (Apple).
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Buick Regal 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 2 | 2 |
| 2019 | Buick Regal 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 3 | 19 |
| 2018 | Buick Regal 5 HB FWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 3 | 19 |
| 2017 | Buick Regal 4 DR AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 20 |
| 2017 | Buick Regal 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 20 |
| 2016 | Buick Regal 4 DR AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 1 | 41 |
| 2016 | Buick Regal 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 1 | 41 |
| 2016 | Buick Regal eAssist 4 DR FWD | 5 | No | No | 1 | 40 |
| 2015 | Buick Regal 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 33 |
| 2015 | Buick Regal 4 DR AWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 33 |
| 2015 | Buick Regal eAssist 4 DR FWD | 5 | No | No | 0 | 33 |
| 2014 | Buick Regal 4 DR AWD | 5 | No | No | 2 | 38 |
| 2014 | Buick Regal 4 DR FWD | 5 | No | No | 2 | 38 |
| 2014 | Buick Regal eAssist 4 DR FWD | 5 | No | No | 2 | 36 |
| 2013 | Buick Regal 4 DR FWD | 5 | No | No | 6 | 91 |
| 2013 | Buick Regal eAssist 4 DR FWD | 5 | No | No | 4 | 88 |
| 2012 | Buick Regal 4 DR AWD | 5 | No | No | 7 | 92 |
| 2012 | Buick Regal 4 DR FWD | 5 | No | No | 7 | 92 |
| 2012 | Buick Regal eAssist 4 DR FWD | 5 | No | No | 5 | 90 |
| 2011 | Buick Regal 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 280 |
| 2011 | Buick Regal 4 DR FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 280 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Regal | Auto (S9), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2020 | Regal AWD | Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
22–24 |
| 2019 | Regal | Auto (S9), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2019 | Regal AWD | Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
22–24 |
| 2018 | Regal | Auto (S9), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2018 | Regal AWD | Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S9), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
22–24 |
| 2017 | Regal | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L |
23–24 |
| 2017 | Regal AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 22 |
| 2016 | Regal | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L |
23–24 |
| 2016 | Regal AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 22 |
| 2016 | Regal eAssist | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 28 |
| 2015 | Regal | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L |
23–24 |
| 2015 | Regal AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 22 |
| 2015 | Regal eAssist | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 28 |
| 2014 | Regal | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L |
23–24 |
| 2014 | Regal AWD | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 22 |
| 2014 | Regal eAssist | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 28 |
| 2013 | Regal | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; FFV Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, SIDI; FFV Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, SIDI Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; FFV; Sport Transmission Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; FFV Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI |
22–24 |
| 2013 | Regal eAssist | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 29 |
| 2012 | Regal | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; FFV Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, SIDI; FFV Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, SIDI Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; FFV Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; FFV; Sport Transmission Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI |
22–24 |
| 2012 | Regal eAssist | Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L | 28 |
| 2011 | Regal | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
21–24 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.