Buick Regal reliability by year
7 recalls and 631 owner complaints across 10 model years. Best year to buy: 2017. Year to avoid: 2011.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 1 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 . Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 10 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Regal aggregated across 10 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Buick Regal?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2017 Buick Regal scores 8.6/10 — the strongest in the 2011–2020 range. 20 complaints on file, 0 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Buick Regal year should I avoid?
The 2011 Buick Regal scores 7.2/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 279 owner complaints with NHTSA, 1 active recall. That doesn't mean every 2011 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Buick Regal should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2011 (avoid — the electrical system — 7 fire-related complaints on the electrical system). The cleaner years on the data are 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Buick Regal are tracked?
10 model years (2011 through 2020) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 7 recalls and 631 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Buick Regal?
electrical is the most-reported category — 133 complaints across 8 model years. Average shop repair runs about $850.