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2020 Buick Regal

Gas

Midsize Cars
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints1 crash reported 6

Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 26 mpg

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2020 Buick Regal is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Regal, is EPA-rated at 26 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 6 complaints, most often about the electrical system.

Buick Regal — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Buick Regal · Photo: Dinkun Chen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Regal	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	32	26	$3,150
Regal AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	29	24	$3,400
Regal TourX AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	29	24	$3,400
Regal AWD	Gas	AWD	3.6L 6-cyl	19	27	22	$3,050

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 41557, 41558, 41564, 41647.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Regal, Regal AWD, Regal TourX AWD	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Regal AWD	6 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV50 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 50	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	9

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Lane departure warning, Parking assist, Rear cross-traffic alert

Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Forward collision warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Essence, GS). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	192.9–196.5 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	73.2 in
Height	57.5–58.3 in
Wheelbase	111.4 in
Track, front	63.0 in
Track, rear	63.0 in
Curb weight	4,096–4,295 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	58/42

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: Sportback, Tour X Wagon. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

N222370090

23,734 vehicles 84% reported repaired

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Buick Regal vehicles. In the event of a vacuum-power brake assist failure, a software error in the electronic brake control module (EBCM) may result in a loss of power brake assist. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 135, "Light vehicle brake systems." Risk A loss of power brake assist can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the EBCM software, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters advising owners of the safety risk were mailed on August 19, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Buick's customer service at 1-800-521-7300.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 22V465000 reported Jun 30, 2022 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Seats

N192278300

341 vehicles 98% reported repaired built Jul 3, 2019 – Aug 14, 2019

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Buick Regal vehicles. The driver or passenger front seat frames may have a lower crossbar that was improperly welded. Risk Seats with improper welds may not provide adequate protection in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of an injury. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the crossbar welds on the front seats. If the crossbar is improperly welded, the seat back frame will be replaced, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed November 26, 2019. Owners received a second notice and the recall began February 20, 2020. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N192278300.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V762000 reported Oct 24, 2019 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Regal

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2020 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Buick publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Buick’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2020 Buick Regal, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

6complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

44 per 10,000 built · Buick reported 1,359 Regal built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2022: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Electrical System 3

Back Over Prevention 2

Tires 1

Seat Belts 1

Seats 1

Air Bags 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

My vehicle was damaged in a hit-and-run accident on March 6, 2023, and subsequently repaired by Matick Buick GMC. In 2025, I became aware of documented concerns involving airbag-related components, a restraint system warning light, StabiliTrak warnings, ABS-related concerns, diagnostic trouble codes, missing fasteners, water intrusion…

Air Bags Oct 16, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11771533

The contact owns a 2020 Buick Regal TourX. The contact stated that while her daughter was attempting to adjust the front driver’s seat, she heard a snapping sound and the seat then failed to respond.

Seats at 80,000 miles Jul 10, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11672393

Ever since we purchased the vehicle new in 2020 we had an issue with intermittent mulfunction of the parking and cross traffic alerts indicators. The backup camera screen often fails to indicate whether there is cross traffic and from which side. The issue is present about 8/10 times.

Back Over Prevention Jan 28, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11568366

Proximity door unlock system rarely works goes in and out even with key fob in pocket and within Proximity. I've reported the problem to buick/Chevrolet many times, changed fob batteries and etc with no fix

Electrical System May 15, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11522145

We were Christmas shopping driving down city streets when we heard a loud popping sound. When we pulled over to see what it was, the front passenger’s side seat belt buckle release no longer worked but the seat belt came out without resistance. It has not worked since.

Seat Belts Feb 25, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11509114

The contact owns a 2020 Buick Regal GS equipped with Continental ProContact TX Tires, Tire Size: 245/40/R19, DOT Number: 6Y66WBR71819. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the TPMS warning light indicated that the rear driver’s side tire air pressure was low. The tire lost air pressure and became flat.

Tires at 200 miles Jan 13, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11447368

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Buick itself: 2 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 3 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 147 per 100,000 built. Every Regal model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · GM warranty extension 22-NA-244This warranty administration service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories - Dealer-Installed, Repaired or Replaced During Warranty Coverage Period.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every GM warranty extension (33) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 826

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 816 service bulletins, 6 service campaigns, 2 warranty extensions

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Power Train.

PIT5698F Service bulletin
2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
PIP4902W Service bulletin
2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5099J Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT3271Q Service bulletin
2026-04-01 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIP6104 Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP4902V Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT6425D Service bulletin
2026-03-02 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC'ss
PIT6425C Service bulletin
2026-01-16 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC's

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
B3055 B3055 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins
B3060 B3060 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins
B3935 B3935 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P0300 P0300 on Buick →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	5 bulletins
P0016 P0016 on Buick →	The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser.	Equipment	4 bulletins
P0018 P0018 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	4 bulletins
P0308 P0308 on Buick →	Cylinder 8 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	4 bulletins
P050D P050D on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	4 bulletins
P12A6	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	4 bulletins
P0442 P0442 on Buick →	A small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Electrical System · Gas cap →	3 bulletins
P0455 P0455 on Buick →	A large leak in the evaporative emissions system — often a fuel cap left off.	Electrical System · Gas cap →	3 bulletins
P0747 P0747 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	3 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Regal by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2020 this page B 2 6 26 mpg 2019 C 3 20 26 mpg 2018 C 3 33 26 mpg 2017 A 0 20 24 mpg 2016 A 1 41 28 mpg

Common questions about the 2020 Regal

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2020 Buick Regal have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2020 Buick Regal. The most serious on file is 22V465000, covering Service Brakes, Hydraulic. 2 of them were filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2020 Buick Regal?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2020 Buick Regal yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it B (85/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Buick Regal?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2020 Buick Regal, the best EPA combined figure is 26 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2020 Buick Regal?

Transport Canada measured it at 192.9–196.5 in long, 73.2 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.5–58.3 in tall, on a 111.4 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,096–4,295 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2020 Buick Regal?

Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Buick Regal, most often about electrical system, back over prevention, tires. Of those, 1 involved a crash. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2020 Buick Regal?

The EPA smog rating for the 2020 Buick Regal runs 5 to 6 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV50, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 50, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2020 Buick Regal?

The manufacturer has filed 826 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2020 Buick Regal, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	6	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	none	NHTSA NCAP	NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins	826	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	12 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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