Driving the 2018 Buick Regal GS

2018 Buick Regal GS front three quarters

We saved the GS for last, and it was truly the icing on the cake. The 3.6-liter V-6 generates 310 horsepower and 282 lb-ft of torque. You can feel it in the acceleration and, equally important, in the sound that six cylinders make, helped by a sport-tuned dual exhaust system. Shifting up and downshifting were smooth with the nine-speed.

It has a five-link rear suspension, but the real differentiator is the Continuous Damping Control. On the uneven surfaces of the handling course, especially over railway tracks, the vehicle sopped up the road. The Sportback and TourX keep sway and jiggle to an acceptable level, but CDC in the GS prompts you take the course faster knowing no one is going to bounce their head off the ceiling. The damping system is on the Buick LaCrosse with 20-inch wheels and will be on the Avenir trim of the new Enclave coming this fall.

The GS also adds a sport and a GS drive mode. Sport changes the steering response, gearshifts, and can send more torque to the rear wheels. GS tightens the dampers and the steering even more for a more dynamic ride best felt on a curvy road.

On the GS, 19-inch wheels are standard, compared with 17- and 18-inch wheels on the other models. There are also Brembo brakes, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, and unique performance seats that are heated and cooled and massage.

The GS starts at $39,990 and goes on sale early next year. Buick will provide a more extensive test drive later this year.

2018 Buick Regal Tour X front side in motion