2014 Buick Regal Leatgr on 2040-cars

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2022 Buick Envision mostly costs a little less than in 2021

When Buick gave the world the second-gen Envision for the 2021 model year, the brand also gave Buick shoppers big discounts, cutting $1,700 from the entry-level Preferred trim's price compared to 2021. Buick's done the same on a smaller scale for 2022, albeit this time the brand made it an exchange, not a freebie. Pricing for the 2022 Envision after the $1,195 destination charge, as well as the differences from 2021, is: Preferred FWD: $32,695 ($300 less) Preferred ST FWD: $34,140 ($180 less) Preferred AWD: $36,345 ($1,550) Preferred ST AWD: $37,790 ($1,670) Essence FWD: $36,795 ($400 less) Essence ST FWD: $38,290 ($230 less) Essence AWD: $38,595 ($400 less) Essence ST AWD: $40,090 ($230 less) Avenir FWD: $41,045 ($550 less) Avenir AWD: $42,845 ($550 less) Buick's publicized list of changes for the 2022 Envision are the addition of a new Sapphire Metallic exterior color, and the Sport Touring package now including the "ST" logo embroidered on the front seat headrests and alloy pedals for all trims, plus contrasting red stitching on the Essence ST trim. What Buick left out, as GM Authority reports, is that some previously standard equipment is now optional, explaining the discounts of a few hundred bucks. Buyers need to buy a new $200 Safety Package to get blind spot and rear cross traffic alerts, which used to be standard with the Driver Confidence Plus suite. Powered lumbar for the driver's seat is also a new option that was formerly standard, bundled with different items and costing a different amount depending on trim. The real shocker is the four-figure price leap tacked onto the Preferred all-wheel-drive trims. In 2021, it cost $1,800 to send power to the rear axle. For 2022, it costs $3,650 to get AWD on the Preferred, but the AWD option on Essence and Avenir trims hasn't budged from $1,800. We aren't clear on the reasons for the change. Every Avenir is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 230 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, shifting through a nine-speed automatic transmission. Related video:

GM recalls 3.6 million vehicles for airbag-software problems

The Basics: General Motors is recalling 3.64 million vehicles across its lineup for an airbag-related issue. The recall covers the 2014-2015 Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet SS, and Spark EV; 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Trax, Caprice PPV, Silverado 1500, Buick Encore, and GMC Sierra 1500; and 2015-2017 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, Silverado HD, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, Sierra HD, Cadillac Escalade, and Escalade ESV. The Problem: Affected vehicles have a sensing and diagnostic module that controls the airbags and seat-belt pretensioners. The software it uses has a defect that can prompt the module to run a diagnostic test under specific driving conditions, which will also deactivate the front airbags and pretensioners. This means that it would be possible for those safety systems to not activate in a crash, potentially leading to injury or death. Injuries/Deaths: General Motors began an investigation that led to the recall after a 2014 Silverado was involved in a crash in which the airbags did not deploy. No information was given as to injuries or deaths. The Fix: Owners can bring their vehicles to a local General Motors dealer where a software update will be installed to fix the issue. The fix will be free of charge. If you own one: General Motors will contact owners of affected cars, and owners can check whether their vehicles are affected by visiting entering their vehicle identification numbers at either the GM Owner Center website or the NHTSA website. Owners can then schedule a time to have the update installed. Related Video:

Buick Regal lives on in China, gets visual and tech updates

Axed from the American market after the 2020 model year, the Buick Regal lives on in China. It's selling well enough across the Pacific for the General Motors-owned brand to justify investing in a round of updates that includes a new-look exterior design and more interior tech. Chinese buyers only have access to the sedan variant of the Regal; the TourX wagon briefly sold on our shores isn't available. The facelift includes sharper-looking headlights, a big grille that occupies most of the space on a redesigned front bumper, and Buick's new logo. Not much has changed when you look at the Regal from the side, it still features an upswept line that runs across the bottom of both doors, and Buick chose not to publish photos of the rear end which strongly suggests little has been updated. New wheel designs are available as well. Most of the changes made to the interior fall in the technology basket. Buick notably added its QuietTuning noise-cancelling function, which promises to make the cabin quieter, while shift-by-wire technology frees up space for two big cupholders on the center console. Connectivity is part of the package, too: Buick's eConnect infotainment system includes an artificial intelligence-powered Baidu voice assistant. Power for China's Regal comes from a turbocharged, 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine whose output hasn't been released. Alternatively, the list of options includes a 2.0-liter turbo-four rated at 233 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It spins the front wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission. In contrast, the Regal sold here was available with anywhere from 250 to 310 horsepower depending on the trim. Pricing for the 2023 Buick Regal starts at 159,800 Chinese yuan, which represents around $22,400. China is the Regal's last bastion. Buick left the sedan segment in the United States after it swept the Regal out of its range in 2020, and no evidence credibly suggests that a successor for our market is in the pipeline. Opel — which General Motors sold to Peugeot in 2017 — developed the Regal and sold its own version of it called Insignia across Europe until 2022. Here again, the model won't be directly replaced. Continuing our global tour, Australia-based Holden tried to market a variant of the Insignia as a replacement for the rear-wheel-drive, V8-powered Commodore from 2018 to 2020. The model flopped and retired after a lackluster career, and Holden closed shortly after. Related video: